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.
Press Release: CCA Skills Activity Resource Read More »
Students leave with a completed creative project they can showcase to employers and include in post-secondary applications.
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:
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.
Have students present their project. Alternatively, you can have students write a 3-5 paragraph essay showcasing their project that answers the following questions:
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.
Activity: The Awesome Project Read More »
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.
Our Skills Activities cover a wide array of competencies designed to empower students in various aspects of personal and professional development.
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.
Unlock Your Potential: A Complete Guide to Indigo’s Skills Activities Read More »
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.
Skill Focus. Using your Indigo Report, decide which skill you will focus on today.
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.
Question. Consider: “What does this skill mean to you?” Write down your thoughts—there are no right or wrong answers!
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?
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?
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?
Activity: Exploring Skills with Indigo Read More »
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.
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:
If you are looking for online resources for honing your writing skills check out the following resources:
Activity: Written Communication Read More »
This activity will equip you with a practical tool to organize tasks and focus on what truly matters.
Read over the priority matrix below. Tasks with different levels of importance are sorted into four quadrants, corresponding to the degree of priority.
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.
Activity: Time and Priority Management Read More »
Develop strong teamwork skills to build mutual respect, leverage diverse strengths, and share responsibility for team success.
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:
People who have well developed Teamwork skills easily form relationships with mutual respect among diverse types of people.
My Affirmations:
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:
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!
Activity: Teamwork Read More »
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
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.
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.
Once you’ve put your planning system into action for a week or two, take time to reflect on its effectiveness. Ask yourself:
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.
Activity: Planning/Organizing Read More »
Develop personal responsibility by reflecting on past experiences and assessing your strengths and weaknesses. This empowers you to take ownership of your actions and decisions, consistently pursuing goals even in challenging situations.
List three examples of times when you believe you displayed Personal Responsibility, why it was necessary to accept responsibility and how you felt about it.
Then, list three instances when you lacked personal responsibility, explain why it was important to demonstrate it, and describe how you felt at the time.
Based on the examples above, what area of your life are you going to consciously take more responsibility and how will that positively impact your life?
Activity: Personal Responsibility Read More »
One of the most effective ways we do this is by integrating the six key motivators from our Interest and Work Values Assessment with the RIASEC (Holland’s Codes) model—a widely recognized framework used for career exploration. This alignment not only deepens the insights we provide but also connects users to valuable resources on the O*Net U.S. Department of Labor website, ensuring that the guidance they receive is both practical and rooted in comprehensive labor market data.
The RIASEC model, developed by psychologist John Holland, categorizes careers into six broad areas based on people’s interests and work environments:
This model is a cornerstone of career guidance, offering a straightforward way to align personal interests with suitable career paths.
By connecting Indigo’s motivators to the well-established RIASEC model and leveraging the resources provided by O*Net, we empower users to explore and pursue careers that are both personally meaningful and aligned with the realities of the job market.
Our six key motivators—Theoretical, Utilitarian, Individualistic, Traditional, Aesthetic, and Social—are derived from the pioneering research of Dr. Edward Spranger and Gordon Allport. These motivators encapsulate the core reasons individuals leverage their talents in uniquely distinct ways. Here’s how they align with the RIASEC model:
Aligns with the Investigative category in RIASEC. Individuals motivated by Theoretical interests thrive in roles that require deep intellectual engagement, such as scientists, researchers, or analysts. These careers demand a love for learning and an ongoing pursuit of knowledge—characteristics that are central to the Investigative category.
Matches the Realistic and Enterprising categories. People driven by Utilitarian motives are drawn to careers that offer tangible rewards and efficiency, such as engineering, technical trades, or business leadership. These roles often involve problem-solving, resource management, and practical application of skills.
Directly corresponds with the Social category in RIASEC. Those with strong Social motivators are inclined towards careers where they can support, teach, or care for others, such as healthcare professionals, counselors, or educators. These careers are centered around interpersonal connections and the well-being of others.
Aligns with the Enterprising category. Individuals with a high Individualistic motivator often pursue leadership or entrepreneurial roles where they can assert their influence, take initiative, and achieve personal recognition. This aligns with careers in management, politics, or sales.
Connects with the Artistic category. Those who are aesthetically motivated are drawn to careers that allow for creativity, self-expression, and a focus on beauty, such as design, the arts, and literature. These roles require innovation and a deep appreciation for artistic endeavors.
Resonates with the Conventional category. Individuals motivated by tradition prefer structured, orderly environments where they can uphold established practices and values. Careers in administration, finance, and clerical work often appeal to those who find satisfaction in maintaining systems and processes.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net website offers a wealth of resources that align with the RIASEC model, making it a valuable tool for anyone using Indigo’s Career Inventory Platform. By connecting directly with O*Net’s resources, we ensure that users can explore careers that match their motivators and RIASEC interests with real-world data on job outlooks, salary ranges, and required skills.
How to Use O*Net Resources:
By aligning Indigo’s six key motivators with the RIASEC model and integrating these with O*Net resources, we offer a robust, research-based approach to career exploration. This strategic alignment not only helps individuals understand their unique motivations but also connects them to real-world opportunities that match their strengths and interests. Whether you’re a student beginning your career journey or a professional looking to pivot, this comprehensive approach ensures that your career choices are both informed and fulfilling.
Explore the Indigo Career Inventory Platform today and discover how your motivations can guide you to a career that’s not only aligned with who you are but also supported by the latest labor market insights.
How Indigo’s Motivators Align with the RIASEC Model and O*Net Resources Read More »
