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Years 12–13 · School leavers · Whānau

The Pathway Compass

Choose university, trades, work, or a purpose year — with open eyes and honest data.

A free interactive tool for NZ school leavers. Ten honest questions. Four pathways compared. A clear result you can take home to whānau — not a brochure default.

10 questionsAbout 8 minutes
4 pathwaysScored side by side
Printable resultFor kitchen-table talk
The four pathways
University

A degree route — weighed against cost, junior-job risk from AI, and whether the ladder still teaches beginners.

Apprenticeship & trades

Earn while you learn in hands-on work. Physical skills stay hard for AI to replace.

Straight to work

Start earning and building proof — local employers, entry roles, and what you can show on day one.

Purpose / gap year

A planned year with mentors and an end date — service, skill, or travel — not drifting.

How the compass works
  1. Answer honestly. There are no wrong answers — only yours.
  2. See a side-by-side score. Each path is weighed on AI risk, learning rungs, cost vs proof, local options, and calling.
  3. Take a one-pager home. Share it with whānau and careers staff.

What each student gets

  • A radar view of all four pathways
  • Plain-language reasons for the top match
  • Stats with sources (tap ⓘ to open)
  • Works on phone, tablet, or classroom screen

For whānau

  • Built for kitchen-table conversations
  • Printable one-pager — sit beside them and ask what surprised them
  • Identity line: you are not your job title
  • Pairs with the Highest-Return Portfolio programme
For schools: Use in careers week, after a senior assembly, or inside the Highest-Return Portfolio. Every student leaves with a tested, defensible pathway decision.
Free pilot phase
Cohort licence with a programme or whole-school day
“You are not your job title. You never were.”
Nathaniel Baldock
Nathaniel Baldock Tauranga, New Zealand · AI consulting & school formation
nathanielbaldock@gmail.com · nathanielbaldock.com · +64 20 479 6683
Schools pack: nathanielbaldock.com/schools

AI disclosure: I used Google NotebookLM to assist my research for this topic, Claude (Anthropic) supported the editorial process, helping brainstorm, edit, and refine the content, and Cursor.ai to help with the technical coding build. The ideas, direction, and final content are mine — I reviewed everything before publishing and take responsibility for it.