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Learning & Research
Learning About the World of Work
The right career info can help you find smooth roads ahead. Understanding the world of work can help you pinpoint the career areas where your skills and interests match the demands of the labour market.
Some questions to investigate include:
Is this industry or field growing, stable or in decline?
What skills does the career require?
What training is needed?
Which schools offer the training?
Where do jobs in this field exist?
What is the working environment like?
What are the most rewarding aspects of this work?
What are the most challenging aspects of this work?
To find the answers to these and other questions, check out each of the following research methods.
Online
From industry pages and individual company websites to general career planning sites, great online career/life planning information is available 24/7. If you don't have Internet access through home or school, check with your local library, school or community agencies for public access.
These sites are a great starting point:
The Library
Your school and community libraries are amazing sources of information. Check out the reference section for the National Occupational Classification (NOC), a listing of over 25,000 Canadian occupations. You can also look at the Occupational Information Monograph Series, featuring about 800 jobs. Other reference materials to look for include Work Futures: British Columbia Occupational Outlooks and WorkScene: BC Work Futures for Youth.
You can hit the stacks to find books on the specific job or industry you're interested in. Look for non-fiction titles that cover various aspects of the industry and also have a look to see if you can find any biographies of famous people who have made it big in that career or industry.
Check out the periodical section to see if there are any trade magazines or newspapers in the industry.
You can also use the library to review press coverage of the industry. Use the Canadian Research Index or the Canadian Business and Current Affairs Index to find the publication name, article title, issue date and page number.
Informational Interviews
One of the very best ways to get up-to-date information on any career is to talk to the people who are actually involved in it. It's called informational interviewing and it's a process of getting in contact with people who are working in the field and asking them about what they do and how they got there. Ask the questions you've generated on your list. A few additions:
What are the average wages and what are the starting wages?
Do most people work full time or part time, seasonally or full year?
In what geographic areas are there opportunities in this field?
Which school has the best reputation in this field?
What is an average day on the job like?
What are the future prospects for the field?
Education and Training
Choosing a career also means choosing the education to get there. Contact schools offering programs in the field. Get all the info - tuition costs, program length, employer recognition of the program and transferability of credits to other schools. Speak with a program instructor, and, if possible, some program grads. Ask employers in the field for their opinions on the best training and education.
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