Complete the following text using NUMBERS only.

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Is it justifiable that some professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers are paid higher than other workers?

There is a significant difference in the earning potential of different occupations; this disparity is reasonable in most cases as the following points explain.

Firstly, higher paid professions usually involve the individual having to undertake a long period of study and training; for example, doctors are required to complete a university qualification and usually a minimum of 2 years training. Incentives need to be high to encourage people to undertake such a long period of learning and bear the associated costs. If salaries were lower, fewer people may be encouraged to qualify.

Secondly, the majority of highly paid professions are vital to the welfare of the general public. For instance, doctors, lawyers and engineers are essential in their respective contributions to health, legal affairs and the development and maintenance of our infrastructure. If people were not encouraged into such professions by the promise of high pay, we could find ourselves in a situation of skills shortage.

However, it could be argued that there are other equally important professions such as nursing and teaching, which despite their equal importance, are relatively underpaid. In contrast, TV personalities, despite not needing an extensive education or being essential to society, earn well above the average income of most people.

To sum up, professions which are crucial to society and involve a significant commitment from the individual to qualify are deserving of the higher remuneration they receive and all such professions should be paid equally; whereas others which impact in a less significant way on our wellbeing should not.

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In many countries more and more young people are unable to find jobs. What measures could be taken to reduce unemployment among youngsters?

Increasing levels of unemployment among the younger generation are evident in several countries. Potential solutions to the problem are discussed below.

Firstly, it would be beneficial for the government to identify industries or areas in which there was insufficient labour and encourage the younger generation to train in those areas. Financial incentives could be used to encourage students into related areas of study, such as interest free students loans or even grants to cover expenses and living costs. For example, many countries have a shortage of nurses and professionals in this area are often sourced from overseas.

Lowering of the retirement age could also be considered as a way of creating more opportunities for younger people in the workforce. For example the Government could consider introducing compulsory retirement for people over the age of 50; however since the aging population in most countries is increasing, this could result in the problem simply being transferred from one age bracket to another.

A final solution could be for the Government to reduce the working week. By having a four day week for instance, there would be more opportunity for everyone to find some level of employment. However, this would probably cause resentment amongst those who had traditionally worked a standard working week and were faced with a situation where their earning potential was reduced.

In summary, three solutions have been presented; however, the most obvious drawbacks are associated with reducing retirement age and introduction of a shorter working week. Perhaps the most effective of the solutions suggested would be to offer support and training in key industries needing additional workers.

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Some say that a teacher’s responsibility is to educate students in school subjects only. Others argue that teachers should teach students to distinguish right from wrong and that they should set a good example.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people consider that a teacher’s role is simply to impart academic information while others believe that a teacher should also act as a role model; the following essay considers both arguments.

Regarding the opinion that teachers should provide more than just education, it is clear that young people benefit from having older people around whom they can respect and learn behaviour from. Since students spend a significant amount of time at school, some believe that it is therefore reasonable to argue that teachers should offer guidance in more than just academic studies. For instance, they can discourage students from negative behaviour such as swearing or being rude to others.

Others contend that since teaching is a demanding occupation and teachers spend a significant amount of time on tasks outside of their regular working hours such as marking homework that it is unrealistic to expect that they undertake additional responsibilities such as the social welfare of their students.

In my opinion we should be able to expect that our teachers take some level of responsibility for modelling positive behaviour in their students as they play a major role in the lives of the young people they teach; particularly for children who may not be given enough attention at home, their teacher is a significant adult figure in their lives.

In conclusion, while there are two sides to the argument it is my view that a teacher’s role should involve both academic instruction and moral guidance of their students. Although they should educate in the traditional manner, their actions and behaviour should also be educational for the student they interact with.

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Many people are not staying in one job for most or all of their life. There are no benefits to frequently changing jobs. Do you agree or disagree?

Although there are drawbacks to a person being employed in a variety of roles throughout their career, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages as will now be explained.

Firstly, the employee is able to learn skills in several areas and develop their knowledge about more than one topic. For example a person who moves from an office environment to an outdoors job such as gardening would possess skills in administration from the first role and cultivation skills from the second.

A second advantage is that changing positions would help to prevent the boredom which is common when people spend their whole life in the same job. To illustrate, the challenge of learning skills in a completely different area to what a person is used to can be very stimulating and interesting and improve motivation.

On the other hand, a person who changes their occupation with frequency may find it more difficult to develop depth of knowledge in a particular area. This could be problematic when applying for a new job as employers may prefer to recruit employees who have a more stable employment record; yet there are a number of employers who see the benefits of recruiting a person with wider experience.

To conclude, having a number of jobs is beneficial as it allows for development of a wider range of knowledge and may have a positive impact on motivation and interest levels. Since this trend is becoming more common employees who change jobs often are now less likely to encounter negativity from potential employers.

More people take job satisfaction as an element of individual well-being because most adults spend huge amounts of time at work. Why are some people more content with their jobs than others?

Since most adults spend a significant proportion of their life working, it is important that people enjoy their role; although some are happier at work than others. The following essay discusses factors which can influence why some workers are more positive about their employment than others.

Firstly it is important for most people that they are able to build positive relationships with their colleagues; people often like to feel that they are connected to a team. People who work in an environment where they have developed bonds with their co-workers are likely to be happier than those who feel isolated and do not have a mutually supportive relationship with those around them.

Moreover, the majority of workers wish to receive recognition for their contributions; for example, it can be extremely de-motivating if an employee’s immediate boss never offers thanks or praise for tasks well done. Thus, people who work under a supportive boss with strong people skills are likely to be more satisfied than those who do not.

The type of job an individual does also impacts on their level of contentment. Some people in certain jobs may find it difficult to feel satisfaction in their professional life. To illustrate, a job which involves a very low income and no responsibility or promotion opportunities is unlikely to inspire a feeling of fulfillment.

In conclusion, many factors contribute to a person’s feeling of well being in their employment. Given that some jobs do not offer conditions conducive to stimulating satisfaction, it is likely that some individuals can achieve this more easily than others.