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Career detective

Students research one job like a detective: what the work is really like, how people get in, and what they could study.

  • Careers exploration
  • Years 9 to 12
  • About 50 minutes
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Learning intentions

  • Research a job using reliable sources
  • Tell the difference between how a job looks and what it involves day to day
  • Find at least one VET route and one university route into a field

You will need

  • Devices with internet access
  • The printed case file worksheet
  • A list of reliable sources (on the worksheet)

Lesson steps

  1. 5 min

    The case

    Each student chooses a job they are curious about. Explain that detectives check every clue against a reliable source.

  2. 20 min

    Gather clues

    Students research: tasks on a typical day, where people work, skills needed, and the study or training routes in. Point them to official sources such as training.gov.au for qualifications and the state curriculum authority for VET at school.

  3. 10 min

    Check the routes

    Using the pathway planner, students find the field and note one certificate, one diploma and one kind of degree that lead towards the job.

  4. 10 min

    Report back

    Pairs swap case files and ask one question each: what surprised you, and what would you need to find out next?

  5. 5 min

    Close the case

    Students write one next step, such as asking about work experience or talking to the careers adviser.

Adapting it

Give a short list of jobs to choose from for students who find open choice hard. Students with strong research skills can compare two jobs in the same field.

Going further

Students prepare three questions for a real person who does the job, ready for a careers expo, mentor session or work experience.

Student worksheet

Career detective

Name: Class:

  1. The job I am investigating

  2. What a typical day involves

  3. Where people in this job work

  4. Skills the job needs

  5. A VET route in (qualification name and code)

  6. A university route in (kind of degree)

  7. My next step

Reliable sources to start from

  • training.gov.au: the official list of nationally recognised qualifications, with their codes
  • Your state or territory curriculum authority: how VET counts at school (see the VET in Schools page on this site)
  • The pathway planner on schools.careercalling.com.au: certificate, diploma and degree routes by field
  • Your careers adviser, and people who do the job (ask before you rely on anything you read online)