The online tool helping students choose a career that's right for them

Choosing a career that's right for you isn't easy, but a new online career tool is making that process easier for students, by matching their personality and interests with career options.

LifeLauncher, developed by the Department of Education, enables students to link their passions and potential career paths.

Sebastian Mannes and Evie Saville have found the LifeLauncher program helpful for choosing a career.


Sebastian Mannes, 16, is in year 11 at Blue Mountains Grammar, and has just started his HSC year.

While he's interested in something to do with engineering or chemistry, he's been unable to firmly decide on a career.

"I really like it [LifeLauncher] because it suggested professions that I'd not thought of before," Sebastian said.

The tool asks a series of questions based on interests, abilities and school subjects before narrowing down and suggesting potential study and employment choices for life after school.

A quiz on LifeLauncher revealed he was analytical and practical, and suggested careers such as electrical or aeronautical engineer, pharmaceutical assistant, or mechanic.

Sebastian said the program reaffirmed that in pursuing his interests in maths and science subjects, he was heading in the right direction for a career in an engineering/science-related field.

"In my case and people that don't know what to do, it can reduce stress or anxiety. It reduces that load; calms you more. There are so many different options so you don't have to settle on the one thing. It reduces stress for the HSC because there are other options," Sebastian said.

In year 10 he thought he might go on to study at Sydney University. Now he knows there's a variety of courses available in his field of interest at lots of different universities, he's more focused on making a career choice that suits him, rather than a uni choice.

Meanwhile, his classmate Evie Saville has known for some time that she wants to pursue a career in medicine. The LifeLauncher program revealed she was a humanitarian, but also had analytical and practical skills, and suggested she also consider other health-related options such as midwifery, sports medicine, physiotherapy or becoming a nutritionist.

"I had thought about starting nursing, I'm now looking at physio," Evie said.