Exercise 1
Planning a safe future career
Choose your future career carefully – experts are predicting big changes in the jobs we’ll do in the next ten or twenty years. Some jobs might disappear, but others will become more important.
The Internet will have a big effect. People already choose to do a lot of their shopping online, so there won’t be as many shops, and there won’t be many jobs for shop assistants. Some postmen and other post office staff might lose their jobs, because people will send everything by email.
Another job that might disappear because of technology is photo processors – the people who print photos. This is because most of us keep our photos on our computers now and never print them. Also, there might not be as many jobs for builders as there are today. 3D printers will soon make parts of buildings or even whole buildings in just a few hours.
So which jobs are safe?
• Computer programmers – a hundred years ago there were none, but now there are lots of them and there will be even more in future because almost all jobs will need computers.
• Environment protection officer – there will be a lot of new ‘green’ jobs as environmental problems get more serious.
• Carers – people will live longer and we’ll need carers to look after us in old age.
• Online education manager – many students will take online courses. There will be jobs for people to create and organise the courses.
And of course, we will still need actors and musicians to entertain us, lawyers to argue and politicians to make the big decisions.
A. Read the article. What will happen because of these things?
• online shopping
• sending emails
• digital photos
• 3D printers
• environmental problems
• living longer
• studying online
Answer
online shopping: there will be fewer jobs for shop assistants
sending emails: there will be fewer jobs for postmen and post office staff
digital photos: there will be fewer jobs for photo processors
3D printers: there will be fewer jobs for builders
environmental problems: there will be a lot of new ‘green’ jobs
living longer: we’ll need (more) carers
studying online: there will be jobs for people to create and organise courses
Exercise 2
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to apply for the job of barista at the Cuba Coffee Company, which you advertised on your website.
I am a student at the University of Manchester and I am available to work in August and September.
A job with you will be an exciting opportunity for me to learn new skills and to work in a new environment. I have a lot of experience of working in a team and helping customers at Saveco supermarket. My experience of working in a fast, busy supermarket will be very useful for this job.
I attach a copy of my CV with details of my past employment.
Could you please send me information about the salary and working hours, and also more details about your training programme?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Penny Longwell
A. Read Penny’s job application. Are sentences 1—4 true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false sentences.
1 She tells them she was worked in cafés before.
2 She saw the ad in the newspaper
3 She can’t work this summer, because she’s studying.
4 She wants to know how much she will earn.
Answer
1 F She tells them she has worked in a supermarket before.
2 F She saw it on their website.
3 F She can work in August and September.
4 T
Exercise 3
Which way now?
When you leave school or university you must think carefully about what you would like to do next. Here, some young people tell us their experiences.
Malcolm, 19
I thought about my skills and qualifications, and then about me. I’ve always liked working in a team, I like being outside and I decided I can’t work in an office every day. Someone suggested I train to be a builder. I go to college Monday and Friday, and work Tuesday to Thursday. I have to get up early so I can’t go out in the evenings, but I’m learning a useful skill.
Cara, 28
I work for a number of companies as a book designer. I’m self-employed, which means I work on my own and not in a team. When I’m very busy I have to work long hours, in the evenings and sometimes at weekends. But I really like my job, and I can work at home, so I can say that I have a really nice working environment! I don’t have to deal with customers or a manager! When I’m busy I can earn a very good salary, but I’m not always busy.
Freya, 21
I love art and design and I’ve always wanted to do something I enjoy. I decided to study to become an architect. I’m learning so much and I’m doing what I want, which is really important. I have to study every day of the week and I just hope I can find a job when I leave university.
James, 24
I’ve always liked animals. Earning a really good salary is important to me too, so I studied to be a vet. I have to work long hours and I must study at home most weekends, but I know it is worth it when I’m helping sick animals.
A. Read the article. Match the people 1–4 with pictures a–d.
1 Malcolm
2 Freya
3 Cara
4 James
B. Read the article again and tick (✓) the correct boxes. Sometimes there is more than one possible answer.
|
|
gets paid well |
works and studies |
is doing something he/she loves |
has to work many hours every day |
|
1 Malcolm |
|
✓ |
|
|
|
2 Freya |
|
|
|
|
|
3 Cara |
|
|
|
|
|
4 James |
|
|
|
|
C. Read the article again and underline the correct answer. Sometimes there is more than one possible answer.
1 Who works for themselves?
a Malcolm b Freya c Cara d James
2 Who doesn’t earn any money?
a Malcolm b Freya c Cara d James
3 Who has free weekends?
a Malcolm b Freya c Cara d James
4 Who likes the place where he/she works?
a Malcolm b Freya c Cara d James
5 Who studies and works in a different place?
a Malcolm b Freya c Cara d James
D. Write a paragraph about a job you’d like to do. Remember to include:
• the things you’d like to do in the job
• the hours
• the salary
• the environment.
Answer
A
1 a 2 c 3 d 4 b
B
2 is doing something they love
3 gets paid well, is doing something they love, (sometimes) has to work many hours every day
4 gets paid well, works and studies, is doing something they love, has to work many hours every day
C
2 b 3 a 4 c 5 a, d