Work and Employment: Skills for the Future

Active learning helps young students connect abstract ideas about work to real, visible roles in their community. Through role-play, discussion, and creation, students practice the transferable skills they will need in future jobs, making these concepts tangible and memorable.

• Foundation
• HASS
• 4 activities
• 25 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify at least three different types of jobs performed by people in their local community.
2. Describe one way technology has changed how a familiar job is done.
3. Demonstrate a transferable skill, such as sharing or listening, during a collaborative classroom activity.
4. Explain why working together is important for completing a task.

Expert Panel

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Community Jobs Station

Set up stations with props for jobs like doctor, chef, and builder. Children rotate in small groups, acting out tasks and explaining how their job helps others. End with a share-out where each group presents one key skill.

Prepare & details

Identify various types of work and employment opportunities in Australia.

Facilitation Tip: During the Community Jobs Station, circulate and narrate what students are doing so they hear the language of different jobs in action.

Setup: Panel table at front, audience seating for class

Materials: Expert research packets, Name placards for panelists, Question preparation worksheet for audience

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Expert Panel

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Pairs Interview: Family Jobs

Pairs interview a family member or classmate about their job or future dreams using prepared questions like 'What do you do?' and 'What skills do you use?'. Children draw or record answers, then share with the class.

Prepare & details

Analyze how technology and globalisation are changing the nature of work.

Facilitation Tip: During the Family Jobs Interview, model asking follow-up questions like, 'What tools does that job use?' to deepen responses.

Setup: Panel table at front, audience seating for class

Materials: Expert research packets, Name placards for panelists, Question preparation worksheet for audience

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Expert Panel

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Future Jobs Brainstorm

As a class, brainstorm jobs that might change with robots or computers. Vote on ideas with sticky notes, then discuss skills needed like teamwork. Display on a 'Future Work Wall'.

Prepare & details

Explain the importance of developing transferable skills for future career pathways.

Facilitation Tip: During the Future Jobs Brainstorm, write student ideas on the board to validate their contributions and build on shared thinking.

Setup: Panel table at front, audience seating for class

Materials: Expert research packets, Name placards for panelists, Question preparation worksheet for audience

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Expert Panel

⏱ 30 min·Individual

Individual: My Skills Poster

Each child draws themselves in a job, listing three skills like 'I share toys'. Provide templates with Australian job examples. Hang posters for a gallery walk.

Prepare & details

Identify various types of work and employment opportunities in Australia.

Facilitation Tip: For the My Skills Poster, provide sentence starters like 'I am good at _____. I can help by _____.' to scaffold responses.

Setup: Panel table at front, audience seating for class

Materials: Expert research packets, Name placards for panelists, Question preparation worksheet for audience

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Start with concrete examples students already know, then gradually introduce new ideas through guided discussion and hands-on activities. Avoid overwhelming them with too many abstract concepts; instead, focus on one transferable skill per lesson. Research shows that young children learn best when they can see, touch, and role-play ideas, so prioritize interactive methods over worksheets or lectures.

What to Expect

Students will recognize that jobs require different skills, not just physical strength, and that work changes over time. They will practice sharing ideas and listening to others while exploring familiar and future roles.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Role-Play: Community Jobs Station, watch for students assuming all jobs involve heavy lifting or outdoor work.

What to Teach Instead

Use the role-play cards to highlight jobs like librarians or chefs, where listening, organizing, or measuring are the key skills. Ask students to act out non-physical tasks and name the skill they used.

Common Misconception

During Whole Class: Future Jobs Brainstorm, watch for students believing jobs never change.

What to Teach Instead

Bring in examples of old and new jobs (e.g., blacksmith vs. robotics technician) and ask students to brainstorm how technology creates new opportunities. Have them add these to the board during the activity.

Common Misconception

During Pairs Interview: Family Jobs, watch for students thinking only adults can have jobs.

What to Teach Instead

During the interview, ask students to include chores or helping tasks they do at home, framing these as building job skills. Record these on a class chart labeled 'Skills We Practice Now'.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Role-Play: Community Jobs Station, show pictures of different community helpers. Ask students to point to a picture and say one thing that person does to help the community. Record their responses to see if they connect skills to roles.

Discussion Prompt

During Whole Class: Future Jobs Brainstorm, ask, 'Imagine we are building a tower with blocks. What is one way we can work together to make it strong?' Listen for responses like sharing blocks, taking turns, or helping each other. Record these on the board and discuss how these skills apply to jobs.

Exit Ticket

After My Skills Poster, give each student a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one job they learned about and write the name of the job if they can. Collect the drawings to see which jobs students remember and which skills they associated with those jobs.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to design a new job that uses technology in a way no one has thought of yet.
• Scaffolding: Provide picture cards of tools for students to match to jobs during the Community Jobs Station.
• Deeper exploration: Invite a community helper to visit and explain how their job has changed with technology.

Key Vocabulary

Employment	Having a paid job or work that someone does regularly.
Technology	Tools and machines, including computers and the internet, that help people do things more easily or in new ways.
Transferable Skills	Abilities that are useful in many different jobs and situations, like listening, sharing, or being kind.
Community Helper	A person whose job helps the people in a town or city, such as a firefighter, doctor, or teacher.