Where could I work?

Aims
This lesson helps students to learn about local opportunities available to them. It could be used as a lesson in ICT or Geography.

Preparation
Students need paper, writing instruments and access to ICT/Internet.

Differentiated target
By the end of the lesson:

• All students will know that there are local employment opportunities.
• Most students will understand that there are a variety of jobs available, and will be able to decide which they would like to do.
• Some students will be able to describe where and why they might move to find work.

Activities
Students use a map and the internet to see what job opportunities are available locally. They create a poster to show how far they would need/ be willing to travel to work in their chosen job.

Thought Starter
(20 minutes)

a) Divide the class into groups of three or four. Each group should try to produce as long a list of jobs as possible. They should compete for the first to reach ten, twenty, etc. This is then shared with the whole class to produce a 'master' list which you may want to keep on a whiteboard/interactive whiteboard as a reminder throughout the lesson.

b) Keep the same groups, who can use the 'master list' to see which firms or enterprises operate in each area. Make sure that service industries and small providers are not forgotten.

Expected outcome

a) (5 minutes)
A group list which is then shared to produce a master (or 'class') list.

b) (15 minutes)
This should lead to a list of the major employers in the region.

Development
(30 minutes)

c) Students could do this from their own knowledge, starting, perhaps with parents' or other relatives employment. You could use the Case Studies to help identify jobs if any of the businesses are located near to you. For example, Wincanton is in the south west, Michelin and Cadbury's are in the Midlands; 95% of people in the UK live within 10 miles of a branch of Argos.

d) If you do not have access to the internet for all, you could use local editions of Yellow Pages or directories such as Thomson's Directory. Students, still in small groups, should discover that there are many businesses (and job opportunities) that they have left out.

Expected outcome

c) (15 minutes)
This should lead to a comprehensive list of local employment opportunities.

d) (15 minutes)
Businesses should be added to the list and ticked if they employ nationally.

Plenary
(10 minutes)

e) Students could work on their own or as a group. If a group poster is produced, there should be a circle for each of the group members. The exercise demonstrates that people might limit opportunities through being unable or unwilling to travel.

Extension Activity