This document discusses the importance of pursuing dreams and building grit through career exploration. It notes that finding and knowing how to pursue a dream career inspires motivation and leads to success. The document explores different career opportunities and encourages seeing diverse career paths as possible. It introduces Gladeo, a web tool for career exploration, preparation, and development that allows users to discover themselves and potential careers through stories of real people from various backgrounds.

1. DREAM CONFIDENTLY
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Speaker: Michelle Cho
Co-Founder of Gladeo.org
How finding and knowing how to pursue a dream career
builds grit and leads to success for our children

2. VOLITION - AKA WILLPOWER
W H Y A R E D R E A M S I M P O R TA N T ?
MOTIVATION
Inspiration
- Dr. Angela Duckworth, 2013 Macarthur Genius Grant
GRIT is passion and perseverance for long-term goals.
Exploration
Self-Discovery
Education
Action
Accountability

3. Know thyself and you will know the universe and the gods. ~ Socrates
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PERSONALITY STRENGTHS
PASSION
PRIORITIES
D I S CO V E R Y O U R S E L F

4. SKILLED TRADE WORKERS
TRANSPORTATION
HEALTHCARE
Nurses
X-Ray Technicians
Nursing Home Workers
HVAC
Electricians
Plumbers
Sheet Metal Supervisors
Pipefitters
Analysts
Managers
Warehouse Coordinators
ENGINEERING
Computer Science
Mechanical
Infrastructure
Electrical Engineer
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Network Systems Administrators
Data Communications Analysts
Computer Forensics
OTHER
Accountants/Auditors
Security Guards
Child-Care Workers
Homeland Security
TECHNOLOGY/WEB
Software Engineer
UI Designer
Digital Marketing
Digital PR
Web Developer
Web Analytics Engineer
Cybersecurity
Social Media
Opportunities in
E X P L O R E W H AT ’ S O U T T H E R E
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
Development & Production
Marketing/PR
Screenwriter
Director
Cinematographer
Music Supervisor
Agent

5. We need to tell the varied success stories of real people from
diverse backgrounds.
“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are
untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from TED TALKS: The Danger of a Single Story
S E E I T . D R E A M I T . B E L I E V E I T .
“Meryl Streep, Sally Field,
Helen Mirren, they're all my idols and I
love them to death. But it's still Cicely
Tyson that made me want to be an actress
because she looked like me. In fact, women at
Cal State Northridge, don't seek positions of
professor because they don't see women in
those roles. Because they don't see it, they
don't seek it. You've got to see it, to be able
to dream it and believe it for yourself.
Tony-award winning, Oscar-nominated Actress Viola Davis,
being interviewed in 2011 about her film, “The Help”

6. Gladeo.org is a web-based
career exploration, preparation
and development tool that
allows users to discover their
strengths, explore cool careers,
and pursue them in the real
world.
W H AT I S G L A D E O ? Gladeo Clubs are student-led
career exploration clubs at
middle schools, high schools,
and colleges.
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•Club curriculum takes members
through Gladeo.org career
exploration, quiz, declaration,
accountability...
•Local company visits, guest speaker
sessions, career day
•Internship coordination, resume
prep, and job coaching
*Features short cinematic personal
experience documentaries and
information from first-hand interviews
from currently working professionals.

7. You feel lost,
unmotivated, hopeless
about your future
Inspire
others to
live theirs.
Be inspired by
everyday heroes
Live your dream.
Gear up!
Discover yourself.
The Gladeo Effect

8. SPEAKER
Michelle Cho
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In 2009, Michelle and her sisters started conducting free college planning
seminars for middle and high school students throughout California. It was in
talking with students face-to-face about their futures that she found her
inspiration to create Gladeo.org, a web-based career exploration, preparation and
development tool.
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Michelle produced the award-winning film “Au Revoir, Taipei” which released in
2010 and went on to win the NETPAC award at the Berlin Film Festival. She
began her film career at Paramount Pictures in the motion picture department in
2003. Then, she worked at LUKA Productions, an international production
company, as Vice President of Development. She was also Managing Director of
Operations for BRC Advisors, a Los Angeles-based commercial real estate
company. Michelle is currently a strategic marketing consultant working with
clients in the hospitality, tech and entertainment sector.
Michelle Cho was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Michelle graduated from
Stanford University with a degree in Economics. Michelle currently serves as a
mentor with the East Bay Agency for Children (EBAC) in Oakland, CA. She also
volunteers with and conducts career seminars for the Boys and Girls Club of
Oakland and West Contra Costa Unified School District.
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9. APPENDIX
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10. There’s a Dream & Opportunity Gap that’s contributing to the
widening “achievement gap” among young people
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• Negative stereotypes from community/media
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• Limited awareness of relatable success stories and of careers that exist
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• Lack of access to professional career network, practical advice and
resources
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48% of working college graduates are underemployed.
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• No easy way exists for people to learn about various career paths and the
education, experience, skills, network and best practice steps it takes to
pursue and succeed in a particular path.
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• There is little connection between companies or industries looking for
(and lacking) skilled workers and the young people who might be
cultivated to become future members of that workforce.Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
T H E P R O B L E M W E A R E A D D R E S S I N G