‘Whatever you want to do in life, keep at it. Keep working hard because it will get you somewhere. Anything is possible with the right mindset,’ says Isaac, 23, from Ilford. Working as a filmmaker and vlogger who is in a wheelchair and uses his feet to edit films, he has had to overcome more obstacles than most.
Isaac is featured on BBC Bitesize Careers which covers jobs from A-Z, from accountancy apprenticeships to zoologist. The site is a comprehensive resource that offers insights into an impressive range of employment opportunities with different levels of remuneration but it is the videos that make it really special.
Personal testimonies are very powerful and a great way of exploding myths. If you want to be a photographer you might think you need to start at school. Take heart from Corinne; ‘I really wanted to do GCSE photography, but I was told by my art teacher that I wasn't good enough which was horrible to hear.’ Now 24, she is one of the few female music photographers with her own studio, covering gigs, taking pictures for ‘drag queens and bands and front covers,’ and enjoying the variety of a job where no two days are the same.
Testimonials from young people who are already doing the job carry weight with students who describe such resources as being ‘authentic.’ BBC Bitesize is especially good on creative careers and the A-Z includes, among others, roles as a vlogger, wedding dress designer, sound engineer, social media chef, silversmith. CGI compositor and festival build manager.
To kickstart discussions during National Careers Week 2024 look at the Bitesize information on the jobs of the future and the possible impact of AI. There is also advice on how to turn your passions and interests into a job, a quiz for those who have no idea what they want to do when they leave school and a fun quiz 'How do your job choices compare to the crowd?' for those who have a career in their sights.
