A SWOT analysis is a useful exercise to help learners know and understand their strengths and weaknesses as many of them contemplate life after school. Assist them to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to determine what type of career they are suited for by sharing the below SWOT analysis with them. Encourage them to write down their own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a grid similar to the one below. Ensure that they take into consideration their personal values, hobbies and interests to see where their talents naturally lie.
| Positive | Negative | |
| Internal | Strengths
The strengths that you have as a person: your values, skills, personality, academic ability and knowledge. Example: You are an outgoing positive person with excellent communication skills. |
Weaknesses
The weaknesses that you have as a person: things you are not good at or don’t like to do. These are influenced by values, skills, personality, academic ability and knowledge. Example: You do not have the practical skills to become a plumber. |
| External | Opportunities
Opportunities include a list and description of all possibilities and options that you have or you have created that will contribute to the success of your career decision. Example: You have been saving up and have enough money to study at a University. |
Threats
The threats include a list and description of all aspects that may stand in your way of making a career decision or contribute to the success of your career. Example: You chose to do Maths Literacy instead of Maths and therefore can’t do the course you want to do. |
Once your learners have completed their SWOT analysis and have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, ask them to jot down a few careers that meet their individual results. Expand on this by encouraging them to job shadow at various businesses to see what their area of interest actually entail. This will help them get practical day-to-day knowledge of their particular fields of interest.
