Which Direction For A Career? Reading Answer

IELTS Academic Reading Passage

20:00

To examine your career options, you should first gather as much information as possible.

Here are some places where you can get advice.

School
Your careers library will have some basic information on a variety of occupations. Ask the librarian questions like:

   • What does someone with this job do?
   • What subjects do I need to study?
   • What courses are available?
   • How long will it take to train?

Also, use careers advisors to expand your list of career ideas by finding out about related options. Many schools have work experience programs which give you the chance to check out a job which interests you.

Career Information Centres
Resources in these centres include printed information about jobs and tertiary study reference materials such as university and college handbooks. There are 12 Career Information Centres throughout the country. Assistance from the staff is also available.

Employers
You could talk to employers in areas you find interesting. You might ask them questions such as:

   • What are the most demanding aspects of this work?
   • What is the most preferred method of entry?
   • Are there courses which will prepare me for this work?

Parents, friends, relatives
Relatives and friends can be helpful in giving you insights into the daily routine of an occupation. By questioning them, you can expand your knowledge of the work. Another option is to use this group to arrange industry contacts or check out possible vacancies.

Universities and colleges
These institutions have careers advisors for prospective students. You can also take advantage of their open days. During these days, you can have a look at the facilities offered- and chat to the students and lecturers.

Internet
Don’t forget the Internet. One great site to start at is the government careers directory.

Getting it all together
You will no doubt. gather lots of information, but it is easy to forget details, so you should collect the infor¬mation using a folder or filing system. Check that your information is kept up-to-date.

Questions 15-20

Complete the summary below.

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text ‘Which direction for a career?’,

Write your answers in boxes 15-20 on the answer sheet.

Complete the summary below:

Both schools and universities have 15 ……………… to assist students with job information. Schools may also run 16 ……………… for practice at specific jobs. There are several 17 ……………… which advise clients on careers. Acquaintances can sometimes provide 18……………… and colleges also hold 19……………… Finally, for those with access to the Internet, the 20 ……………… is a useful source of information.

Questions 21-26

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

In boxes 21-26 on your answer sheet, write

     TRUE    if the statement agrees with the information
     FALSE    if the statement contradicts the information
     NOT GIVEN    if there is no information on this

21.  Job seekers should speak to their school principals about future careers.
22. Career Information Centres do not offer information on tertiary courses.
23.  Prospective employers could be consulted.
24. Job opportunities may be discovered through friends.
25.  Tertiary institutions encourage prospective students to enrol in their courses.
26.  Job seekers should keep all their information in one place.

Solution For: Which Direction For A Career? Reading Answer

15. a careers library (careers advisors)	21. NOT GIVEN
16. work experience programs	22. FALSE
17. Career Information Centres	23. TRUE
18. industry contacts (insights)	24. TRUE
19. open days	25. NOT GIVEN
20. government careers directory	26. TRUE

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Review and Practice

Regularly practice with IELTS reading samples and time yourself to get used to the pressure of the exam.
Review your mistakes to understand where you went wrong and how to avoid similar errors in the future.