WorldSkills UK Career Planning Toolkit
Thank you for registering to use the Career Planning Toolkit. This page will give you digital access to the toolkit and its resources.
*Bookmark this page so you can return at a later date*
All 10 lessons are available below. You can download them as one document, or just select the lessons that are of most interest. We recommend that you read through the introductory document first to understand the format of the lessons plans and how to adapt the lessons to your students. Each lesson has some supporting documents and videos which can also be found below.
We would very much appreciate your feedback on the Career Planning Toolkit, to help us track the reach to young people and schools. We will send you the short evaluation by email and you will be able to complete it online.
All the lessons in the Toolkit have elements of competition in them and here are some tips to getting started:
- Discuss what it means to be competitive, how it comes in different guises and forms, and how it can benefit students (lesson 2).
- Discuss stereotypes in the workplace, why they exist and how they can be overcome (lesson 6).
- Use the Top Trades Cards in the Toolkit as a fun way of getting students to learn about the earning potential for different careers (lesson 6).
- Help your students prepare for job applications and interviews by simulating the experience and seeing which student is successful (lesson 4).
- Test your students’ knowledge of job profiles, apprenticeships and local labour market information (lesson 5).
Additional resources
Introduction
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How the toolkit supports schools and guidance on using the lesson plans and resources
WorldSkills UK and The Careers & Enterprise Company are pleased to introduce this toolkit to help you develop your students’ career planning and employability skills and prepare them for career success. The toolkit brings the WorldSkills competition buzz to career exploration and draws especially from the inspirational messages from the growing network of Skills Champions - young people who have competed in skills competitions at national level. WorldSkills UK commissioned the Career Development Institute (CDI) to develop the toolkit in collaboration with them and with The Careers & Enterprise Company.
Lesson 1 - Building My Work Skills
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Lesson plan
The big idea
To see how your personal and social skills connect up in the world.
The benefits
Students:
• Identify their personal and social skills.
• Understand how these link to their career dreams and ambitions.
• Understand the employability skills employers are looking for.
- Video: Building skills and facing challenges
Lesson 2 - Go For Gold
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Lesson plan
The big idea
Good career planning starts with you! Figure out what you’re good at and enjoy and which different jobs will inspire you to do your best. Know that you can keep your plans up-to-date and change them as your ideas develop and new opportunities come along.
The benefits
Students:
• Recognise the value of purposeful career planning.
• Understand the concepts of ‘work interests groups’ and ‘job families’ as a basis for matching themselves to different options.
• Make the link between developing skills and future success.
• Develop plans that will inspire and motivate them.
• Access respected sources of careers information that help them to personalise their job exploration.
- Resource 2.2: PowerPoint on job groups and families
- Resource 2.3: PowerPoint on Role models
- Video: Follow your dreams!
Lesson 3 - Pathfinder
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Lesson plan
The big idea
To see how different pathways can help you to build your skills and qualifications and invest in your future success.
The benefits
Students:
• Understand what is meant by employability skills.
• Understand the range of pathways available and evaluate the attractions and challenges of each.
• Understand the different qualifications and levels available.
• Can identify and evaluate their skills and qualities and how these can be developed.
- Resource 3.5: Challenge activity 2
- Resource 3.6: Academic and technical routes information sheet
- Resource 3.7: Using visitors effectively in schools information sheet
- Video: Route finder
Lesson 4 - Build Your Career Journey
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Lesson plan
The big idea and challenge
Your career is a life-long journey. Grab the controls.
The benefits
Students:
• Look forward over the next five to ten years and identify key activities in their ‘countdown to employment’.
• Think about how to build the skills and experience needed for successful employment/self-employment.
• Recognise the importance of taking control of their futures.
• Identify options that interest and motivate them to do their best.
• Recognise good sources of advice and information as they plan their career journey.
- Resource 4.4: Career calendars
- Video: Adapting to change
Lesson 5 - Apprenticeships
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Lesson plan
The big idea
To see if you can achieve your dream job following the apprenticeship route
The benefits
Students:
• Understand what an apprenticeship offers.
• Compare apprenticeships with other post-16 and post-18 options.
• Have an awareness of the different of sectors, levels, duration and providers of apprenticeships, as well as how to maximise the chances of success if they choose this pathway.
- Resource: Post-16 skills plan information sheet
- Video: Route finder
Lesson 6 - Free To Choose
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Lesson plan
The big idea
Are you free to choose whichever job you want or are your choices limited by other people’s stereotyped attitudes? Having equal chances is important for everyone.
The benefits
Students:
• Explore the negative impact on equality of opportunity caused by the unbalanced gender make-up of the workforce in some sectors.
• Consider how some individuals overcome the odds and what might help them do it.
• Take stock of the progress that has been made in securing choice for all and weigh up the ongoing challenges, not just with gender equality but also with other characteristics including race and religion.
• Explore a completely new career idea and identify the type of support they would need to make it happen.
- Resource 6.5: Top Trades cards
- Video: Follow your dreams!
Lesson 7 - Google It?
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Lesson plan
The big idea
There are more effective ways of getting the careers information you need than using the search box of your internet browser.
The benefits
Students:
• Identify the people who can offer information and advice (e.g. employers, apprentices, alumni networks, careers advisers and coordinators, subject specialist, parents/carers).
• Are aware of the choices available locally and in their own schools.
• Understand uses of digital technologies and traditional media to support careers research.
• Start to assess the reliability of the sources of information they are using.
- Resource 7.2: Cards for matching teacher notes
- Resource 7.5: Post16 Skills plan information sheet
- Video: Getting the right information and contacts
Lesson 8 - Build Your Web
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Lesson plan
The big idea
Sometimes It’s not what you know, but who you know! You are going to explore how to use personal and professional contacts to help you reach your career goals.
The benefits
Students:
• Clarify the benefits and purposes of networking.
• Know their own networks and make plans to extend these.
• Know how to make effective use of social media to support their career planning.
- Video: Getting the right information and contacts
Lesson 9 - Making The Right Moves
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Lesson plan
The big idea
‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’ (Benjamin Franklin) How prepared are you for your next career move?
The benefits
Students:
• Review their experience of transition.
• Identify key coping strategies for future transitions – having the facts, taking ownership, etc.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the options open to them including opportunities provided through technical and professional routes.
• Manage change and reflect on readiness for their next transition.
- Video: Building skills and facing challenges
Lesson 10 - Two Steps Forward, One Step Back?
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Lesson plan
The big idea
How do you face setbacks and what are your strategies for overcoming them?
The benefits
Students:
• Understand that everyone faces challenges and set-backs in life.
• Discuss and learn from each other how to handle setbacks and identify strategies that can help them to move forward.
• See the importance of negotiation skills in moving forward and making progress.
- Resource 10.3: Found out cards
- Video: Adapting to change
