A mechanic is a trained, skilled tradesperson who usestools to build or repair machinery. The most common types of mechanics work on cars, motorcycles, tractors and airplanes. From the Greek root word 'mekhanikos', the oldest meaning of this word is simply 'labourer'. The current sense of the word 'mechanic' came into use along with the popularity of the automobile. Automobile mechanics may specialise in different areas, for instance the electrical aspects of vehicles, while others specialise in the mechanical, automatic or manual transmission of vehicles. Mechanics are trained to use... read more

The Euphoric high of witnessing a perfect goal, the crushing low of an unexpected defeat – our favourite footballers have repeatedly taken us through countless emotions with every match we see of them, leaving us inspired and even unified as a result. Now, let’s look at what it’s like to actually be the ones on the field.

WHAT THE WORK INVOLVES

As a footballer, besides playing matches, you also spend hours in your weekdays, weekends and holidays:
• Training with your teammates to improve as an individual player and as a team, with the help of your coach... read more

Relaxing by a pool or the sea observing people nearby frolicking in water while, of course, heroically jumping into action to save someone from drowning every now and then; while being a lifeguard is an enjoyable, rewarding, and sometimes exciting and usually outdoor job, ensuring the safety of swimmers is not as easy or glamorous as people might think. It’s not exactly ‘the life of Riley’.

WHAT THE WORK INVOLVES

Lifeguards find work at beaches, holiday resorts, hotels, schools, water parks, community centres, indoor pools, entertainment complexes and other... read more

Making laws, shaping policies and running campaigns, a politician’s work can look pretty complicated at first glance, and these are only some of the aspects of being a politician. At the core, however, a politician is just a person who chooses to represent the people in society. These may be people within a city, township, or even a whole country.

WHAT DOES THE WORK INVOLVE?

Duties are varied and often time-consuming. Some of the general, day-to-day tasks include:

• Listening to people in your area, via in-person visits and community meetings, reading... read more

In a world dominated by smartphones, many of us often travel to places, snap a beautiful picture, add a cool filter and then post it for all to see. Indeed, travel photography can seem pretty easy nowadays. However, how many of us truly understand what goes into travelling for a living in order to visually tell the stories of different places, people and cultures?

WHAT THE WORK INVOLVES

Although it's the most prominent part of the job, there's a lot more to travel photography than taking the actual photos. You have to:

• Research places prior to... read more

Many people use the term 'dentist' loosely to describe someone who cares for teeth. However, there is an area of specialisation in dentistry called orthodontics, and while the two professions certainly have similarities, orthodontics is a specific type of dental care. An orthodontist specialises in a section of dentistry dealing mostly with the straightening of teeth, diagnosing and fixing overbites, occlusions, misalignment, jaws and overcrowded mouths. After they have diagnosed the problem, they try to solve the issue with the method best suited to the problem.

When most people... read more

A lecturer is an academic expert who teaches on a full-time or part-time basis in a particular area of expertise, usually at a university, college or other tertiary-level institution and usually to adult students. Lecturers are characterised by professional competence and high levels of qualifications in the fields of their specialisation and research areas. A lecturer is also expected to show the skills, willingness and desire to pursue constant self education through research, reading and publications, and also to contribute to the personal development of students.

WHAT... read more