Careers
Mary Anne Ferrie
Senior Pathways Coordinator
Year 10 Work Experience
All Year 10 students are required to participate in the Work Experience program as part of their Year 10 course of studies at Marian College over a one week block from the 20th July. It is a valuable opportunity for students to experience the workplace and gain an insight into an industry they are interested in.
Work experience helps students:
- develop employability skills
- explore possible career options
- understand employer expectations
- increase their self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence.
All work experience forms must be finalized and submitted to the Careers Room by the end of Term 1. During the first Semester, Yr 10 students will participate in the relevant online test, through safe@work, in preparation for their placement later in the year.
Parent Involvement
At Marian College we welcome parent engagement in the Work Experience process. This could be as simple as having a conversation with your daughter regarding worthwhile and valuable work experience placements. Evidence indicates that parents are the single greatest influence on their child’s education and career decisions. The Face-to-Face report produced in 2010 by the National Youth Agency in England identified parents and carers as the most common first point of call for career development information, advice and guidance for young people. Other research similarly points to the important role of parents in the career development of their children, especially in the early stages rather than in the later stages of their education (Watson and McMahon, 2003).
Generally, parental engagement in career development occurs around subject and course selections and at crunch times in the later years of education, with a focus on information provision. Given the rapid changes in the world of work through globalisation and technology and the subsequent paradigm shift in career development, this is no longer sufficient. There is also mounting evidence that links improved student motivation, retention, achievement and career outcomes with parental involvement in young people’s learning. Career development now needs to focus not on job acquisition, but on the acquisition of skills, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and competencies for continuous learning and improvement. The role of parents cannot be underestimated and is vital in supporting the career development of young people.