Module 6: Jobs of the future – From my idea to our idea.

Waaba has kept her word! She flies to Maco’s house with a large basket full of pieces of fabric in a variety of colours. Soca loves the animal print, while Tuka likes the sporty sneaker fabric. A symmetrical checkered pattern has caught Maco’s eye. “Please don’t tear them! Hold on a minute before you go rushing in like that!” Waaba shouts as she puts the basket down. “Let’s go back to square one and remember what we should be doing!”

They all sit down and dig out the message in a bottle. (Reread the letter at this point.) Ah yes, we have to build the machine as a team! That means we need a shared design that takes into account every team member’s ideas and wishes. This idea is a bit tricky for Tuka at first, because she’s convinced that her design is sure to win at the Gala. She determinedly tries to stick to her own idea, but eventually understands that by combining everyone’s ideas, they can create something even better. Tuka sulks for a moment, but soon forgets her bad mood and joins the others in coming up with a shared design.

It’s not long before the crew are proudly admiring their achievement! They were very successful in creating a shared design together.  Waaba’s calm nature created a good mood and encouraged everyone to work together.  Maco handled the detailed drawings, because he felt that he was the best person for that job.  Together, Tuka and Soca decided that the machine would move in two different ways. Everyone got to add something to the design, but they always came up with the ideas together. Soca quickly scribbles their team name on the design: The Kip Cew. Cew? “Somehow this sounds a bit different than usual….” He spells it out again. (Oops! That was a mistake!) Ah, one of the letters is missing from the word ‘crew’. Does someone want to help Soca add the missing letter in the right place?

As they stare at their design, the Kip crew start thinking about who would use their moving machine of the future. “What kinds of new jobs will we need in the future?” Waaba wonders. Soca suggests that the machine could be a robot translator that translates the language of flowers. Waaba excitedly tells the others that she’d love to be an emotion librarian. “Maybe our moving machine transports a good mood from one person to another?” she continues. Tuka starts showing off with her own idea. She wants to establish her own super company, and her job will be to test flying sneakers. The moving machine will have an important role to play in this, because it will generate the flying energy that will be essential for the sneakers of the future. As usual, Maco’s suggestion is both creative and strategic. He wants to be the head design engineer at a problem-solving agency. He thinks that the machine would help its owner to solve the most difficult – and even impossible – problems. Maco continues: “When you open the hatch and insert a problem into it – even the most difficult problem in the whole galaxy – the rear hatch will soon open and out will pop a hint that will tell you how to solve the problem in an extremely easy way.”

Everyone is left to mull over what the machine might be used for, because now it’s finally time for the crew to roll up their sleeves and start building the machine!

What jobs will we need in the future? Why is it important to be flexible with your own ideas when you’re working in a team? When is it important to stick firmly to your own ideas? (For example, to avoid a dangerous situation.)

Jobs of the future https://medium.com/swlh/careers-of-the-future-42-new-professions-of-tomorrow-5d3905f8513

Form groups of three. Fold a piece of A4 into three sections. The first student should draw the top part of a character (from the neck up) in the topmost section. The second student should draw the character’s midsection. The third student should draw the lower part of the character’s body. While one student is drawing, the others mustn’t watch! Finally, unfold the paper and together decide who the character is and what their job is. Tip: you can write a few words about the funny characters, or even short stories!

In your teams, create a shared design for your moving machine of the future. Also think about what materials you will need to use and which part of the machine will move. Or maybe the entire machine will move?

Tip:

1) Use a large piece of paper (such as A3).

2) You can also create your team’s shared design using information and communication technology (such as simple drawing or design software) or make a three-dimensional model (for example, using plasticine).

“Guess which job I’m thinking about?” The teacher cuts out the job cards from a ready-made list. The teacher takes one job card at a time for the students to guess. The students try to guess what the job is by asking questions. Tip: Only YES/NO answers!

Start building your machine with the mentors. First show your design to the mentor, so that you can collect suitable materials and think about how you’re going to build the machine. 

What mistake did Soca make? Has anyone ever made a spelling mistake? Does it bother you when you make spelling mistakes? Why is it still important to learn to spell words correctly?

Take a photo of your shared design and save it in your portfolio. Does it look the same as your own design? Think about which things are the same and which things are different. Also photograph the first stage of your construction process and save it in your portfolio. Tip: Look at the photos together and think about three things: 1) What were you able to build this time? 2) How well do you think the building went? 3) What are you going to do next?

1) Think about what services you could offer to your family members. (Such as shoulder rubs, pedicure, brushing hair, braiding hair.) Provide at least one of these services. Photograph, draw or write about it. 2) Bring all kinds of “odds and ends” from home that would otherwise end up being recycled. Remember to ask permission from your parents first!

In this module, the crew finally led us in some actual building work. Before that, we prepared for our joint construction project by practicing some working life skills and some things related to entrepreneurship. We drew a shared design for our moving machine. Through some games and exercises, we learnt about many professions and invented some funny future jobs. Our homework is to come up with several services that we could offer at home. These could be shoulder rubs, pedicures, brushing hair, braiding hair, or maybe even serving an evening snack. Perhaps in return we could receive some kind of equivalent service from one of our parents or siblings? Now that we’ve completed this module’s tasks, we can bring in the final materials for our machines. This is a good time to look around at home and see if there are any unnecessary ‘odds and ends’ lying forgotten at the back of a cupboard – something that would be good as a decoration or would help us to put the finishing touches to our machine. We’d be happy to take them off your hands!