Mapping My Future

Overview

Students explore the difference between a job and a career, consider how interests, strengths, values and wellbeing influence work choices, and identify the purpose of a curriculum vitae (C.V.). They apply this learning by drafting a short C.V. profile for a realistic entry-level opportunity.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain the difference between a job, occupation and career.
• WALT identify personal strengths, interests and values that may influence future work choices.
• WALT explain how a C.V. communicates skills and experience.
• WALT make informed, wellbeing-focused decisions about possible career pathways.

Success criteria

• I can describe a job and a career using examples.
• I can identify at least three strengths, interests or values that may guide my choices.
• I can explain what information belongs in a C.V.
• I can write a clear personal profile and skills section for a C.V.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education narrative — caring for the body, navigating relationships and making informed decisions.
• Health Education / Self-care — recognising that self-care and support can vary across developmental stages and contexts.
• Health Education / Practices (Self-care) — using problem-solving and goal-setting strategies to manage complex life changes.
• Learning area link to senior years — developing knowledge and practices that prepare students for senior Health Education and related learning.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: “Job or career?” Teacher opens the hook and lesson overview slides and displays three examples, such as babysitting, nursing and working in a supermarket; students decide individually whether each is a job, a career or potentially both, then briefly justify one choice to a partner. Clarify that a job is paid work or a role someone does, while a career is the longer-term pattern of learning, work and development a person may experience. Neither is automatically more valuable.

2. 5–13 min · Build the concepts. Teacher uses the job, occupation and career teaching slides to introduce job, occupation, career, transferable skills, interests, values and strengths. Students complete a quick three-column note: “What I enjoy”, “What I can do” and “What matters to me”, recording school, whānau, community, sport, cultural or personal examples. Emphasise that career pathways are not fixed, people may change direction, and unpaid or caring responsibilities can develop valuable skills.

3. 13–20 min · Wellbeing and decision-making. Teacher presents the career choices and wellbeing discussion slide and asks: “What could make a career choice healthy and sustainable?” Guide discussion towards safety, balance, support, realistic goals, interests, financial needs, workplace relationships and access to learning. Students use a think-pair-share to identify one factor that could support wellbeing and one source of advice, such as a trusted adult, careers adviser, teacher or reliable careers information. Avoid asking students to disclose family employment, financial circumstances or personal plans.

4. 20–27 min · What is a C.V.? Teacher models the C.V. structure and model profile slides, explaining that a C.V. is a concise document presenting relevant information to an employer or organisation. Identify typical sections: contact details, personal profile, education, skills, experience, achievements/interests and referees. Discuss accuracy, readable formatting, professional language, privacy and tailoring information to the opportunity. Students highlight which sections would be useful for a first part-time job or volunteering role. Explain that students may use fictional details or placeholders rather than sharing personal contact information.

5. 27–39 min · Draft a C.V. profile. Teacher distributes the job-versus-career and C.V. drafting worksheet and displays the C.V. writing instructions and sentence starters. Students choose a realistic age-appropriate opportunity, such as a weekend retail role, sports coaching assistant, library helper or community volunteer. They complete the job/career comparison, select three relevant skills with evidence, and draft a 40–60 word personal profile. Circulate and conference with students: ask, “What evidence shows this skill?” and “Why would this skill matter in that role?” Students may use experiences from school, whānau, sport, cultural activities, hobbies, caring or community involvement.

6. 39–45 min · Peer check and exit reflection. Teacher uses the peer-check and plenary slides to display three checks: clear and positive language, specific evidence, and information suited to the chosen opportunity. Students exchange worksheets with a partner, who gives one warm comment and one practical suggestion; students then make one improvement. Finish with an oral or written exit response: “One difference between a job and a career is…”, “One skill I can evidence is…”, and “One person or service I could ask for career support is…”.

Resources

• the complete careers and C.V. slide deck
• the job-versus-career and C.V. drafting worksheet
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Pens or pencils
• Optional timer
• Board space for key definitions
• Fictional job and volunteering examples prepared by the teacher

Assessment

• Listen to partner explanations and question students’ use of job, occupation and career accurately.
• Check worksheet responses for relevant strengths, evidence and understanding of C.V. sections; provide immediate feedback during drafting.
• Use the exit response to identify students needing further support with career decision-making, wellbeing factors or writing specific evidence.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank, completed example, section headings and sentence starters such as “I am a reliable…”, “I have developed this through…” and “I am interested in…”.
• Allow students to dictate ideas, use speech-to-text, work with a supportive partner or complete fewer sections while retaining the profile and skills evidence.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach job, career, skill, experience, achievement and referee; pair visuals with definitions and accept oral rehearsal before writing.
• Extend confident students by asking them to tailor the same profile to a second opportunity and explain which skills or language they changed.
• Maintain privacy and choice: fictionalise contact details and permit students to write about general interests rather than personal circumstances.