Who gets to do what?

Do certain jobs belong to certain people? In this activity you'll hear from three people who didn't fit the expected profile for their career - and did it anyway.

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 H1, L10
  • PSHE Association KS4 codes L5
  • Gatsby Benchmark 5

1. Before you start

Think about the following:

  • When you picture someone doing a particular job - a pilot, an engineer, a stunt performer - what do they look like in your head? Where do you think that image comes 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?
  • What advice do you wish you'd had when you were younger?
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Daisy Hughes - Stunt Woman

Daisy is a stunt woman who works on major film productions. At school she was labelled "the petite, slight, weak one." She first heard about stunt work at 20 and thought it was impossible for her - but she kept coming back to the idea.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does Daisy say about the labels people get given at school?
  • What does she mean when she says "you can completely change at any point"?
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Meganne Christian - Astronaut

Meganne is a member of the European Space Agency Astronaut Reserve. She followed what she loved - science, engineering, nanomaterials - without worrying about where it would lead. A year in Antarctica pushed her outside her comfort zone and opened a door she hadn't expected.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What was Meganne worried about when choosing her subjects at school?
  • What does she say about being "trapped" into a particular career path?
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Gaily Makumbe - Helicopter Engineer

Gaily is a helicopter engineer working in Ghana for the oil and gas industry. She grew up in Zimbabwe, saw a newspaper advert for an apprenticeship, and realised she'd never thought about who actually fixes the aircraft she saw flying overhead.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does Gaily say about the people she works with - and who she'd like to see more of?
  • What period in her life does she say transformed her confidence?

3. Reflect and discuss

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

  • Was there anything about this person that surprised you - and if so, why do you think it was surprising?

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

  • Daisy refused to accept a label. Meganne followed what she loved without limiting herself. Gaily applied for something she'd never imagined doing. What do these three approaches have in common?
  • All three people ended up in roles where they didn't fit the profile people might expect. Where do those expectations come from - and what effect do they have on who applies for certain jobs in the first place?
  • If someone told you that you didn't look like the kind of person who does a particular job, how would you respond? What would help you ignore that - and what would make it harder?