4.5 Orientation towards one's future career

Life orientation

Grade 7

Orientation to one’s future career

Module 19

[lo 5.1 to 5.5]

Personal information

Full first name(s):

Surname:

Date of birth:

Name and surname of parents or guardians:

Name and surname of parents or guardians:

Address:

Telephone number(s):

Mobile phone number(s):

E-mail address:

School(s) attended up to the present:

Serious illnesses / operations / accidents:

Make a copy of your birth certificate and keep it in the file. If your parents still have the clinic card indicating the immunizations and vaccinations you had as an infant, copy it and place it in the file as well.

1. short-term interests and objectives

Make a list of your present school subjects / learning areas in order of preference.

Fill in the latest mark or symbol you achieved.

Make a list of your extramural activities in order of preference:

If you are able to link an achievement or a mark to the activity, place it in the second column:

• e.g. under 13 rugby: third team OR piano: Unisa Grade 4 – 85% .

• If you received a special award in a certain field, insert it under “Achievement”, e.g. flute, Cum Laude – Kuruman Eisteddfod; trophy for the best Woodwind Instrumentalist .

• Leadership:

Write down any leadership position that you hold at school:(For example library prefect, tuck shop assistant, scholar patrol officer, etc.)

• Community service:

Complete this column if you are involved in any community service, e.g. cleaning the kennels at the Animal Welfare Society or washing penguins at SANCOB.

(If you have nothing to fill in here, you should think about becoming involved in some kind of community service. Perhaps you could simply take your elderly neighbour’s dog for a walk every afternoon.)

2. high school interests

Make a list of the high schools in your area. Arrange them in order of preference. Start with the school that is your first choice.

• Motivate your first and last choice.
• Which optional subjects (electives) do you plan to choose in grade 8?

3.tertiary education possibilities

Reflect on what you want to do once you have completed your school career; e.g. university studies, technikon studies, au pair work, overseas travel, etc.

If you are considering attending a university, technikon or college after completing your matric, complete the table below. Arrange your entries in order of preference.

If you intend to take a “gap year”, hope to work as an au pair or are planning a future career, enter your choices in order of preference:

4.career research

Make a list of three careers that you would possibly like to follow one day, in order of preference:

In a few sentences, say why you have chosen them.

• What kind of study or training do you need to follow each of these careers?

• Which high school subjects do you need in order to prepare yourself for these careers?

• Which personality traits and aptitudes do you need for the career in which you are interested? Do you have these qualities and aptitudes?

5.testimonial

• What is a testimonial? Find the meaning of the word in the dictionary.
• If your class teacher is asked to write a testimonial on your behalf, what do you think it will be like? Imagine that you are the teacher, and write such a testimonial yourself.
• Write a testimonial for your best friend. Be positive but objective.

6.dreams for the future

Write a few sentences about your plans for the future. You may give your imagination free reins. (Remember, Mark Shuttleworth wished that he could go on a space trip, and his dreams came true!)

7.address list

Compile a list of addresses, telephone numbers, contact persons, e-mail addresses and websites that you may need when you start working or studying.

8.information documents

Collect brochures, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, etc. that have to do with possible fields of study, institutions, careers, etc., in which you are interested. Put them in flip files.

Hint:

Newspaper supplements that are aimed at potential school leavers often contain information on careers and fields of study.

9.certificates, achievements, results, etc.

Save your certificates, reports and any documents regarding sports, academic, cultural and leadership achievements in this section.

Assessment