AQA Preparation for Working Life

Level 1 and 2

Course Aims

This course will help you to: play an active role as a future member of society; Increase your awareness of lifestyle issues and how to keep yourself and others safe; understand of the world of work and the role of employees and

employers; understand a range of work opportunities and what

qualifications you will need for work; apply your knowledge, skills and understanding in the

workplace; have the knowledge and confidence to make personal

economic Decisions (about money!).

How will I be assessed? The course has two parts. You must complete a single written exam

paper and produce a coursework portfolio.

Written Paper 1½ hours 80% of overall assessment 80 marks The paper comprises three sections. Section A is multiple choice

questions, Section B is short answers, Section C has longer answers.

Coursework 20% of overall assessment 20 marks You will produce three things: 1. A letter of application for a job or course to accompany a Curriculum Vitae. 2. A Curriculum Vitae. 3. Notes on Interview Preparation.

Summary of Subject Content

The Subject Content is divided into nine parts:

• Personal Awareness • Healthy Lifestyles for work-life balance • Relationships and the Differences Between People • The Changing World of Work • Applying for Jobs and Courses • Economic and Financial Aspects of Life • Employment Opportunities • Enterprise Activities • Hazard Identification at Home, on the Roads and at Work.

Coursework:

20% of overall assessment Worth 20 marks You will produce three documents: 1. A letter of application for a job or course to

accompany a Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2. A Curriculum Vitae. 3. Notes on Interview Preparation.

Coursework Preparation Task

Look carefully at the mark scheme for the coursework and think about what would expect to see from a really good piece of coursework.

In a small group look through the 4 pieces of sample coursework and give them a mark using the mark scheme

Starting Your Coursework You need to choose a job or a course that you

would like to do for the focus of your letter, CV and interview preparation.

With your teachers, research and talk about a suitable job or course and then complete the job advert pro-forma.

Start by finding your most recent CV and improving it (check spellings, layout and the assessment criteria)

Coursework cont… Now make a start on your letter. Look back at

the sample letter that we gave the highest mark and remember to use these ideas.

Make sure your letter has addresses, date, an appropriate start and end and a signature. The letter should relate to the job or course you are applying for.

Make sure the letter has accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar and is in a suitable font style and size.

Coursework cont… Now you are ready to start on interview

preparation.Part One:

Follow the coursework guidelines to make notes and make sure that you give the reasons for all of your points e.g. it is important to dress smartly in a business suit because…

Part Two:Follow the coursework guidelines to carry out pre-interview research and make notes what you find out.

Topic 1: Personal AwarenessThis topic includes physical, intellectual, emotional and

social awareness. Physical awareness includes state of health, experience

of illness and disease and factors which affect physical well-being to include diet and warmth.

Intellectual awareness includes an understanding that individuals may inherit and develop their intellect.

Emotional awareness should cover the range of emotions which individuals experience to include happiness, grief and envy.

Social awareness should focus on the individual’s formal and informal relationships to include working and friendships.

What you should know… By the end of this topic you will be able to recognise that these aspects are

connected and affect your chances of getting a job. You should also be able to identify, describe and show personal qualities, skills, achievements and potential that you will need to in the working world.

You will understand self-concept. This is based on the beliefs that individuals have about themselves and what they believe others think of them.

You should know the factors that affect self-concept i.e. age, appearance, gender, culture, education, emotional development, relationships, sexuality and life experiences including work.

You should understand of how different influences and pressures including social factors, economic factors and environmental factors can help personal awareness and employability.

You should also know sources of help in dealing with these influences and pressures should be e.g. Social Services.

You should be able to evaluate the usefulness of a range of employability skills e.g. financial literacy, enterprise and economic and business understanding.Key ideas –personal qualities, self concept, personal awareness, factors that influence your employability

Topic 2: Healthy Lifestyles for Work Life Balance

You need to understand why we need a healthy lifestyle to have a good work-life balance.

A healthy lifestyle includes: Balanced diet Regular exercise Intellectual stimulation (including work based learning) Enough rest and sleep Recreation/Leisure Time Social interaction

What you should knowBy the end of this topic you should: understand how work can affect a person’s health (in good or bad

ways). know the short and long-term effects of your life style decisions and

how these decisions can affect your personal health and fitness for work,.

know the causes, symptoms and treatments for stress and depression and how to prevent these.

Know the risks of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use on your physical, intellectual, emotional and social health and on your work

know how safe choices can be made and how assertiveness can be used to resist unhelpful pressure.

be able to recognise and follow common workplace health and safety requirements

Know the skills to cope with emergency situations e.g. basic first aid procedures to include DRABC, and resuscitation techniques.

have a basic knowledge of how the heart and lungs work