Career planning
The main emphasis in careers guidance is helping individuals make their own decisions based on a true understanding of their abilities, skills, interests, work values and personality, along with being able to recognise their options to enable future careers. Today, people more frequently face ongoing, successive work and study transitions, and career changes and developments. It is important to equip everyone with the skills to make career-planning decisions. Guidance is not simply based on the concept of matching people and jobs. The process involves: (A) Assessing yourself – the internal factors 1. Abilities 2. Occupational values – for example, status, security, challenge, creativity, independence, teamwork, location 3. Interests – personal/vocational (possible career fields) 4. Skills (practised abilities): • Thinking/creative/problem-solving • Communication/interpersonal • Business and management
4. School subjects and marks required 5. Lifestyle requirements 6. Culture and religion
7. Work experience (job requirements, work environment, occupational characteristics) 8. Job availability. (C) Internal factors + external influences + job criteria = suitability (D) Researching and generating several career options for evaluation Generally, the more people learn about themselves and careers, the better and more informed their decisions will be. Students must understand career planning requires time and effort in: 1. Assessing their abilities, work values, interests, skills and personality 2. Using the resources of the Careers Room to gather information and ideas 3. Consulting and talking to the Careers Advisor,
teachers, parents and friends 4. Visiting tertiary institutions
5. Contacting people in the workplace for further discussion, information and work experience. The process begins in junior years, with students developing a career plan. Planning and decision- making should not be left until the third term of Year 13, as some polytechnic courses close in August and halls of residence applications are due by 1 October. The well-resourced Careers Room is open every school day from 8.30am–4pm for students to research career interests and receive help from Careers Advisor Chris Sellars.
• Numerical • Language
• Technological/computer • Information and research • Ability to keep on learning and adapting. 5. Personality and character (B) Considering external influences 1. Family expectations and pressures 2. Peer group pressure 3. Media images of the occupation
8 Curriculum Studies Guide
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