Careers Corner

The Everyday Skills Employers Look For

The basic skills that make you stand out

What if you found out you’re already building some of the skills employers are searching for? Sounds surprising, right? 

You might think “work skills” come later. After school. After uni. But many of them are already part of your everyday life, even if you have never had a part-time job. 

You use these abilities in class, playing sports, babysitting your cousin, working a shift, planning a birthday, or sorting out drama in the group chat. You just might not call them “work skills” yet. 

Let’s see how. 

Communication 

Think about the last time you had to explain something. 

Maybe you showed a friend how to solve a maths problem. 

Maybe you trained someone new on the register. 

Maybe you had to clearly explain your side of a situation so it would not be misunderstood. 

That’s communication in action. 

It’s not just about public speaking. It’s explaining your ideas clearly, asking questions when you’re unsure, and listening so you actually get what someone else means. 

At Deloitte, communication keeps projects on track and helps teams avoid misunderstandings. Being able to express your ideas clearly matters. 

Teamwork 

You already know what good teamwork feels like. 

It’s the netball team hyping each other up during a game. 

The café shift where everyone jumps in when it gets busy. 

The group assignment where everyone pulls their weight. 

And you definitely know what bad teamwork feels like, too. 

Most work happens in teams. At Deloitte, grads work with different groups all year. When you show up and do your part, you become the person everyone wants on their team. 

If you have ever stayed up late finishing a group project because someone else did not, you already understand how important teamwork is. 

Problem-Solving 

What happens when you are short-staffed at work? Or your babysitting plan falls apart because the kids refuse to sleep? What do you do? 

Problem-solving is not about having all the answers. It is about staying calm enough to think. You look at what is going wrong, figure out what you can control, and try a solution. 

Employers notice people who don’t freeze when things get messy. They notice the one who says, “Okay, what can we try?” 

That ability stands out. 

Adaptability 

You prepare for one type of test, only to find the questions are completely different. 

You might have a part-time job, and your manager changes your roster at the last minute. 

An app update changes everything, and now you have to figure it out again. 

Life beyond school works the same way. Jobs change. Technology changes. What people need changes. 

Being adaptable is all about how you handle change. You learn, you adjust, and you keep going instead of shutting down. 

You don’t need a suit, a degree, or a fancy job title to start building these skills. 

You’re already building them when you: 

• Step up during a busy shift. 
• Solve a disagreement between friends. 
• Figure out how to fix something on your own. 
• Try something new, even if you are not great at it yet. 

How you work with people and handle challenges often makes the biggest difference in a job.

Your future won’t be shaped by one subject or one decision. It’s shaped by how you show up, again and again. 

And you’re already practising. 

Curious Where These Abilities Could Take You? 

Visit the Skills Matcher tool to help you see how what you’re already good at, what you’re into, and how you like to work can all lead to real career options. It’s a simple way to explore new roles and future pathways you might not have even considered. 

Give it a try and see where you match! 

Year 9 Morrisby Testing

Next week our Year 9 students will receive their Morrisby results. The Morrisby Assessment is designed to help students explore their interests, strengths and potential career directions. During the first stage of the program, students completed a series of activities and questionnaires that will provide insights into their skills, learning preferences and suitable career pathways.

These results will support students in making informed decisions about subject choices and future study or career options. The program also includes follow-up discussions with teachers and career advisors, helping each student plan their next steps with confidence.

Year 10 Work Experience Program 

MONDAY 22 JUNE TO FRIDAY 26 JUNE 2026

The Year 10 Work Experience Program will run from Monday 22 June 2026 to Friday 26 June 2026 (the last week of Term 2).

This program is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience of the world of work and to help them consider their preferred post-school pathways. All Year 10 students are expected to participate, as Work Experience is a compulsory unit in the Year 10 Humanities program.

Students will receive a Work Experience Arrangement Form during class. We encourage them to secure a placement as soon as possible. All sections of the form must be fully completed, as they are legally required. Students are expected to find an employer willing to host them for the week of Work Experience. If students encounter difficulties arranging a placement, please contact the Careers and Pathways Office at the College.

The completed form is due to the Careers and Pathways Office by Friday, 29 May 2026.

A copy of the form is also available on Compass, under Futures, English, or Work-Related Skills - Learning Tasks. If additional copies are needed, please download them from Compass, as the details have been entered.

Students are also legally required to complete online Occupational Health and Safety tests before commencing Work Experience. These tests will be completed at school, under teacher supervision and will be introduced in their Humanities class.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lesley McKay in the Careers and Pathways Office on 5945 1433.

Healthcare & Social Assistance

If a passion for helping others and a focus on encouraging and promoting health behaviours sounds like you – look no further than a career in Healthcare!

The Healthcare and Social Assistance industry is the largest employing industry in Australia. In 2020, over 1.7 million people were employed in the sector, which is projected to increase to more than 1.9 million by 2024. This growth is attributed to an ageing and growing population, increasing demand for childcare, home and community-based care.

Careers in the sector range from being highly specialised such as Anaesthetists, Optometrists and Physiotherapists to skills such as Clinical Nurses and Psychologists, to entry-level such as Personal Care Workers, Aged Care Workers, and Administrators.

You’ll often work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, therapists and social workers, and will also liaise closely with patients’ families and/or carers.

Working in healthcare and social assistance can be physically and emotionally demanding. You’ll often be frontline helping people at their most vulnerable, but seeing that the care you have provided has improved health, recovery, or reduced suffering can be incredibly satisfying.

The field is vast, with career pathways available in different areas, including:

• Air ambulance services
• Community and school health
• Emergency helplines
• Occupational health
• Prisons
• Private healthcare organisations
• Research, teaching and education
• Residential nursing homes
• The armed forces

• National Disability Insurance Scheme

   

Entry into the sector is as varied as the roles available, so no matter what academic pathway you choose to pursue, there’ll be an opportunity to get started with a career in healthcare and social assistance!

What You Could Do

Job roles in this industry tend to fall under one of four broader categories:

1. Highly Specialised
2. Professional
3. Skilled
4. Entry-Level

Here’s a look at a few of the types of roles that fit into each of those categories:

Highly Specialised

• Allied Health Specialists: These healthcare professionals focus on one core area of human biology and health. Roles include Audiologists, Optometrists, Speech Pathologists and Dentists.
• Radiographers and Radiation Therapists: Radiographers perform medical imaging to assist with diagnoses, while Radiation Therapists administer radiation treatments. Both roles require specialised training and patient care skills across hospital and diagnostic settings.

Professional

• Paramedics: Paramedics provide on-scene medical attention in emergencies, transporting patients to the hospital. The qualifications and experience needed to become a paramedic depend on the employer and location, and individual states have their requirements.
• Psychologists: Psychologists support people across a wide range of emotional and mental health needs. They work in medical settings, community settings, schools and universities. Psychologists typically specialise in one area of psychological health, such as helping children and young people or helping adults overcome addiction.
• Indigenous Health Workers: Indigenous health workers help to ensure that the health services most of us take for granted effectively reach indigenous communities. These professionals improve the quality of health services provided to Indigenous patients by liaising between health care professionals and Indigenous people.

Skilled

• Clinical Administrator: Clinical Administrators provide professional support to medical staff, ensuring that all medical standards are complied with. As well as a medical qualification, you’ll need to be registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency).
• Physician Assistants: This is a relatively new role in Australia, which is expected to grow as a profession in the coming years. Physician Assistants work under the direction of, and in collaboration with, physicians across medical settings.
• Clinical Nurse: Clinical Nurses demonstrate advanced clinical skills in their specialty healthcare area. They have a high level of knowledge in planning patient care across a range of medical settings.

Entry-Level

• Assistant in Nursing: Assistants in Nursing (AlN) work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse. They help nurses carry out their duties, including assisting patients with toileting and showering and restocking/taking care of equipment.
• Aged Care Worker: Aged Care Workers support elderly people by assisting with daily activities and personal tasks. This includes providing support with eating, showering, dressing, tidying and cleaning. Aged Care Workers can work from their client’s home or residential care facility.

• NDIS Support Worker: Like Aged Care Workers, NDIS Support workers help people living with a disability to lead independent lives. They provide support with daily living skills such as shopping, cooking, travel, and getting to work or training.

   

These job roles are only just scratching the surface. Each industry segment will also include administrative or managerial functions that support the sector in significant ways.

Average Salary

Current surveys in the sector indicate the median salaries for full-time healthcare roles as:

• Entry-level roles: $50-60,000
• Skilled roles: $59-68,000
• Professional roles: $75-91,000

• Highly Specialised Roles: $107-255,000

   

Salaries can be pretty varied and determined by several factors, including:

• The segment of the industry you work within.
• Your job title and seniority.
• The amount of experience you have.

Industry Growth

The sector is not only a core part of the Australian economy; it’s vital for healthy and supported communities. Anyone starting in this industry will have a long-term career ahead of them, with plenty of opportunity for ongoing professional development and the chance to specialise and diversify the work they do.

According to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee, aged and disabled carers, nursing support, and personal care workers are the occupations that make up the highest proportion of the Australian healthcare and social assistance workforce. Growth is expected across the sector, especially within aged care and disability care, due to an ageing population.

Other critical areas of growth are mental health services, complementary health therapies (such as nutritionists) and nursing support.

Qualifications and Entry Pathways

Entry pathways are varied and will depend heavily on the type of roles you want to get into.

For example, highly specialised and professional roles will typically require at least a bachelor’s degree, along with some postgraduate qualifications plus experience.

You can start your career in healthcare through:

• Pursuing a degree: To start a degree in nursing, social work, psychology or another professional healthcare subject, you’ll need to complete Y12 and achieve an ATAR score of at least 75 (some universities require different scores, so check entry requirements when researching which university is best for you).
• Scoring an apprenticeship or traineeship: You can start a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship in healthcare, aged care or some forms of social work from Yr 9 and work to gain industry-specific qualifications alongside your certificate of education and work experience.

• Work experience once you leave school: If you leave school at 16, you can apply for work experience and school-leaver programs in administrative or entry-level positions and work your way up over time. Many of these organisations will also support you to gain further professional qualifications. You’ll need a strong skill set and good grades in Maths and English as a minimum.

   

Requirements will depend on the type of role you want and the company – so make sure you do some research.

Entry-level qualifications you could pursue include:

• Diploma of Health Science
• Cert III in Health Services Assistance
• Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance

• Cert IV in Aged Care Support

   

Whatever your circumstances, grades or preferred way forward – there’s a qualification pathway that will work for you.

Where to Learn More

You can find out more about different healthcare and social assistance industry pathways through professional bodies and organisations advocating for careers in the sector.

Some good places to start include:

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
• Australian Health Promotion Association
• Australian Health Promoting Schools Association
• Public Health Association Australia (PHAA)
• Royal College of Nursing
• Psychology Board of Australia
• The Mental Health Professionals Association

• The Australian Dental Association

   

And many more!

PSC Careers Website

We have a fantastic resource available for students. The PSC Careers Website provides you with all of the latest information that will help you make decisions about your future career and your life beyond school. 

You can visit this site to find out about university or TAFE courses and any other type of course available across Australia. The site also has information about VCE, you can search for job vacancies and much more. 

In addition to this, please do feel free to drop into the Careers Office if you have any questions.