Careers at MSCW 

Term 2 Careers Events

Year 10 Work Placement

Year 10 students returned to commence Semester Two classes this week. The Careers Team supported 220 placements for 180 students across the past few weeks. Students will complete an evaluation this week and we hope to showcase the wonderful opportunities and host employers in the July Careers Newsletter.

Parents and guardians wishing to provide feedback, can email Elly Martin emartin@mscw.vic.edu.au to obtain a feedback form.

Trades Fit and Tech Expo – 8 May – written by Makayla Shurdington (Year 10)

Eight Marist-Sion students travelled to Melbourne with Mrs Martin and Mr Paynter to attend the Trade and Tech Fit Expo. It was an opportunity for us to investigate our career options. There were many different stalls there for us to have a look into and get the chance to talk and learn more about different trades. There was also talks and presentations about some more trades to give us some insight of what these trades will be like in the future.

At the expo we got to experience many different types of hand-on experiences in many different and unique areas or trades, from bricklaying to 3D printers to engines. All of which were aimed to enhance awareness, experiences and successful careers for women in trades and tech areas. These stall and seminars helped us to see what we would like to do as a possible career in future, including providing introductions to the areas, particularly in areas where women are under-represented and ways to find out more. 

Female and non-binary students keen to attend in 2025 are encouraged to check the expo website https://www.vic.gov.au/trade-tech-fit and email their expression of interest to Mrs Elly Martin. 

In the next Career Newsletter, we will hopefully provide a summary of organisations who attended, if they offer entry level career roles (eg. apprenticeships) and where to find out more.

National Careers Week – 13 to 17 May

This week offered an opportunity for classes to integrate careers into their learning, lunchtime webinars, Year 10 Careers Day and a daily Tutor Group quiz which was won by Mr James Mazzolini’s Loreto 3.

Inspiring Careers in Health Camp (22 and 23 May) and Industry Tour (4 June) – written by Lexie Fenton (Staff)

Over the past two days, eight students from Years 10 to 12 attended the ‘Inspiring Careers in Health Camp’ organised by the Baw Baw Latrobe LLEN, Federation University and TAFE Gippsland.The students engaged in a variety of activities hosted by facility staff from the Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Midwifery departments at Fed Uni, to learn about the different courses and experience what life would be like as a university student. In the afternoon, students attended the Monash Rural Health: Medicines Pathway for a tour and some hands-on activities.During the evening, students and staff attended a dinner, where over 30 local health professionals spoke with the students and discussed their different career pathways in health-related fields. The guest speakers included past Marist-Sion student Dr Bernadette Spencer (Emergency Registrar and Nurse), Michael Reid (Theatre Technician) and Leila Raymond (Fourth Year Physiotherapy student).The final day of the camp was held at TAFE Gippsland where a rotation of information and activities was held by the Nursing, Tech School, Allied Health and Aged Care faculties. The students used slide sheets and stand-up lifters to manoeuvre patients. They dressed in scrubs, cleaned wounds and set up an IV drop. At the Tech School, students got to use some exercise science equipment including some fitness related virtual reality and some health-related advanced technologies including heat rate monitors, thermometers and blood pressure monitors.

Some of the photos show the student learning to take blood, assembling the parts of a model brain, assessing their ankle stability and exploring the midwifery practice labour wards. Also using manual handling equipment, exercise science equipment and virtual reality.

This camp was an incredible opportunity for students to get an insight to a number of health-related courses offered locally in Gippsland and our students greatly valued and appreciated the experience. 

On Tuesday 4 June these students also participated in an Industry Tour to West Gippsland Health Group (Warragul Hospital), Fairview and also Monash Rural Health to explore health-related workplaces and roles. 

Sincere thanks to attending staff (Tammy and Lexie), BBLLLEN organising (especially Jenni Graham) and MSCW staff who help to make these kind of activities happen 😊

Students keen to attend in 2025 are encouraged to email their expression of interest to Mrs Elly Martin.

Baw Baw Shire Early Childhood Careers Expo – 30 May

Three students attended the local Baw Baw Shire Early Childhood Careers Expo on the morning of 30 May to speak with local organisations regarding opportunities and a range of roles in the early childhood area. In addition to expanding student knowledge of careers in early childhood, great resources, information and guest speakers were also part of this expo.

Those interested in careers connected with early childhood will find this resource from the BBSC a handy summary.

Engineering Ahead Program – 24 May and additional dates in 2024

On the 24 May five students joined Mr Paynter and Mrs Martin for an engineering taster opportunity at TAFE Gippsland with trainer Jo. Students were provided with a tour, brief explanation of trade-based engineering roles, safety briefing and then given the opportunity to make a seemingly simple metal figurine, which actually involved a surprising amount of skill and precision.

On Friday 7 June the Engineering Ahead group travelled to Loy Yang for an Industry Tour All valuable opportunities for expanding understanding of the breadth of opportunities which exist across engineering, both in a trade and professional setting.

MSCW Pathways Hub via Study Work Grow

SWG is a super comprehensive career resource aimed at supporting secondary school students and their families with career decisions.

And access to the Marist-Sion College Pathways Hub couldn’t be easier – just click on the link and you will find resources relating to:

• Further Study, including some great guides fir Open Days, Subject Selection, Early Entry Guide, Scholarships Guide, etc.
• Finding Work
• Possible Pathways, including a Career Cluster Quiz
• Life and Money, including a Gap Year Guide
• For Families, a section designed to support positive career conversations

Furthermore, students, parents, and carers can still navigate around the main website studyworkgrow.com for all the latest blogs, job spotlights, events, scholarships, competitions and more. While those who prefer to watch and listen than read, might also like to check out their YouTube Page which has lots of student/carer/teacher-friendly content.

The Careers Team also regularly put hard copies of the resources from SWG outside the careers office (Jericho 9) for any student interested to access. If you would like a hard copy of a guide or resource, please let us know.

We would welcome any feedback from students and parents.

Careers at MSCW – Coming Up

Year 9

• Morrisby program Interviews – student appointments will be published on Simon Notices
• Year 9 Careers Day including Job Skills Expo (23 July)

Year 10

• Morrisby program Interviews – student appointments will be published on Simon Notices

2025 Subject Selection Dates

Year 9 2025 Dates

Year 10 2025 Dates

Year 11 2025 Dates

Helpful career strategies we’ve been talking about lately

• Traffic Light Strategy, is a preference/ranking system which is great for decision-making relating to a preferred school program and elective choices, but could easily be adapted to post-school options and further study interest areas.
• Informational Interview, is an informal meeting (via phone, virtually or in person) between a person seeking further information about a particular job, career or industry and a person already established in that field of work.

Key resources to assist with decision making:

• Students have been provided with a Traffic Light Strategy Worksheet.
• Marist-Sion College 2025 Subject Selection Handbook (available on Simon > Student Academic Information)
• Year 9 – 12 students have access to Morrisby and should utilise this resource to aid decision making via the My Choices tab in their individual account www.morrisby.com (students can also provide Parent Access).
• VCAA website especially for information on VCE Studies, VCE VM, Higher Education and Get VET and Where to Now Guide www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ 
• VTAC website especially if interested in learning about Victorian tertiary courses and pre-requisites www.vtac.edu.au or Course Seeker if open to exploring tertiary options nationally www.courseseeker.edu.au 
• Victorian Skills Gateway website especially if interested in VET opportunities during and after school https://www.skills.vic.gov.au/s/  
• My Future website especially the Career Bullseye section if students have a particular subject that they enjoy www.myfuture.edu.au
• Your Career for general careers and pathways research www.yourcareer.gov.au
• 2023 CEAV Resource Pathways https://ceav.vic.edu.au/media/252898/pathways-for-education-training-employment-animation.mp4

Info to assist School Leavers and Current Year 12s

National Careers Institute School Leavers Kit and Information Service

To support young people as they prepare to leave school, the School Leavers Information Kit and the School Leavers Information Service provide tailored careers information to help young people understand their education, training and work pathways. More info https://yourcareer.gov.au/

Apprenticeship and Traineeship Resources

Both Australian Apprenticeships and Your Career offer helpful information on apprenticeships and traineeships.

For Year 9 to 12 students this information is also readily available in your Morrisby > My Choices section, especially in the Career Routes diagrams, Subjects and Post School areas. 

What’s the Difference between an Apprenticeship and Traineeship? 

Both apprenticeships and traineeships offer a structured pathway into a career of choice via a model which combines on-the-job training and formal learning via a connected VET program. However, there are three key differences – range of occupations, completion time and legal requirements. 

Both apprenticeships and traineeships provide a fantastic way to learn on the job – and as an added bonus, you receive a recognised qualification and get paid for your work too!  So, when weighing up the two, it is important to consider the field one wishes to pursue, how long they are ready to commit to it, and what the legal implications are.

Tertiary Options

State-based Tertiary Admission Centres process course applications on behalf of universities, some TAFE institutes, and some private providers. 

You can research courses, prerequisites, selection criteria and ATAR profiles for the previous year’s intake. 

Victoria                 www.vtac.edu.au

NSW & ACT         www.uac.edu.au 

QLD                        www.qtac.edu.au 

SA & NT                www.satac.edu.au          

Tasmania             www.utas.edu.au 

WA                         www.tisc.edu.au 

Australia wide search

www.courseseeker.edu.au 

Tertiary course and provider comparison tool 

www.compared.edu.au 

VET/TAFE Options

Your Career has a national directory of vocational education (VET) organisations and courses. 

If you are keen to stay in Victoria, it is also worth visiting the Victorian Skills Gateway and keep an eye on the Job Trainer and Free TAFE options which may continue into next year.

TAFE Gippsland – How old to you have to be to study at TAFE?

Possible school leavers are encouraged to check the attached poster from TAFE Gippsland, which outlines some clear age limits associated with accessing TAFE