Chapter Schools · Careers Education
Sector Spotlight Cards
Activity SheetY8 / Y9Gatsby Benchmarks 2 & 4⏱ 15 min

[School Name]

Name:

Class:

Date:

🎯 Activity Instructions: Read through all 8 sector spotlight cards below. With a partner, choose 2 sectors each and research 2 additional facts about them (use your phone or a laptop). Then present back to the class: share one thing that surprised you and one job from that sector you'd consider.

Teacher note: This activity builds broad career awareness and works well as a starter, cover lesson, or form time activity. Allow pairs 8 minutes to research, then 5 minutes for sharing.
🏥 Healthcare & Life Sciences
Example Jobs
NHS Nurse · Paramedic · Biomedical Scientist · Radiographer · Physiotherapist
Salary Range
£25,000 (NHS Band 5 entry) – £100,000+ (Consultant Surgeon)
Surprising Fact
There are over 350 different career roles within the NHS alone — most are not clinical!
💻 Creative & Digital Technology
Example Jobs
Software Developer · UX Designer · Cybersecurity Analyst · AI Engineer · Game Designer
Salary Range
£28,000 (junior dev) – £120,000+ (senior software architect)
Surprising Fact
The UK's digital sector contributes over £150 billion to the economy — and there are 1 million unfilled tech jobs!
🏗️ Engineering & Construction
Example Jobs
Civil Engineer · Electrician · Quantity Surveyor · Structural Engineer · Project Manager
Salary Range
£30,000 (apprentice-qualified) – £80,000+ (chartered engineer)
Surprising Fact
A self-employed electrician in London can earn over £70,000 per year — more than many graduates!
📚 Education & Early Years
Example Jobs
Primary Teacher · SENCO · Nursery Manager · Educational Psychologist · Learning Mentor
Salary Range
£24,000 (teaching assistant) – £70,000+ (headteacher)
Surprising Fact
You can become a primary school teacher via a school-based route without ever attending university!
💰 Finance & Professional Services
Example Jobs
Accountant · Financial Analyst · Solicitor · Actuary · Investment Banker
Salary Range
£26,000 (school-leaver trainee) – £200,000+ (investment banking MD)
Surprising Fact
Major firms like PwC, Deloitte and KPMG now recruit directly from school at 18 — no degree required!
🍽️ Hospitality & Tourism
Example Jobs
Hotel Manager · Chef · Events Coordinator · Travel Agent · Tourism Officer
Salary Range
£20,000 (front-of-house) – £80,000+ (luxury hotel GM)
Surprising Fact
Hospitality is one of the UK's largest employers — over 3.2 million people work in the sector.
🌱 Agriculture & Environment
Example Jobs
Environmental Scientist · Land Agent · Sustainability Manager · Vet · Countryside Ranger
Salary Range
£22,000 (rural trainee) – £75,000+ (environmental consultant)
Surprising Fact
The UK's green economy is growing 5× faster than the wider economy — creating thousands of new jobs.
🏛️ Public Services & Government
Example Jobs
Police Officer · Civil Servant · Firefighter · Prison Officer · Local Government Officer
Salary Range
£25,000 (constable / junior civil servant) – £100,000+ (senior civil servant)
Surprising Fact
The UK Civil Service is one of the country's biggest graduate employers — and has a Fast Stream for school leavers too!
Pair Share — Research & Reflect

Choose one sector from the cards above. Research 2 extra facts and answer the questions below.

My chosen sector:

One thing I found surprising about this sector:
A job in this sector I'd consider, and why:
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