# Work
### 1. Why we work

- To **earn money** for living costs (food, housing, bills).
- For **self-fulfilment** – using skills and talents.
- For a **sense of purpose** and identity.
- To **meet people** and be part of a team.
- To **contribute to society**.

### 2. Types of jobs

- **By sector:**
    - **Primary** – agriculture, mining, forestry.
    - **Secondary** – industry, manufacturing, construction.
    - **Tertiary** – services (retail, transport, IT, healthcare, education).
    - **Quaternary** – knowledge-based jobs (research, IT, finance).
- **By skill level:** manual labour, skilled trades, professional, executive.

### 3. Common professions

- **Healthcare:** doctor, nurse, surgeon, dentist, pharmacist.
- **Education:** teacher, lecturer, professor, school assistant.
- **Tech / IT:** programmer, software developer, sysadmin, data analyst, web designer, IT consultant.
- **Engineering:** mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, civil engineer.
- **Trades:** electrician, plumber, carpenter, mechanic, welder.
- **Services:** waiter, cook, hairdresser, shop assistant, driver.
- **Office:** accountant, lawyer, manager, HR specialist, secretary.
- **Creative:** designer, photographer, journalist, musician, architect.
- **Public:** police officer, firefighter, soldier, civil servant.

### 4. Types of employment

- **Full-time** – usually 40 hours / week.
- **Part-time** – fewer hours, flexible.
- **Temporary / contract / freelance / self-employed (OSVČ).**
- **Internship / traineeship** – often during studies.
- **Shift work** – mornings / afternoons / nights, common in factories and hospitals.
- **Remote work / home office / hybrid** – grew massively after COVID.

### 5. Looking for a job

- Search on portals (jobs.cz, LinkedIn, Indeed, prace.cz).
- Write a **CV (resume in AmE)** and a **cover letter**.
- Attend a **job interview**.
- After hiring: sign a **contract**, agree on salary and benefits.
- **Trial / probation period** is usually 3 months in CZ.

### 6. Working day

- Typical office day: **8 am – 4 pm or 9 am – 5 pm**, with a lunch break.
- **Tasks:** answering emails, meetings, working on projects, calls, reports.
- **Tools:** computer, phone, software (Office, Slack, Teams, Zoom).
- Breaks for coffee / lunch are important for productivity.

### 7. Pay and benefits

- **Gross salary** – before tax; **net salary** – take-home.
- **Average wage in CZ:** about 45,000 CZK gross / month.
- **13th salary** – bonus in some companies.
- **Benefits:** meal vouchers (stravenky), Multisport card, sick days, training, company car / phone / laptop.
- **Tax + social and health insurance** are deducted automatically.

### 8. Workers’ rights

- **Working week:** max. 40 hours.
- **Minimum wage** (CZ: ~20,800 CZK / month in 2026).
- **Paid holiday:** at least 4 weeks / year.
- **Maternity / paternity leave** – up to 3 years in CZ (paid partly).
- **Health & safety** at work, sick leave.
- **Trade unions** (odbory).

### 9. Unemployment

- Officially you register at the **Labour Office** (Úřad práce).
- Unemployment benefit for a limited period.
- **Causes:** automation, recession, lack of skills, location.
- CZ has one of the **lowest unemployment rates** in the EU (around 3 %).

### 10. Future of work

- **Automation & AI** replace routine jobs but create new ones.
- More **remote and flexible work**.
- **Gig economy** – Uber, Wolt, freelance platforms.
- Focus on **lifelong learning** and re-skilling.
- More attention to **work–life balance** and **mental health at work**.

### 11. My future career

- *I’d like to work in IT, ideally as a programmer / web developer / sysadmin.*
- *After the maturita I plan to study at TUL / start working straight away.*
- *I want a job that is interesting, creative and reasonably paid.*
- *I don’t want a boring office job that I’d hate every Monday.*

### 12. Useful phrases

- *I work as a… / for…*
- *I’m looking for a job in…*
- *My job involves…*
- *I get on well with my colleagues / boss.*
- *I work 9 to 5 / shifts / from home.*
- *I earn about… (per month / per year).*

### 13. Speaking strategy

Start with why people work. List job sectors and a few professions. Talk about employment types (full-time / part-time / remote). Mention CVs and interviews. Compare jobs in CZ with UK / US briefly. End with your own future career plans.