The three job sectors
We can classify jobs into three sectors: primary, secondary and tertiary sector.
People with jobs in the primary sector obtain or process natural products.
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| What do miners do? Miners mine rocks and minerals. |
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| What does a fisherman do? A fisherman catches fish. |
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| What do farmers do? They grow crops or rear animals to sell. |
People with jobs in the secondary sector transform natural products into manufactured (man-made) products.
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| What does a factory worker do? A factory worker puts the parts of a product together. |
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| What do craft workers do? Craft workers make unique products. |
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| What does a builder do? A builder helps to build houses, factories and offices. |
People with jobs in the tertiary sector provide (give) a service.
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| What do hairdressers do? They cut people's hair. |
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| What does an office worker do? An office worker helps organize work in an office. |
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| What do retail assistants do? Retail assistants sell products in a store. |
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| What does a taxi driver do? A taxi driver drives people in a taxi. |
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| What do tourist guides do? They show tourists famous places. |
In Spain, about 5% of people work in the primary sector, 30% in the secondary sector and 65 % in the tertiary sector.
Primary sector: arable farming
People have been growing crops for thousands of years. Today, science is important in farming because arable farmers need to know what kind of crops will grow well in their soil and how to look after these crops. They also need to know how to sell these crops.
Farms are very important because they give us nearly all the food we eat.
All crops need water to grow, but some crops need just rainwater. We call these crops dry crops. Olive trees, wheat and grapes are dry crops.
Tomatoes, potatoes and rice are crops that need more water than just rainwater to grow well. These are called irrigated crops. Farmers use irrigation to give these crops the exttra water they need.
Ready to live a farmer's life? Create a wonder farm for Jamie on Jamie's Wonder Farm and help the farmer plant a field on Farmxon. Enjoy!
Ready to live a farmer's life? Create a wonder farm for Jamie on Jamie's Wonder Farm and help the farmer plant a field on Farmxon. Enjoy!
Primary sector: livestock farming
Depending on the animal, we talk about cattle farming (cows), pig farming (pigs), sheep farming (sheep) and poultry farming (chickens, hens).
There are two types of livestock farming: intensive farming and free-range farming.
There are two types of livestock farming: intensive farming and free-range farming.
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| intensive farming |
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| free-range farming |
Intensive farming means that the farmer rears the animals and feeds them in small spaces.
In free-range farming the animals live outside, and they have more space to move and to eat grass.
Check out this cool video and learn how milk is made.
In free-range farming the animals live outside, and they have more space to move and to eat grass.
Check out this cool video and learn how milk is made.
Secondary sector: craft and industry
Manufactured products are made by transforming natural products into other materials. This can be done by craft or by industry.
Craft workers use their hands or simple tools to make manufactured products. Products made by craft workers are unique. This means that each object is different. Craft workers work in workshops or studios.
Industrial workers use machines to make manufactured products. These products are mass-produced. This means that lots of products are made very quickly and they are all the same. Mass-products are usually made in factories, where lots of people work together with machines to make the product.
Tertiary sector: providing a service
Many people have jobs that provide a service. We can classify these jobs into different groups.
People with jobs in education help us learn new things, like teachers or coaches.
People with jobs in health care look after our health and the health of animals, too, like doctors, nurses or vets.
People with jobs in tourism help us when we go on holiday, like tour guides or hotel receptionists.
People with jobs in transport take us from one place to another or transport goods, like pilots or truck drivers.
People with jobs in retail help sell products to customers, like retail assistants or insurance agents.
People with jobs in administration help organize work in offices, like office workers.
People with jobs in safety help us be safe, like police officers or firefighters.
Today's games: Working with animals, Job tools, Job quiz, and a story: What will I be when I grow up?
