Unit 7 The world of work and education

Word

Definition

Example

job

A regular activity performed in exchange for payment, especially as one's trade, occupation, or profession

His job at the factory was physically demanding

work

Activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose or result

She had to work overtime to meet the deadline

occupation

A job or profession

His occupation as a carpenter allowed him to showcase his skills

career

An individual's journey through learning, work, and other aspects of life

She had a successful career in the finance industry

livelihood

A means of securing the necessities of life

Farming was their main source of livelihood

qualification

A quality or accomplishment that makes someone suitable for a particular job or activity

His qualifications in engineering made him a sought-after candidate

gain

Obtain or secure (something desired, favorable, or profitable)

She was able to gain valuable experience in her internship

on a regular basis

Happening or done frequently or at regular intervals

They meet for lunch on a regular basis every Friday

achieve

Successfully bring about or reach (a desired objective, level, or result) by effort, skill, or courage

He was able to achieve his goals through hard work and perseverance

independent

Free from outside control; not subject to another's authority

She enjoyed the freedom of being an independent contractor

run the business

Manage or be in charge of a commercial enterprise

They were able to successfully run the family business

work-life balance

The balance between an individual's work and personal life

Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential for overall well-being

work ethic

The principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward

His strong work ethic earned him the respect of his colleagues

by profession

In a manner that relates to a particular occupation or vocation

She was a doctor by profession, but also a talented musician

job prospects

The likelihood of future employment or advancement in a particular career or occupation

The current job prospects in the tech industry are promising

career ladder

The hierarchical progression in one's career, often associated with higher positions and increased responsibility

Climbing the career ladder requires dedication and ambition

job opportunities

Chances or openings for employment or work

The city offered many job opportunities in various sectors

numeracy

The ability to understand and work with numbers

Her job required strong numeracy skills and attention to detail

socialising

Mixing and socializing with others

She enjoyed socialising with her coworkers after work

touch typing

The skill of typing without using the sense of sight to find the keys

Her touch typing skills allowed her to work efficiently on the computer

be organised

Arranged in a systematic way, especially on a large scale

He needed to be organised to handle multiple projects at once

evaluation

The making of a judgment about the amount, number, or value of something; assessment

The evaluation of their performance would determine the bonus

arguments to persuade

Statements or reasons put forward to convince someone of something

She presented strong arguments to persuade the board to approve the project

supportive environment

An environment that encourages personal and professional growth, development, and success

The company provided a supportive environment for new employees

coworking space

A shared working environment where people from different organizations can work together

The startup decided to move to a coworking space for better networking

diverse

Showing a great deal of variety; very different

The team was diverse, with members from different cultural backgrounds

freelancer

A person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer

As a freelancer, she enjoyed the flexibility of choosing her projects

remote worker

A person who works from a location other than a central office

He became a remote worker to have more flexibility in his schedule

communal setting

A place or environment where people come together and share common resources, interests, or activities

The communal setting of the office fostered collaboration and creativity

meaningful

Having a serious, important, or useful quality or purpose

Her work in the nonprofit sector was meaningful and fulfilling

a range of

A variety of different things or activities of a particular type

The company offered a range of benefits to its employees

internal politics

The relationships and power dynamics within an organization or group

Navigating the internal politics of the company was challenging

venture

A risky or daring journey or undertaking

Starting a new venture can be both exciting and nerve-wracking

aspire to

Direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something

She aspired to be a successful entrepreneur in the tech industry

collaboration

The action of working with someone to produce or create something

Collaboration among team members led to innovative solutions

collaborative space

A shared space where people from different teams or organizations work together

The company invested in a collaborative space for team projects

sustainability

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level

They focused on sustainability by using eco-friendly materials

accessible

Able to be reached or entered

The building was accessible to people with disabilities

have a deadline

Have a specific time or date by which something must be done

We need to have a deadline for this project to stay on track

take a break

Pause in work or activity

Don't forget to take a break and relax during your workday

encouraged

Given support, confidence, or hope to do something

She was encouraged by her mentor to apply for the position

facilitating

Making an action or process easier

The new software was effective in facilitating communication among team members

implication

The conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated

The implication of his decision was not immediately clear

entrepreneur

A person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit

He aspired to be a successful entrepreneur in the tech industry

thrive

Prosper; flourish

The company continued to thrive despite the challenging market conditions

enterprise

A project or undertaking, typically one that is difficult or requires effort

Their family had been running a successful enterprise for generations

on-demand

Available when needed

The on-demand service allowed customers to access products quickly

ranging from

Extending between specified limits or categories

The prices of the products were ranging from 10 to 50 dollars

distribute

Give a share or a unit of (something) to each of a number of recipients

They needed to distribute the workload evenly among the team members

witnessing growth

Observing an increase or development in something

The company was witnessing significant growth in its customer base

tend to

Regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic

She tended to procrastinate when faced with difficult tasks

affiliate

Officially attach or connect (a subsidiary group or a person) to an organization

The company decided to affiliate with a larger corporation for better resources

spark

Ignite or inspire (an emotion or feeling)

The new idea sparked a lively discussion among the team members

founder

A person who establishes an organization or settlement

The founder of the company had a clear vision for its future

former chief

A person who previously held the highest position in an organization

The former chief of the company retired after 30 years of service

multinational company

A corporation that has its facilities and other assets in at least one country other than its home country

The multinational company had offices in over 30 countries

insight

A deep understanding of a person or thing

Her insight into the market trends was crucial for the company's success

pursue

Follow (someone or something) in order to catch or attack them

He decided to pursue a career in the arts rather than business

plan layouts

Organize or arrange a detailed diagram or map

They needed to plan the layouts for the new office space

well-curated work experience

A carefully selected or organized work experience

Her well-curated work experience made her a strong candidate for the job

adopt

Take up or start to use or follow (an idea, method, or course of action)

The company decided to adopt a new marketing strategy

regarded as

Be considered or seen as

He was regarded as an expert in the field of economics

substantial training input

A significant amount of effort or resources invested in training

The company invested in substantial training for its employees

underestimate

Estimate (something) to be smaller or less important than it actually is

He tended to underestimate the amount of time each task would take

gain an advantage

Obtain an edge over an opponent or rival

The early start allowed them to gain an advantage over their competitors

be derived from

Originate or stem from

The company's success can be derived from its strong customer service

accrue benefit

To accumulate or receive benefits over time

Regular exercise can accrue many benefits for your health

seize an opportunity

To take advantage of a favorable situation

She was quick to seize an opportunity for career advancement

boost prospects

Improve or increase the chances of success or prosperity

The new marketing campaign was expected to boost sales prospects

advantages outweigh

Be of greater benefit or value compared to something else

The advantages of the new system outweigh its initial costs

considerable benefit

A significant advantage or gain

The new policy brought considerable benefit to the employees

deserve a chance

Be worthy or qualified for an opportunity

Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves in the workplace

end in

Conclude or result in

The negotiations could end in either a merger or acquisition

failure

Lack of success

Despite their best efforts, the project ended in failure

impressive achievement

An accomplishment that is especially striking or remarkable

Her promotion to manager was an impressive achievement

meet the needs of

Satisfy or fulfill a requirement or necessity

The company aimed to meet the needs of its diverse customer base

offset

Counteract (something) by having an opposing force or effect

The company used their profits to offset their carbon footprint

once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

An exceptionally rare and valuable chance that is not likely to be

The chance to travel the world was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

outstanding achievement

A remarkable or excellent accomplishment

Her promotion to director was an outstanding achievement in her career

result in failure

Lead to an unsuccessful outcome or ending

The lack of communication could result in failure for the project

scope for

The opportunity or possibility for doing something

There is scope for improvement in the current marketing strategy

squander a chance

Waste or fail to take advantage of an opportunity

He regretted squandering the chance to invest in the startup

take up

Start a hobby, sport, or job

She decided to take up the offer to work in the New York office

tackle unemployment

Address or deal with the issue of people not having jobs

The government implemented new policies to tackle unemployment in the region

literacy

The ability to read and write

The literacy rate in the country had seen significant improvements

sacrifice

An act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy

He was willing to sacrifice his personal time for the success of the project