A career is an occupation or job or work that a person carries out during his lifetime. There are many types of jobs. Factors that should help one choose careers are as follows:

The job market. It is wise to train for a career where jobs are available e.g. engineering and nursing.

The salary/wage that is payable as well as the fringe benefits (allowances) should also be taken into account while choosing a career.

One's mental ability or level of intelligence should be put into account. For example if one is poor at science subjects, it doesn't make sense for him to desire medicine.

Physical ability is also important. For instance to become an engineer, one should be healthy and physically fit. It involves hard labour: here and there .

One's interest in a specific kind of work should also be a big factor in helping him choose a career.

Parents' careers can also be good for their children. For example, if your father is a mechanic or lawyer, take up the same course so that when he dies, his investments in that career do not come to an abrupt end.

One should choose a career, which isn't against his/her Christian faith e.g. it isn't good for someone to deal in prostitution because it doesn't bring glory to God.

One's talents i.e. God given gifts are also a pointer to the kind of career one should take up e.g. If one is a talented singer, God is calling her/him to be a musician. The same applies to football, teaching etc. This is why any good work, which a Christian does, is referred to as a vocation from God a calling from God to do such a work for the good of others.

The period of training should also be taken into account. If one isn't ready to take a long-time while schooling, one cannot train as a doctor, Catholic priest, engineer etc. For example, it takes about 8years after 'A' level to train as a Catholic priest!

One should be aware that some professions are very demanding e.g. for doctors and nurses, they do work at night (night shifts); teachers spend long hours at night preparing lessons and marking students' exercises; soldiers have to operate in bushes; drivers go through unstable areas. etc.,

A student should note that there is no easy job. All careers have their challenges. So the above information just helps you but not discourage you.

A Christian is advised to choose a career which promotes the following attitudes/values:

Coaching in Schools

This is the giving of extra lessons to pupils or students in return for extra payment coaching fees). This type of teaching is basically examination oriented.

Dangers of coaching.

Poor students who cannot afford the coaching fees miss a lot.

It can create misunderstandings between the students who go for coaching and those who don't. Hence division and lack of co-operation in a class.

Coaching denies the students their leisure time.

It makes students lazy. Instead of researching and doing homework, students are just spoon fed by the teacher. This creates brain laziness.

A teacher may be tempted to leak exams indirectly to the students he coaches so that they pass and pay him extra money the following term. At times the coached students are marked leniently because they are "customers".

At times, teachers fall in love with the students they coach just because of being too close to them.

A teacher may become dishonest at school. For example he may under-teach the students intentionally to extort (get) money from them.

A teacher may come into conflict with the administration of the school or with the ministry of education. This may lead him to loose his/her job.

A teacher may impregnate his student, which will lead, him to prison. This action of one teacher can even spoil the image of the whole school.

A teacher who coaches during his free time abuses leisure and gets no time to be with his/her. This may spoil the family relations.

Donations to the church through dishonest means

Part of the reasons why we work is to build, develop and strengthen the Kingdom of God. One way of doing this is by making donations to the Church to enable it carry out its projects. However, some businessmen are known to be smugglers, they over charge their customers and some are even prostitute. The fact that they donate to the Church should be questionable. Why?

God's commandment says, "Thou must not steal." A businessman who cheats customers is a real thief. So, the Church shouldn't be happy with such men.

One who smuggles dodges taxes yet Christianity teaches that we should pay taxes to the state as good citizens.

Such businessmen are selfish and aim at profit making', while causing great suffering to the poor whom they overcharge.

Our work is meant to create good relationship with our fellowmen and God.

The above categories of workers do not aim at this.

A prostitute is an evil doer who is unclean and aims at spreading diseases in society. The Church should therefore not be happy with such people.

Such businessmen are dishonest, yet honesty is required in all Christian work.

Such rich businessmen cannot go to heaven if we take into account the biblical teaching.