Your work and learning choice

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Career? I don't have one!
Everyone has a career. Career is no longer a term used to refer to specialists or someone climbing the corporate ladder. Changes in the way we work have brought about changes in the way work and life fit together. The term "career" has broadened to reflect these changes.

Your career now includes all of your life, work, learning and leisure activities. If you are still at school, playing in your local basketball team and working casually at the local supermarket you already have a career.
You build your career and develop skills as you accumulate life, work and learning experiences.

Career development, what's that?
Career development is a lifelong process which is unique to each person.  It includes your learning and your work, paid and unpaid, your life roles and your leisure activities.  Many factors contribute to your career development including your personal preferences and circumstances, your age and your stage of life.  The community you live in and the wider economic and social environment also influence your learning and work opportunities and choices.

Career development is about managing your life, learning and your work. 
No matter whether you are just starting work or changing career, adding skills and continuously learning throughout your working life, either on or off the job, helps you to move between different roles and workplaces. Knowing what you value in your work and your life as you move through your career will help you to manage your work in your life.

How do I make good career choices? 

Change is constant. Your work and life will most likely change when you finish school or study and when you have children.  Broader global, economic and technological change has also brought change at the local level. 

A range of personal and environmental factors can influence your work, learning and career choices including:

- your individual interests, skills and values;
- your community including your family and friends;
- your geographic location; and
- wider economic conditions and labour market trends.

Time spent planning your next work and learning step, will help you take account of your individual circumstances as well as changing economic trends.

Go to career planning for more information on a four step planning process that can help you manage your work and learning in your life.

Source: http://www.careercentre.dtwd.wa.gov.au/CareerPlanning/Pages/YourWorkAndLearningChoices.aspx