Author name: Sheri Smith

Press Release: Colorado Career Advising Tool Enhances Career Matching with Latest Statewide Training Data

Press Releases /

🚀 Big News for Colorado Job Seekers & Students! 🚀

The Colorado Career Advising Tool just got even better! 🎉 We’ve updated our career matching features with the latest Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL), Career Development Incentive Program (CDIP), and Apprenticeship data.

✅ Find approved training programs in high-demand industries
✅ Explore funded career pathways & industry-recognized credentials
✅ Connect with earn-while-you-learn apprenticeships

Start exploring your future today! 🔗 https://www.coloradocareeradvising.com/

Press Release: Colorado Career Advising Tool Enhances Career Matching with Latest Statewide Training Data Read More »

Activity: The Hot Seat (Interview Practice)

Activities, Resources /

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially for students who have never experienced one before. Many bright, capable students graduate without ever practicing how to confidently present themselves in a job or college interview.

This activity provides a hands-on opportunity for students to step into the “hot seat” and develop essential interview skills using their Indigo Reports. By integrating their personal strengths, skills, and values into their responses, students will learn how to highlight what makes them stand out—authentically and effectively.

The Goal

To bridge the gap between self-knowledge and career success by helping students practice real-world interview scenarios. By leveraging their Indigo Reports, students gain the confidence to showcase their value to potential employers or college admissions teams in a professional and impactful way.

Materials: 

  • Indigo Report
  • Three chairs

Note: Emphasize that students should rely heavily on their Indigo Report for this exercise. Regardless of their skill level, everyone can benefit from incorporating Indigo language into their interview strategy. Encourage them to explore sections like Strengths, About You, and Value To A Team to find vocabulary that authentically highlights their unique qualities in a positive way.

Step 1: 

Divide students into pairs—one is the interviewer, one is the interviewee. Have students answer any of the following questions (you can use your own too):

  • Why are you interested in this job?
  • Why would you be good at this job?
  • How will you work on a team?
  • What is a weakness that may show up?
  • How do your skills fit this job?
  • Who is your ideal manager?
  • What is your key strength that you bring to the table?

Step 2:

Now, as the teacher you are the interviewer—have three student volunteers come up to the front of the room and sit in three different “hot seats.” Pick a couple questions to ask them and see how each responds.

Feel free to rotate students as many times as possible if a lot of students want to volunteer. You may ask the same questions that they went over in pairs or use your own questions. The more practice, the better!

Encourage students to look at their Indigo Summary Page and use some of the language on the Strengths, Skills and Value To A Team sections while on the hot seat to enhance their answers! This will give them practice using strong language to describe themselves.

Step 3:

Close by asking students for ideas on how they could use the Indigo Report to prepare for job interviews and college applications.

  • How can you show what you are passionate about through motivators?
  • How have your top skills come up in your life?
  • How can you use the language from the Strengths, Skills, and Value To A Team sections more?
Download PDF

Activity: The Hot Seat (Interview Practice) Read More »

Press Release: CCA Skills Activity Resource

Press Releases, Resources, Skills /

Colorado is leading the way in skills-based hiring, and the Indigo Education Company is here to help job seekers stand out! 🌟 Indigo just launched a new Skills Activity Resource on the Colorado Career Advising Website to help students and professionals develop in-demand skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and communication.

📢 Read the press release
📖 Get the free resource

Press Release: CCA Skills Activity Resource Read More »

Activity: The Awesome Project

Activities, DISC, Resources, Skills /

Every student is unique, with talents, strengths, and a personal story that sets them apart. The Indigo Report provides an insightful roadmap to help students recognize and articulate their strengths, communication styles, and value to a team.

This activity empowers students to turn self-awareness into a tangible project—something they can proudly present to colleges, employers, or future mentors. Whether through a portfolio, a personal website, or a compelling essay, this exercise reinforces the message:

You are awesome, no questions asked.

The Goal

Students leave with a completed creative project they can showcase to employers and include in post-secondary applications.

Materials: 

  • Indigo Report
  • Access to computers or materials for a creative project

Step 1: 

Give students one class period to look through the Strengths, Style, Skills, and Value to a Team sections of their Indigo Report and explore the following set of questions:

  • What makes you awesome?
  • What are you interested in?
  • When have you excelled in school or life?
  • When have you you overcome challenges in school or life?
  • When have you used your skills and strengths in school or life?

Step 2:

Ask students to create something that explains why they are awesome. It could be a portfolio, blog, YouTube video, presentation, essay, personal website (Wix.com, Weebly.com, Squarespace.com), collage or any other creative form they want to explore. This can be done in class over the span of a few periods or even assigned for homework over a few weeks. 

Step 3:

Have students present their project. Alternatively, you can have students write a 3-5 paragraph essay showcasing their project that answers the following questions:

  • What did you do?
  • What did you learn?
  • How did you apply the skills/strengths from your Indigo Report to the project?
  • What makes you awesome?

Note: To guide the conversation around this exercise, pitch it in a way that communicates, “If you can understand what makes you awesome and what makes you come alive, then you can look for colleges and careers that support those characteristics.” If students are struggling with viewing themselves in a positive light, their Indigo Report can help reinforce their inherent strengths.

Download PDF

Activity: The Awesome Project Read More »

Unlock Your Potential: A Complete Guide to Indigo’s Skills Activities

Activities, Skills /

As students journey through education and career exploration, understanding and developing key skills becomes essential. Our curated Skills Activities provide a personalized pathway for students to enhance their strengths while addressing areas for growth.

This blog marks the culmination of our Skills Activity series and introduces a comprehensive booklet that compiles all the activities into one resource.

Why Skills Development Matters

Skills shape how individuals navigate the world, solve problems, and connect with others. By engaging in self-guided activities tailored to individual strengths, students can cultivate essential life and career competencies at their own pace.

Explore the Full Range of Skills Activities

Our Skills Activities cover a wide array of competencies designed to empower students in various aspects of personal and professional development.

Get Your Skills Booklet Now

Introducing the Skills Activities Booklet

We are excited to announce the release of our comprehensive Skills Activities Booklet. This resource compiles all the activities into a single, easy-to-use guide designed for educators, career advisors, and students. Each activity encourages reflection, practical application, and personal growth.

Ready to Start?

Discover more about these activities and begin your skills development journey today. Unlock your potential, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward a successful future.

Download now!

Unlock Your Potential: A Complete Guide to Indigo’s Skills Activities Read More »

Activity: Exploring Skills with Indigo

Activities, Skills /

Take a step towards personal growth with this simple yet impactful 15-minute activity designed to enhance a 21st-century skill from your Indigo Report.

By combining reflective journaling with a tailored video, you’ll dive deeper into your strengths, understand their significance, and take actionable steps to refine them.

Let’s turn self-awareness into self-improvement, one skill at a time.

The Goal

The goal of this activity is to build self-awareness and strengthen a specific skill by reflecting on its meaning, assessing personal proficiency, and creating an action plan for improvement.

Materials:

  • Skills page from your Indigo Report
  • Your journal or notebook
  • The skills video for your focus skill
Click Here to Watch Indigo Skills Videos

Step 1:

Skill Focus. Using your Indigo Report, decide which skill you will focus on today.

Step 2:

Ranking. Look on the skills page of your Indigo Report to find your ranking for the skill you have chosen. Jot down the skill and your ranking in your journal or notebook.

Step 3:

Question. Consider: “What does this skill mean to you?” Write down your thoughts—there are no right or wrong answers!

Step 4:

Watch the Video. Watch the video for your chosen skill. Make notes in your journal or notebook as you watch, focusing on these two questions:

How is this skill defined? What are steps you can take to successfully apply this skill?

Step 5:

Solo Reflection. Respond in your journal or notebook to the question below.

Look back at the ranking for this skill you wrote earlier. Based on the information in the video, why do you think you attained this ranking?

Step 6:

Action. Make a commitment to yourself to practice this skill by writing a response to the question below.

What is one thing you can do today to practice this skill?

Download PDF

Activity: Exploring Skills with Indigo Read More »

Activity: Written Communication

Activities, Skills /

The best way to improve your written communication is to practice! Whether you're crafting essays, resumes, sales copy, or technical instructions, each type of writing has its own nuances and purpose.

In this exercise, we’ll guide you through the importance of understanding the specific writing skills needed for your desired job and introduce practical tools to help you improve.

With the included Indigo exercises, "Indigo for Essay Writing" and "Indigo for Resume Writing," you'll get hands-on experience in key writing areas that everyone needs to master. Ready to improve your written communication?

The Goal

Enhance your writing skills by practicing personal essays and resumes—foundational exercises that strengthen your overall communication and support growth in your specific writing focus.

Activities: 

The key is knowing which type of writing is most valued at the work you are trying to do. Do you want to learn to write sales copy, blogs, technical instructions, curriculum, etc? Honing your writing toward a job specific skill is the best way to get hired and stand out.

View the activities below for practical written communication exercises:

Indigo for Essay Writing
Indigo for Resume Writing

Resources: 

If you are looking for online resources for honing your writing skills check out the following resources:

  • Grammarly – spelling and grammar checker
  • Wordcounter – word counts, estimates reading level and reading/speaking time
  • Cliché Finder – identifies over-used clichés
  • Draft – writing collaboration tool, can compare drafts and daily word count
  • Hemingway Editor – readability suggestions
  • StayFocused – temporarily disables web browsing
  • One Look Reverse Dictionary – advanced thesaurus
  • Join a writing club to receive real time feedback from your peers.
Download PDF

Activity: Written Communication Read More »

Activity: Time and Priority Management

Uncategorized /

Managing time and priorities can be one of the toughest challenges, especially if you are juggling academics, extracurricular activities, and everything else life throws your way. With so many distractions—like that irresistible YouTube video of adorable Corgis—it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

However, learning to prioritize effectively can transform chaos into clarity. The "Time and Priority Management" exercise helps you do just that by giving you a practical tool to help organize your tasks based on importance.

By mapping out your priorities on a matrix, you'll be able to assess where your energy and focus should go and learn how to prioritize more effectively. Ready to regain control? Let’s get started!

The Goal

This activity will equip you with a practical tool to organize tasks and focus on what truly matters.

Step 1: 

Read over the priority matrix below. Tasks with different levels of importance are sorted into four quadrants, corresponding to the degree of priority.

Step 2:

Create a priority matrix for yourself. Your priority matrix can be for all activities in a day, all components in a project, homework for all of your classes, or anything else in your life that needs time and priority management.

Consider using priority matrices during high-intensity and busy times and as a tool to organize yourself.

Take this tool with you and use it regularly, especially when you’re feeling overloaded. Prioritizing will not only help you stay on top of your tasks but also help you feel more confident and in control, no matter how busy life gets.

Download PDF

Activity: Time and Priority Management Read More »

Activity: Teamwork

Activities, Skills /

Teamwork is essential to thriving in any group setting, but it takes practice and intention to truly develop. Effective teamwork isn’t just about working together; it’s about building trust, empowering each other, and taking responsibility for shared outcomes.

This activity will help you develop affirmations to reinforce trust and mutual support, equipping you to build stronger, more collaborative relationships.

Dig deeper into this exercise to foster an authentic, empowering approach to teamwork!

The Goal

Develop strong teamwork skills to build mutual respect, leverage diverse strengths, and share responsibility for team success.

Step 1: 

Make a daily affirmation list regarding trusting and empowering others. A couple examples are provided for you, but see if you can come up with at least five more. Once you have completed your list, keep a copy of it on a notecard, in your journal or notebook to refer to prior to meeting with the groups with which you learn and work.

Examples:

  • “I will trust other people to do their jobs.”
  • “I will perform my job so that others can do theirs.”

People who have well developed Teamwork skills easily form relationships with mutual respect among diverse types of people. 

My Affirmations:

  1.  
  2.  
  3.  
  4.  
  5.  

Step 2: 

Use your affirmations to foster stronger team relationships by actively practicing them in group settings. Before your next meeting or collaboration, review your list to set a positive mindset. Then, during your interactions, look for opportunities to put your affirmations into action.

For example:

  • If your affirmation is “I will trust other people to do their jobs,” actively delegate a task and express confidence in your teammate’s ability to handle it.
  • If your affirmation is “I will perform my job so that others can do theirs,” ensure your work is completed in a way that supports the team’s overall progress.

Afterward, reflect on how practicing your affirmations influenced your relationships and the team’s dynamic. Adjust your affirmations as needed to address new challenges or opportunities for growth.

Teamwork thrives on trust, respect, and collaboration. By embracing these values and working together toward shared goals, you help create a positive, thriving environment for everyone. Keep practicing—your efforts will make a real difference and lead to greater success for you and your team!

Download PDF

Activity: Teamwork Read More »

Activity: Planning/Organizing

Activities, Skills /

Creating a planning system is more than just organizing tasks—it’s about developing a framework that motivates, guides, and empowers you to manage time and priorities effectively. In today’s busy world, persuasion isn’t just for others; sometimes, it’s about persuading yourself to stay organized and committed.

This activity will help you design a customized system that aligns with your goals, using tools that fit your style. Dive in to create a personalized plan that turns ideas into action and transforms your approach to productivity!

The Goal

Create your own unique organization system that is uniquely tailored to you, which will organize your time, priorities, and workload into the perfect planning system

Step 1: 

Create a planning system that works for you. For example, you can use existing phone apps, Post-It notes color coded for priority, or a diary-style planner that includes every single task that you must complete. You could also create a simple day-by-day to do list organized by priority from top to bottom. Whatever it is, make it the way you want it.

Note: It may be helpful to find other students who share your top DISC scores so that you can bounce ideas off of each other as you are working individually. Collaborating with those who think similarly can help you develop even better solutions.

Step 2: 

Show a teacher or mentor your organization system and get their feedback. Also, consider ways you can integrate your plan into everyday life.

Note: If you are having a hard time coming up with an idea for creating your planning system, try creating a system to organize and plan just your homework or tasks for that given week. By making it more tangible, you will have something to work off of.

Remember that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do this – you want to find a system that works for you.

Step 3: 

Once you’ve put your planning system into action for a week or two, take time to reflect on its effectiveness. Ask yourself:

  • What worked well? Identify which aspects of your system helped you stay organized, motivated, and on track.
  • What didn’t work? Consider any areas where you felt overwhelmed, distracted, or unmotivated.
  • What can be improved? Look for ways to tweak or enhance your system to better suit your style and needs.

Adjusting and refining your planning system is essential as your goals, tasks, and priorities change. A flexible system is a successful one, so don’t be afraid to make changes that keep you aligned with your evolving aspirations and daily life.

Download PDF

Activity: Planning/Organizing Read More »

Scroll to Top