“What I would really like to be when I grow up, Miss, is a vegan butcher.”
Such an ambition from a student would once have caused you a problem. How could such a job exist, so how could you help them achieve their aim?
But according to Time magazine, you now needn’t worry should you have a keen concoctor of vegetable-based “meat” in your class: “vegan butcher” is one of seven jobs it has highlighted as coming to the fore in 2017. And apparently, it is an important job to aspire to.
“A lot of consideration goes into making fake meat look, smell and taste like the real deal… [but] the implications are profound… a convincing replacement gives scientists a fighting chance at curbing climate change,” the article states.
The other six jobs on the list are deemed similarly important. So should schools be part of the mechanism that persuades young people to aim for these new jobs?
Such a proposition will cause rage and fascination among teachers, depending on their view of what education is for. But to give you some idea of how it could work if schools did wish to assist, we have taken the list and offered some thoughts on what they could do to help.
1. Vegan butcher
As explained above, this job is all about creating alternatives to meat that are as meat-like as possible. The benefits to both health and our environment would, apparently, be considerable.
Key subjects: science; art and design; food tech
Key skills: creativity; perseverance; attention to detail
Opportunities that could be offered in school: let the student loose in the canteen with the produce from the school allotment
2. Simulated astronaut
Apparently, we will need more and more people to pretend to be in space for the sake of science, cutting themselves off from the world in “space” conditions to see if we can survive a trip to, and then a lifetime on, Mars. Some brave pioneers have already taken on the job in Hawaii, and the opportunities are set to multiply rapidly.
Key subjects: science; PE; outdoor work
Key skills: patience; self-control; creativity
Opportunities that could be offered in school: any teacher who has worked a 15-hour day in school would probably say they felt both spaced out and a little claustrophobic, so share this experience with your space-hungry student
3. YouTube sex ed teacher
Ahead of the game as always, TES this month published a cover feature on this group of young, frank sex educators using vlogging as their distribution platform (13 January issue). The viewing numbers they attract are huge.
Key subjects: PSHE, science, drama
Key skills: concise delivery; zero embarrassment
Opportunities that could be offered in school: a very closely monitored and pre-vetted sex ed vlog by older students for younger students in the school
4. Professional activist
You may think most of your sixth form are doing this already, but Time says this job is a bit more than just going to demos and being “right on”. It’s more about being an activist consultant. “We can say, ‘Here’s the theory of how successful movements are created. Let’s embark on this together’,” Micah White, a man currently doing the job, told Time.
Key subjects: drama, history, English, politics
Key skills: oratory, organisation, management
Opportunities that could be offered in school: put this student in charge of the appeals process for the staff pay reviews
5. Bug bounty hunter
Not a professional ant killer, but a productive use of all that time students spend online. This job will see hackers recruited by companies to seek out online vulnerabilities.
Key subjects: computing
Key skills: patience; ability to stare at screens for extended periods
Opportunities that could be offered in school: ensuring the school Twitter feed does not get hijacked for the fourth time
6. Compost collector
Apparently, organic waste is big business. Bright young things are turning it into compost and selling it to farmers. Composting has hit the mainstream, one advocate told Time.
Key subjects: science, outdoor work
Key skills: strong stomach, oratory, persuasiveness
Opportunities that could be offered in school: turning the canteen waste into a revenue stream to offset the funding crisis
7. Death doula
“Death care has emerged as a viable career track, with a growing cadre of end-of-life doulas (colloquially ‘death doulas’) devoted to guiding patients through their final moments,” says Time. “Typically, doulas map out a person’s final days, create a comforting space for the patient, help with legacy planning, and provide grief counseling for family and friends.”
Key subjects: RE; history; citizenship
Key skills: compassion, organisation
Opportunities that could be offered in school: some work experience with the school counselling team, perhaps?
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