With Careers Week approaching, it’s a great time to ask pupils a powerful question:

What could reading today help you become tomorrow?

We often talk about reading for pleasure in terms of wellbeing, imagination and empathy — all hugely important. But reading also plays a practical role in shaping future pathways. The stories children connect with, the subjects they explore and the formats that work for them can all influence their confidence, skills and career aspirations.

And that includes audiobooks.

Reading builds career-ready skills

No matter what path a young person takes, reading supports the core skills employers consistently value:

• Communication and vocabulary

• Critical thinking

• Empathy and collaboration

• Focus and sustained attention

• Creativity and problem-solving

When pupils engage with stories — in print or audio — they’re not just following a plot. They’re analysing characters, predicting outcomes, interpreting tone, and building knowledge of the world around them.

For some learners, particularly those with dyslexia, ADHD or autism, audiobooks can unlock those same skills in a format that removes barriers and builds confidence.

Careers in audiobooks: more than just narration

When students think about careers in reading, they might picture being an author or a librarian.

But the world of audiobooks is far broader — and can be a brilliant way to show how creative, technical and literary skills combine in real jobs.

Our series of Shorts on YouTube demonstrate just a few of the careers that reading can help inspire.

Making the link in the classroom

Careers Week is an ideal opportunity to:

• Share an audiobook extract and discuss the roles behind it

• Invite pupils to research a job within publishing or audio production

• Explore how different subjects contribute to creative industries

• Highlight how accessible formats widen participation and opportunity.

Ensuring every pupil can see themselves in the future

At Calibre, we’re passionate about making reading accessible, because access shapes aspiration. When children and young people can engage with stories in a format that works for them, it builds confidence — and confidence underpins ambition.

Careers education is about possibility. Reading in all its forms helps make those possibilities visible.

If you’re marking Careers Week in school, we’d love to support you in showing pupils just how many doors stories can open.

In this Careers Week interview, Jules, Head of Marketing at W F Howes shares his journey into publishing and how a passion for reading led to a senior role in audiobook marketing.

Ever wondered who chooses the voices behind your favourite audiobooks?

Georgia, Casting Director at W F Howes, explains what it takes to build a career in audiobook casting and production.

In this interview, Mitta, Acquisitions Editor at W F Howes, explains what an acquisitions editor does and how reading plays a key role in shaping the audiobooks we love.

Can a love of reading lead to a career in performance? In this Careers Week 2026 video, actress, writer and audiobook narrator Joanna John shares her journey into audiobook narration and creative storytelling.