How do I say 'I want to be a doctor' in Spanish?

You should say 'Quiero ser médico'. Note that in Spanish, you do not use 'un' or 'una' before a profession unless you are describing it with an adjective (e.g., 'Quiero ser un médico famoso').

What is the difference between 'el trabajo' and 'el empleo'?

While both can mean 'job', 'el trabajo' is a more general term for work or a task, whereas 'el empleo' specifically refers to formal employment or a position within a company. In most GCSE contexts, they are interchangeable.

Do I need to know the subjunctive for this topic?

While not strictly required for a pass, using the present subjunctive in phrases like 'Cuando tenga dieciocho años...' (When I am 18...) or 'Cuando termine mis estudios...' (When I finish my studies...) is a key way to secure a Grade 8 or 9 in the WJEC exam.

How do I describe work experience I haven't actually done?

The examiners don't check your CV! You can invent a placement. Use the preterite tense to say 'Hice mis prácticas laborales en una oficina' (I did my work experience in an office) and describe simple tasks like 'contesté al teléfono' (I answered the phone) or 'saqué fotocopias' (I made photocopies).

What are some good reasons to give for wanting a specific job?

To sound more sophisticated, use reasons like 'el sueldo es elevado' (the salary is high), 'quiero ayudar a los demás' (I want to help others), 'ofrece buenas perspectivas' (it offers good prospects), or 'me permite viajar' (it allows me to travel).

Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans

WJEC

GCSE

This topic covers the vocabulary and language structures required to discuss future career plans, employment, and the skills and personal qualities relevant to the world of work within the context of the WJEC GCSE Spanish specification.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

The 'Career Plans' topic within the WJEC GCSE Spanish curriculum focuses on your ability to articulate your future aspirations, professional goals, and the steps required to achieve them. It moves beyond simple vocabulary for jobs, requiring you to discuss work experience (las prácticas laborales), the importance of university versus vocational training, and the role of languages in the global workplace. This topic is essential for demonstrating your range of tenses, as it naturally bridges your past experiences with your future intentions.

Mastering this area is vital for the WJEC specification because it frequently appears in both the Writing and Speaking components. It provides a perfect platform to showcase complex grammatical structures, such as 'Si' clauses and the conditional tense. By learning to justify your career choices with specific reasons—such as salary, working hours, or the desire to help others—you can move from basic descriptions to the higher-level analysis required for Grade 7-9 performance.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Distinguishing between the Near Future (ir + a + infinitive) for immediate intentions and the Simple Future (e.g., trabajaré) for long-term, definitive plans.
→Using the Conditional Tense (e.g., me gustaría, sería) to express hypothetical career paths and ideal working conditions or preferences.
→Mastering specific vocabulary for job sectors (e.g., el comercio, la informática, la medicina) and transferable workplace skills (e.g., el liderazgo, la capacidad de trabajar bajo presión).
→Constructing 'Si' clauses (e.g., 'Si saco buenas notas, iré a la universidad') to demonstrate the relationship between current academic effort and future professional success.
→Understanding the formal register (Usted/Ustedes) required for writing job applications, formal emails, or participating in professional role-play scenarios.

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Ability to narrate events or give an account of something related to the topic
Ability to talk about future plans or ideas relating to the topic
Ability to give and justify ideas and opinions
Accurate application of grammar and structures
Use of appropriate register and tone
Ability to initiate and develop conversations

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Ability to narrate events or give an account of something related to the topic
Ability to talk about future plans or ideas relating to the topic
Ability to give and justify ideas and opinions
Accurate application of grammar and structures
Use of appropriate register and tone
Ability to initiate and develop conversations

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Familiarise yourself with the vocabulary list for 'Career Plans' and 'Skills and personal qualities'
💡Practice using the future tense and conditional tense to discuss future aspirations
💡Prepare to justify your career choices with reasons
💡Ensure you can initiate the conversation in the speaking assessment if prompted
💡Use the 12-minute preparation time effectively to plan your responses for the speaking assessment
💡In the Writing exam, ensure you include three distinct time frames: mention a past work experience, your current studies, and your future career goals to access the highest marks for linguistic variety.
💡Use 'Cuando' with the subjunctive (e.g., 'Cuando sea mayor...') when talking about the future. This is a high-level structure that WJEC examiners specifically look for to award top-tier marks for grammar.
💡Don't just list jobs; use connective phrases like 'por lo tanto' (therefore) or 'sin embargo' (however) to compare different career paths and explain why one suits your personality better than another.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Failure to justify opinions when required
Inaccurate use of future tense structures
Over-reliance on simple sentences
Lack of spontaneity in the conversation task
Misunderstanding the requirements of the role play interactions
Confusing the noun 'trabajo' (job/work) with the verb 'trabajar' (to work). Students often incorrectly say 'Quiero trabajo' when they mean 'Quiero trabajar' (I want to work).
Translating 'success' as 'suceso'. In Spanish, 'suceso' means an event or happening. To talk about career success, you must use 'el éxito' or the verb 'tener éxito'.
Using the indefinite article 'un/una' before professions. In Spanish, you say 'Soy profesor' or 'Quiero ser médico' without the 'a'. The article is only used if an adjective is added, such as 'Soy un profesor entusiasta'.

Revision Plan

How to revise this topic in 1–2 weeks

1Week 1: Focus on vocabulary. Categorise 20+ jobs into sectors and learn 10 key verbs related to work (e.g., ganar, solicitar, despedir, contratar).
2Week 1: Grammar focus. Practice conjugating the Simple Future and Conditional tenses, paying close attention to irregular stems like 'har-', 'tendr-', and 'querr-'.
3Week 2: Application. Write a 100-word 'letter of application' for a fictional summer job, incorporating past experience and future goals.
4Week 2: Speaking prep. Record yourself answering common questions like '¿Qué te gustaría ser en el futuro?' and '¿Es importante ganar mucho dinero?', focusing on pronunciation and fluency.

Exam Question Types

How this topic typically appears in the exam

📋Reading Matching Task: You are given short profiles of four people and must match them to the most appropriate job based on their skills and interests.
📋Writing (90 or 150 words): A prompt asking you to describe your recent work experience and what you plan to do after your GCSEs or A-levels.
📋Speaking Role Play: A scenario where you are at a job interview or asking for information about a summer internship in Spain.
📋Listening Multiple Choice: Identifying the pros and cons of a job as described by a native speaker, often involving 'distractors' where they mention a job they used to do versus what they do now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•A solid grasp of the Present Tense to describe current school subjects and part-time jobs.
•Knowledge of personality and character adjectives (e.g., paciente, creativo, ambicioso) to justify career choices.
•Familiarity with basic opinion phrases and justifications (e.g., 'pienso que', 'ya que', 'dado que').

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Describe

Explica

Menciona

Justifica

Presenta

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Revision Plan

Exam Question Types

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in WJEC GCSE Spanish

Appendix A: Prescribed Vocabulary List (organised by theme/sub-theme)

Appendix B: Grammar Requirements – Foundation Tier

Current and Future Study and Employment

Current Study – School/College Life

How to Revise Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans — WJEC GCSE Spanish

Examiner Tips for Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans

Common Mistakes in Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans

Key Marking Points

Enterprise, Employability and Future Plans – Career Plans

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Revision Plan

Exam Question Types

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'I want to be a doctor' in Spanish?

What is the difference between 'el trabajo' and 'el empleo'?

Do I need to know the subjunctive for this topic?

How do I describe work experience I haven't actually done?

What are some good reasons to give for wanting a specific job?

Before You Start

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in WJEC GCSE Spanish

Appendix A: Prescribed Vocabulary List (organised by theme/sub-theme)

Appendix B: Grammar Requirements – Foundation Tier

Current and Future Study and Employment

Current Study – School/College Life