Deciding on a pathway

There are several things to consider as you begin your career planning process. Importantly, remember that this is YOUR choice and also that what you decide now does not lock you into a particular pathway for the rest of your life.  The world of work is changing rapidly so you will need to be flexible, resilient and a life-long learner.

Initially, consider how you learn best.

Learning styles 

There are many different ways of categorising learning styles, but the VARK model is one of the most popular. According to the VARK model, learners are identified by whether they have a preference for: 

• Visual learning (pictures, movies, diagrams)
• Auditory learning (music, discussion, lectures)
• Reading and writing (making lists, reading textbooks, taking notes)
• Kinesthetic learning (movement, experiments, hands-on activities

There is a VARK questionnaire you can try here.

Think about how you learn best and what environment best suits your learning needs. 

Use these questions to start thinking about potential study options that will suit you. 

• Are you an independent learner who always meets deadlines?
• Do you feel more comfortable creating or doing hands-on learning or learning in a lecture/classroom environment?
• Do you like the idea of being in lecture rooms with lots of people or would you prefer a smaller classroom environment?
• Would you like to earn money while studying?
• How do you see yourself holding down a job while you study?
• What scares you about going to university. What scares you about accepting a traineeship or apprenticeship or going straight into work?
• Do you feel pressured to make a certain decision?
• Why, why not?