Disappearing jobs
Lesson
To assist students in understanding the changing nature of the world of work.
Context
The world of work is changing fast and many of the jobs that people do today may not be available in ten years time. Equally, new jobs are being created all the time in new industries that did not exist in the past.
Learning outcomes
Students can identify a range of jobs titles that are in decline and the reasons for that change.
Students can identify a range of occupations that are on the increase.
Level
Any group of students considering the future of work, possibly in an Economics or Business Studies course, as well as those following a programme of Careers Education and Guidance.
Resources
Sets of twenty pictures printed from different job records in JED. Pictures should be printed in as high a quality as possible, preferably in colour, and could be laminated so that they can be used over and over again.
Contribution to National Framework
This activity contributes to the following learning outcomes, KS3, KS4 and Post-16 learning outcome 7.
Starter
Draw up two lists of jobs, five that people did in the past and are no longer common and five that are now more common than ten years ago.
Main
Sort the set of pictures into two groups:- jobs that will start to disappear over the next ten years and jobs that will still be around in ten years time. Discuss your results and record the reasons why you think the jobs will disappear.
Plenary
Summarise the reasons why some jobs decline and others become more common.
Extension Activity
Groups can draw up lists of jobs that are still common in other countries, e.g. the economically less developed world, but are less so in the UK.
Page date 14/02/08