Where does curiosity actually take you?

In this activity you'll hear from three people who ended up in careers they couldn't have predicted - not by following a plan, but by staying curious.

This activity is designed to be flexible and can be used as follows:

  • During a lesson - 35 minutes. Students work in pairs and then share their reflections with the rest of the class.
  • During tutor time - 25 minutes. Students watch the videos independently and then discuss the topics together.
  • As homework - Students watch the videos on their own and complete the reflections at their own pace.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • PSHE Association KS3 codes L6, L9
  • PSHE Association KS4 codes L3, L5
  • Gatsby Benchmark 5

1. Before you start

Think about the following:

  • What's something you've become interested in recently - not because you had to, but just because you wanted to know more? Where did that curiosity come from?

If you're working with a partner or team, share and compare your thoughts before continuing.

2. Watch the videos

Watch the following sections for each video:

  • How did you find your way into this job?
  • How did your education help along the way?
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Alex Caccia - Entrepreneur

Alex is an entrepreneur based in Oxford who runs multiple technology companies. He started in finance but kept getting fascinated by the companies he was investing in - and realised he wanted to be on the other side of the table, building things rather than funding them.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does Alex say his education gave him above everything else?
  • What does he mean when he says entrepreneurship is a "close cousin of mischief"?
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Imán Calderón - Product Designer

Imán is a freelance product designer based in Spain. She spent nearly four years studying protocol and international relations, then switched to graphic design, then taught herself UX/UI when she saw the industry changing around her. Her current profession didn't even exist when she started her career.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What did Imán do when her agency wouldn't give her a digital project?
  • What does she say is the key to ending up where you want to be?
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Kristin Kovner - Marketing Strategist

Kristin is a marketing strategist based in New York. She studied English literature, became an economic consultant, worked as a journalist, then saw a job posting that combined storytelling with data - and ended up at Google the week they bought YouTube.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • How did Kristin's two very different skills - writing and data - come together in one job?
  • What three things does her mentor say you should think about when choosing a job?

3. Reflect and discuss

First, add a personal reflection for each video based on the following:

  • What is one moment in this person's story where curiosity led them somewhere they didn't expect?

Next, compare what you noticed across all three videos and discuss with your partner or group:

  • Alex says the most important thing education gave him was "the confidence to question absolutely everything." Imán says "keep yourself curious." Kristin says marketers are "curious people who love to ask questions." What do these three descriptions of curiosity have in common - and how are they different?
  • All three people ended up in careers that didn't exist or that they hadn't heard of when they were at school. If you can't plan for a job that doesn't exist yet, what can you do instead? How does curiosity help with that?
  • Kristin's mentor gives three things to think about when choosing a job: passion, culture, and runway (what will this job prepare you for next). Do you think that's better advice than "choose what you want to do for the rest of your life"? Why?