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Plan my pathway

My interest map

Students map what they enjoy to whole fields of work, then pick one field to explore further.

  • Careers exploration
  • Years 9 to 12
  • About 50 minutes
Download PDF

Learning intentions

  • Notice what you enjoy doing in and out of school
  • Link interests to fields of work rather than single jobs
  • Choose one field to explore next

You will need

  • The printed worksheet (one for each student)
  • Coloured pens
  • Devices for the pathway planner (optional)

Lesson steps

  1. 5 min

    Warm up

    Ask the class: what is something you could do for hours without noticing the time? Collect a few answers on the board without judging them.

  2. 10 min

    Interest inventory

    Students list as many things as they can that they enjoy, at school, at home, in sport, online or with friends. Encourage everyday things, such as fixing a bike or looking after a younger cousin.

  3. 10 min

    Find the pattern

    Students circle items that share something: helping people, making things, being outdoors, organising, creating. They name their top three patterns.

  4. 15 min

    From interests to fields

    Using the planner on schools.careercalling.com.au, or the field list on the worksheet, students match each pattern to a few fields of work and note one job in each that surprises them.

  5. 10 min

    Pick and share

    Each student chooses one field to explore next and tells a partner why. Collect worksheets or ask students to save their planner results as a private link.

Adapting it

For younger students, keep the list short and work in pairs. For students who say they enjoy nothing, start from what they would rather not do and work backwards.

Going further

Students interview a family member or friend about how they chose their field of work.

Student worksheet

My interest map

Name: Class:

  1. Things I enjoy

  2. Patterns I notice (helping, making, creating, organising, outdoors, other)

  3. Fields that match my patterns

  4. One job that surprised me

  5. The field I will explore next, and why

Fields of work to match your patterns

  • Health and medicine: Caring for people's health in hospitals, clinics, dental surgeries, pharmacies and the community.
  • Community and disability care: Supporting older people, people with disability, young people and families to live well.
  • Early childhood and education: Helping children learn and grow, in early learning centres, outside school hours care and classrooms.
  • Building and construction: Building homes and places with your hands, from the frame to the finishing touches.
  • Electrical and renewable energy: Wiring buildings, fixing equipment and working with solar and other new energy systems.
  • Cars, engines and machines: Servicing and repairing cars, trucks, bikes and machinery, including electric vehicles.
  • Engineering and manufacturing: Making, fixing and designing the parts and machines that everything else depends on.
  • Food, cooking and hospitality: Cooking, serving and running cafes, restaurants, hotels and events.
  • Travel, tourism and events: Helping people travel, explore and enjoy events, from guided tours to festivals.
  • Sport, fitness and outdoor recreation: Training, leading and encouraging people in sport, fitness and the outdoors.
  • Business, office and leadership: Running the work behind every organisation: administration, projects, people and ideas.
  • Money, accounting and finance: Keeping track of money for people and organisations, from bookkeeping to banking.
  • Computers and technology: Building, fixing and protecting the systems, networks and software people rely on.
  • Design, arts and media: Creating images, films, music, performances and words that people see and hear.
  • Animals, plants and the environment: Caring for animals, growing food and plants, and looking after land and nature.
  • Hair, beauty and make-up: Helping people look and feel their best in salons, studios and on set.
  • Retail and customer service: Helping customers, running stores and planning how products reach people.
  • Transport and logistics: Moving goods and people by road, rail, sea and air, and running the warehouses in between.
  • Science and laboratories: Testing samples, running experiments and keeping laboratories safe and accurate.
  • Emergency services and public safety: Keeping communities safe, from firefighting and rescue to security.