UNIT 5: WORK AND CAREER
My name‿ is Diego. I have taught history for nine years,│ an(d) the question my students‿ ask me most‿ often‿ is not‿ about the past│ but‿ about their‿ own prospects:│ which profession will still‿ exist│ when they graduate?
In my country,│ health care‿ an(d) technology dominate the advice they are given,│ because both sectors‿ are growing‿ an(d) remuneration‿ is high. Nurses‿ earn more than teachers now,│ which was‿ unthinkable│ when‿ I chose my profession. However,│ the assumption that technology is‿ automatically safe‿ is questionable. Automation removes repetitive tasks first,│ and‿ a great deal‿ of junior work‿ in technology is‿ exactly that. My cousin was made redundant‿ at fifty-four by a company that then‿ outsourced his function‿ abroad.
What‿ I tell my students‿ is not to choose‿ a career by salary alone,│ because the salary you are promised‿ at‿ eighteen‿ is not the salary you will have‿ at fortyfor-dy. Qualifications‿ expire,│ competition‿ is global,│ an(d) job security has been replaced by employability. If‿ I were‿ eighteen now,│ I would choose something‿ I can‿ improve‿ at‿ indefinitely,│ and‿ I would‿ expec(t) to retrain‿ at leas(t) three times.