‘Top Trumps’ Jobs Game

Looking for job inspiration? Want to know more about the different types of jobs and careers that exist? Our Top Trumps Jobs Game is a great place to start.

This short game – ideal to play in the classroom or at home – helps you to learn about the different jobs that exist in a range of industry sectors (from construction to childcare, legal to leisure). It explains the entry level qualifications required to get started with a career in that job role, the salary and earnings potential, as well as whether it offers apprenticeships, work experience or career progression.

This game can be used by Key Stage 3 and 4 to learn more about jobs, sectors and career pathways. Use this activity as a prompt to discuss what different jobs do on a day to day basis, what sectors they fall under and how they may have been impacted by past trends or could change in the future. Our Career Guides (containing the latest LMI for Stockport and GM) or Day-in-the-Life Employer Videos (filmed with local businesses) will also help students to understand the labour market now and in the future.

Download ‘Top Trumps’ Jobs Game

How to use

This simple Top Trumps Jobs and Sector Game activity focuses on helping young people to consider different jobs and careers – what they involve, what sector they fall within, how much they can earn, how to get started and where they can lead. It encourages students to think about their current career preferences and challenges what they think they know already. It can lead to students discovering new jobs they had never heard of previously, as well as prompting discussions about how jobs may change in the years to come.

Time to Play: 10 minutes plus additional time if you wish to discuss different jobs / sectors – what they mean, why they pay more or less, why they require a higher level of qualification to get started, what study pathway you may need to follow to pursue them etc.

Setting Up: Simply print out the Top Trump Jobs cards on A4 paper and cut into quarters. There are 56 cards in total, plus a set of blank cards. Students should work in pairs or small groups, so print the relevant number of sheets accordingly.

Instructions:

  1. Give the ‘pack’ of cards to one player and assign them as the dealer. Ask them to divide the cards evenly between all players face-down, so no-one can see what cards any other players have. If you have an uneven ratio of cards to players, set aside the spare cards.
  2. Students should hold the cards face-up in a stack so only the top one is visible. As they collect cards throughout the game, these should be added to the bottom of the stack.
  3. The player to the left of the dealer goes first and chooses one of the three statistics on the card to read out loud. They can choose from:
    • Salary (low to high indicated by number of £s displayed)
    • Minimum Entry Level (Level 1 to Level 7)
    • Career Progression (low = red to high = green)
  4. Invite the other players to compare the same statistic from the top card in their deck. Once everyone has shared their stat, determine who shared the highest number.
  5. The player with the highest stat wins the round and collects all of the other players cards, placing these at the bottom of their card pile.
  6. In the event of a tie (where one or more players have equal stats), refer to the other information on the card:
    • Apprenticeships offered (yes/no)
    • ‘WEX’ or ‘Work Experience’ offered (yes/no)
  7. If a tie remains (both cards offer both Apprenticeships and WEX), the cards are to be placed in the middle of the table and a new round is started. The winner from this round will add the losing cards to their own hand, as well as the cards from the middle of the table.
  8. Play continues until one player has all the cards.

A set of blank cards has also been produced. Can students create a card for a job they’d like to do in the future?

Suggested talking points:

  • Who knows what this job involves on a day to day basis?
  • Who knows what this sector does? Can you think of any other jobs that would fall into this sector?
  • Can anyone name any companies that work in this sector? Who could you work for locally if you wanted to do this job?
  • Were you surprised at the salary levels on offer for some job roles? Why do you think this job pays more than that one?
  • Were you surprised by the entry requirements to start a career as this job? Why do you think that is?
  • Why do you think this job doesn’t offer work experience / apprenticeships?
  • What trends do you think affect this sector currently?
  • What trends do you think will affect this sector in the future?
  • Which of these jobs would you most like to work in? Why?