The Careers Officer
 

Career Officer:
Now, Sophie, have you thought about what you want to do after school?

Sophie:
Yeah, I think I want to go to university.

Career Officer:
I see, and why do you want to go to university?

Sophie:
Well, basically to have fun. I mean, my brother and his mates ... well, they just seem to party all the time and have such a great time.

Career Officer:
Sophie, I don't think that's quite the main purpose of a university. Remember it is an institution of education!

Sophie:
Well, yeah, I mean, I know you have to study a bit, but I don't intend to spend all my time in the library!

Career Officer:
Mm ... Do you know what you want to study?

Sophie:
Well, I'm good at History, so I thought I might try that.

Career Officer:
And have you any idea what sort of work you want to do after university?

Sophie:
Oh no! I mean, I haven't thought that far ahead.

Career Officer:
Well, it might well affect the type of degree you take. After all, History is a valid course of academic study, but it doesn't prepare you for many careers. Are you thinking of going into teaching?

Sophie:
Oh God, no! Certainly not teaching - spend the rest of my life in school? No way!

Career Officer:
Right, what about archives and museum work, are you interested in that line of work?

Sophie:
No, not really. I mean, I want to be out there in the world, making money and meeting lots of exciting people!

Career Officer:
Might I suggest to you then, that History might not be quite the most suitable course for you? There are other options that might lead you into the sort of career that would suit you better.

Sophie:
Oh.

Career Officer:
So, I understand you enjoy meeting people, is that right?

Sophie:
Yes, I suppose so.

Career Officer:
What about travelling, do you enjoy that?

Sophie:
Oh yeah - hot sunny places, golden beaches, blue sea, handsome ...

Career Officer:
Mmm ... I see. Well how are you at languages?

Sophie:
Er, I'm okay at French, but I dropped German last year. I just couldn't cope with the grammar and all those compound nouns.

Career Officer:
What about tourism, Sophie? Have you ever considered a career in tourism?

Sophie:
Well, I don't want to sit in a travel agent's and sell tickets to people, but I suppose I wouldn't mind being a courier, actually based in a resort. That might be fun.

Career Officer:
Well, there are several openings in tourism these days and there are also university undergraduate courses that train one for them. Let's see now ... ah yes ... Surrey University in Guildford. They do a fairly extensive B.A. course in Tourism that combines two foreign languages, basic Economics, Marketing and Management for the service industry. What about that?

Sophie:
Mmm ... actually, the marketing and management sound interesting. I'm not sure about the two languages though.

Career Officer:
Well, if you get French A Level, you could do that as the main language. Then you could perhaps take another Latin language, like Spanish or Italian for example, as your second language, which you can start as a beginner.

Sophie:
Oh, Spanish, yes ... that might be fun. Well, if I applied for such a course, which A Levels would I need?

Career Officer:
Well, as I said, French ... and maybe Economics and another arts subject, like History, would be all right. How is your Economics?

Sophie:
Well, I suppose if I studied harder I could do better in it.

Career Officer:
Right. Well, Sophie, why don't you take this prospectus away with you, that's Surrey University ... er ... I can also give you a few others containing courses in Tourism. You can go off and read them and think about what you want to do, and maybe we can talk again in a month or two. All right?

Sophie:
Yes, thank you. I'll have a look at them. Goodbye.