Career Planning Essentials

Overview

This 90-minute lesson for Year 10 students introduces the concept of career planning and emphasises the importance of considering employment trends when making career decisions. The lesson directly supports the National Curriculum for England in Business Studies by developing students’ understanding of work-related knowledge and skills, promoting personal development and economic well-being.

Curriculum Links

National Curriculum for England – Business (Key Stage 4, Years 10-11) aims

To develop critical understanding of business and its role in the economy and society.
To equip students with knowledge, understanding and skills to make informed career choices and manage personal development.

Relevant Learning Objectives from the National Curriculum:

Understand the importance of planning and managing personal career pathways.
Recognise how external factors such as economic changes and employment trends affect business and careers.
Develop skills to research and evaluate information relevant to career decisions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

Define career planning and explain why it is important.
Identify current employment trends relevant to their interests.
Analyse how these trends influence career decisions and planning.
Apply their understanding to begin developing a personalised career action plan.

Resources Required

Whiteboard and markers
Projector or interactive display
Printed handouts: Employment Trends summary (local/national statistics)
Student workbooks or notebooks
“Career Planning Worksheet” (custom-prepared)
Short video clip on employment trends (max 5 min) – Ensure it is UK-focused and age appropriate

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity: “What is Career Planning?” (10 minutes)

Teacher input: Write the phrase “Career Planning” on the board.
Students brainstorm individually and then share in pairs what they think career planning involves.
Collate ideas on the board to form a working class definition.
Teacher to formally define career planning, emphasising it as a structured approach to managing work and personal development over time.

Curriculum link: Encouraging understanding of personal development in work.

2. Explain: Importance of Career Planning (10 minutes)

Teacher-led discussion: Why plan careers now? What risks or opportunities might lack of planning cause?
Draw links with National Curriculum aspects regarding economic well-being and personal development.
Highlight the role of career planning in achieving long-term goals and coping with employment market changes.

3. Input and Activity: Understanding Employment Trends (20 minutes)

Show a short, engaging UK-focused video on current and projected employment trends (e.g., growth in tech, decline in traditional retail).
Distribute printed summary sheets with key statistics and sectors experiencing change.
In pairs, students discuss how these trends might affect their career choices.
Class feedback: collate ideas on the board about trends and career implications.

Curriculum link: Understanding how external factors influence business and careers.

4. Group Task: Career Planning Scenario (25 minutes)

Divide class into 3 groups of 5 students each.

Each group receives a hypothetical scenario detailing a student’s interests and local employment data.
Task: Using the Career Planning Worksheet, groups analyse the scenario and draft a career plan considering employment trends.
Groups prepare a brief presentation explaining their plan and justification.

Skills developed: Research, analysis, teamwork, communication.

5. Presentations and Class Discussion (15 minutes)

Groups present their career plans (3–4 mins each).
Class discusses similarities, differences, challenges identified, and the role of employment trends.
Teacher provides constructive feedback, highlighting good understanding and real-life application.

6. Plenary: Personal Reflection and Next Steps (10 minutes)

Individual task: Students write a short reflection on what they learnt about career planning and employment trends.
Prompt them to note at least two actions they will take next to develop their own career plan (e.g., researching industries, seeking work experience).
Share a few responses aloud.

Encourages metacognition and personal responsibility.

Assessment and Feedback

Formative:
- Contributions during brainstorming and discussions.
- Group presentations assessed using a simple rubric focusing on understanding, relevance, and clarity.
- Individual written reflections checked for insight and realistic planning next steps.
Summative: Optional follow-up homework could involve creating an individual detailed career action plan referencing current employment trends.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Provide printed materials in clear font and bullet-point format for pupils with reading difficulties.
Pair stronger readers with peers who may benefit from support for collaborative activities.
Use visual and auditory resources (video, charts) to engage multiple learning styles.
Encourage all students to participate, offering scaffolding questions where needed.

Extension Ideas

Use local labour market information to link real opportunities in students’ communities.
Invite a guest speaker from a local business or careers adviser to discuss evolving industry trends.
Introduce digital tools for career planning like online personality and skills assessments in subsequent lessons.

Teacher Notes

Encourage students to think critically about how external economic shifts might require flexibility in their career plans.
Reinforce that career planning is an ongoing process, not a one-time decision.
Highlight the relevance of transferable skills across sectors, especially given changing employment landscapes.

This lesson plan brings career education alive through research, teamwork, and critical thinking — fully aligned with the UK's National Curriculum, preparing Year 10 students for informed transitions into further education and employment.

Teaching Instructions