Careers tip: Talk about work in all subjects at school
All teachers can be involved in careers education
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Your support makes all the difference.Most teachers don't understand what careers education actually is. They think it's half an hour of interviewing Year 11, but it's a much bigger process than that.
Every teacher can be involved, not necessarily by doing anything different but by being aware that what they're teaching is affecting careers choices. For example, if an English Language teacher is teaching persuasive language, they could start on job adverts, or covering letters. In RE they could do things on workplace ethics.
I suggest a school adopts a careers work logo. Every time something could be linked to a career choice, they just put the logo on their flipchart. It's about putting a work/life slant on lessons. If a teacher is setting a problem, they could set it on a career which is applicable to the subject. For example a science problem might be looked at from an engineering viewpoint. It's important for teachers to understand what the rest of the world is like. Many teachers now have done other things. They don't go to university and then back to school, most have had other jobs, whether that's waitressing or some high-flying banking job.
Janet Colledge is an ambassador for National Careers Week 2014. For more information, visit nationalcareersweek.com. She is also founder and careers education consultant at outstandingcareers.co.uk.
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