Rebecca Ambrose

Careers Counsellor | Teacher

It has been good to meet so many Year 10 students and families to discuss Senior Education and Training Pathways (SETP). These interviews will be ongoing into Term 3. Parents/Guardians were sent invitations through Parent Slips via email. Please check your emails for more information. Again we are holding the interviews predominantly via phone calls or zooms as it was so successful last year. Students are coming to my office and we are then calling or zooming into parents/guardians to undertake the discussion.

Year 12 students are starting to look into options for 2021. QTAC and ATAR account applications open at the start of August – so there is still some time before decisions need to be made. Good to see so many looking into future pathways already. Quite a few students have applied for the Early Entry programs offered at a number of universities.

Videos about getting a trade or skill

It is hard to find information about jobs and skills. Skills1NEtv is a site where you will find hundreds of videos about getting a trade or skills. Some short videos that you can access now are:

There is a list of industry areas on the right hand side of the page that will take you to many more videos.

Australian Defence Force information sessions

If you are interested in the Australian Defence Force, it's a good idea to attend one of the information sessions and consider a work experience placement. You will get a better idea about the life and jobs in the Defence Force. For details about these events and for Army Reserve Information visit the Defence Jobs Australia Facebook site. You can register to attend the following information sessions:

07/06/2021 Cairns: STEM Careers Info Session

16/06/2021 Cairns: Defence Careers Info Session

Defence 2022 Gap Year opportunities

A gap year with the Airforce, Army or Navy is a great way to trial a career in the ADF and you get paid to do it! Jobs have different closing dates so visit the website for information about closing dates and Defence Force roles; Frequently asked questions; Is the ADF Gap Year for me?How much I will earn? Benefits of an ADF Gap year.

How do I apply for the Defence Force?

Visit the Defence Recruitment website to find out if you are eligible to join and to access the six steps in the recruitment process. Each step has a video that explains what happens during the step. The six steps are:

Apply online, visit a recruitment centre or call 13 19 01
YOU (Your Opportunities Unlimited) Session
Attend Assessment Session
Attend Officer Selection (if you are wanting this pathway)
Take a Fitness Test
Attend Enlistment and Appointment day.

Want to become an officer in the Australian Defence Force (ADF)?

There are many different pathways to becoming an officer in the ADF. Explore the following options:

6 steps to following your passion

When researching jobs people often tell you to ‘follow your passion’. But what does this actually mean? Some people seem to know their passion right from the get-go, but don’t worry if that’s not you, or if your passion isn’t career related. ‘Following your passion’ can come down to figuring out what you enjoy or love doing, then finding ways to bring this into your future job. You might research an industry you really care about, a job with more activities or tasks you enjoy and/or finding a project you find satisfying to do. Whether it’s through a bigger change or a small one, finding what you’re passionate about and pursuing it can make your working life more fulfilling. Seek suggests six key steps:

8 ways to manage your money as a first-year uni student

You’ll learn many new things during your university years, but several of those lessons will happen outside the classroom. As you grow comfortable living independently, you’ll need to figure out how to maintain your lifestyle while planning for the future. Read The Good Universities Guide's eight ways to manage your money as a first-year university student so you can take control of your financial life.

Career road test

It's hard to sort through your ideas and options for study and jobs in your future. When buying a car, most people will shop around, look at different models and do a few test drives before making a decision. You can take the same approach when it comes to making decisions about your career. The Australian Government has developed a workbook that will help you investigate your chosen industry or occupation and then to think about how your research impacts on your career plans. Click here to access the booklet and start planning.

Does a course with a high ATAR guarantee better job prospects?

The Good Universities Guide has found that much of what students know about salaries and employability at graduation is guided by belief, rather than facts and figures. In general, students tend choose courses with the highest entry requirement they can access with their ATAR. In theory, the higher the ATAR, the better the course and the better the employment outcome.

If you’re a high-achieving student, you may be considering a course that has a high ATAR minimum threshold score. Perhaps you’re re-considering your course options because you may not get the ATAR you had initially hoped for. Regardless, it’s important to note that the ATAR minimum threshold for courses are an indication of the popularity of a course – it doesn’t necessarily reflect how good your options will be once you graduate.

When looking at graduate outcomes, such as employment rate or a high starting salary, the courses with high ATAR requirements don’t necessarily deliver the best outcomes— well, not straight away. Keep reading here.

Is VET for you?

Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications include certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas, offered across a large number of industries and study areas. They offer many advantages — from pathway options to skill development. If you fit into one of the categories below, find out more about VET courses that could be your next step:

You’re looking for practical, hands-on training
You’re looking to qualify for a specific job or trade
You’re looking to ‘try out’ a study area before you commit to extensive study
You’re looking for a pathway to university study
You’re looking to add to your current skill set

Occupations can be in many different industries

'Occupation’ is a word that refers to the type of work a person does, for example, a doctor, teacher or cabinet maker. 'Industry’ refers to the main goods and services that are produced by a person’s employer. Most occupations can be found in a number of industries. For example, while many cooks work in the Accommodation and Food Services industry, cooks are also employed in the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry in hospitals, childcare centres and aged care facilities. By understanding how flexible an occupation can be, you can broaden your options and increases your chances of finding the right career pathway. For information on different occupations, visit Job Outlook at joboutlook.gov.au. For information on apprenticeships and traineeships, visit AAPathways.

What types of institutions can I study at?

There's a lot to think about when you decide on tertiary study, such as which course interests you and which study mode will best fit your lifestyle, just to name a couple. Most important is choosing the type of education provider. Each institution is unique and you can be certain that each will deliver your chosen course in a different way and with a distinctive flavour. Click here to find out more, including the types of tertiary institutions and how to choose an institution and campus.

Competitio

National Online Schools Quiz now open

On behalf of the Australian Society for Medical Research, Griffith Uni invites Year 7 – 12 students to participate in the ASMR Medical Research Week® 2021 national online quiz before Thursday 1 July. The quiz contains thirty multiple choice questions to test students' knowledge and inspire their imagination. Great prizes to be won! Enter the quiz here.

STUFFit Student Film Festival competition

Stuffit Student Film Festival competition is a high school student film competition. There are nine categories and the competition culminates in a festival which will be held on 16 October 2021 at Majestic Cinemas Nambour. Closing date for entries is 6 July so visit the Stuffit website and click on Entries for details.

UNSW Bragg Student Prize for Science Writing 2021

Are you an aspiring science writer in Years 7-10? You could win a stack of great prizes and be published alongside Australia’s best science writers! This year's UNSW Bragg student Prize for Science Writing theme is The STEM in Everyday Life. Science, technology, engineering and maths is part of everything around us, from our response to the pandemic, to the tech we use for play. In 800 words, you need to explain the STEM behind something that’s part of your everyday life and important to you, your family, your culture, or your region. Applications are now open and close on 27 August 2021. Find more entry information and entry details here.

11 places to search for jobs

There are many places to look for a job. New services are always being set up to compete with established players. You can search online, in newspapers, through specialist agencies, at job seeker centres or through networks. Don't limit your search to one source. Myfuture has compiled 11 places you can search for a job including:

Job websites
Company and organisation websites
LinkedIn
Labour hire and employment agencies
Networking
Professional and trade associations
Events
Centrelink
Group Training Organisations
Newspapers
Noticeboards

7 job skills that have stood the test of time

Some people can hop jobs and industries with ease. They move from one role to a seemingly unrelated one improving their salary and job prospects as they go. It’s not a coincidence. These “lucky” souls have universal job skills that have stood the test of time – AKA “transferable skills”. If you master these skills you may be rewarded with promotions and pay rises and be less likely to find yourself unemployed for any period of time. Below are the skills Seek identify as transferrable skills and you can read more here:

Great communication skills
Flexibility, adaptability and innovation
Creativity and problem solving
Results focused
Great interpersonal skills
Computer skills
Ability to research

Jobs you may not know about including Radio Journalists, Inspectors and Regulatory Officers, Research and Development Managers

Radio Journalists collect and analyse facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation and observation and write stories for radio news or current affairs programs. You usually need a bachelor degree in journalism, followed by a one-year cadetship involving on the job training, to work as a Radio Journalist.

Inspectors and Regulatory Officers administer and enforce government and corporate regulations and standards. You usually need a formal qualification and strong attention to detail to work as an Inspector or Regulatory Officer. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.

Research and Development Managers plan, organise, direct, control and coordinate research and development activities within organisations. You usually need a university qualification in a related field and relevant industry experience to work as a Research and Development Manager.

The importance of digital skills

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee's (AISC) National Skills Overview shows the current explosion in new technologies is reinventing the way businesses are run. This has significant implications for the workforce, which needs to evolve and be agile to keep up with this technological expansion. As a result, Digital skills are becoming increasingly important and a priority for many industries. These digital skills include coding and programming, exploring the world of cloud computing and the Internet of Things, and developing and using robotic and automation technologies.

You can learn more by visiting the National Skills Overview or the AISC Portal for more information.

What is the Jobs Hub?

Jobs Hub is a central portal for job seekers looking to link with employers who are currently hiring. The hub is broken into these sections:

Find employers hiring now
Find government jobs
Search online jobs boards
Jobs in demand by location
Start your own business
Job Search Help
Care sector careers
Defence sector careersFinancial Assistance and Scholarships

Study in the USA SAT OR ACT requirement changes

Internationally Educated offers customised college search and application services for Australian students wanting to study in the USA. On the website you will find news and resources to help with your application process. US university application requirements for current Year 12 students changed due to the pandemic. For the second consecutive year, most US universities will not require students to submit an SAT or ACT test result as part of the application process. Although there are a few institutions for which this does not apply, this is a giant step in the world of admissions. You can read more here.

What is the ATAR?

QTAC is the body that calculates and provides Year 12 students with their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). The ATAR:

Is the primary mechanism used nationally for tertiary admissions
Indicates a student’s position relative to other students
Is a 2,000 point scale from 99.95 down to 0.00
ATARs less than 30.00 are expressed as “30 and below”

QTAC calculated the first Queensland ATARs in December 2020 which brought Queensland in line with the rest of Australia. Thirty students received an ATAR of 99.95 with 16 different subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, English, English and Literature Extension, French, German, Italian, Latin, Literature, Mathematical Methods, Modern History, Philosophy and Reasoning, Physics and Specialist Maths. This list of subjects is NOT an indication of subjects that will guarantee a high ATAR. It has been included to show the wide range of subjects that students studied, did very well in and who received an excellent ATAR.

What subjects should you study to gain an excellent ATAR

Year 10 students and their parents often ask this question. The answer is, the subjects that you enjoy, have had past success in and meet any future tertiary course prerequisites. You want to get to the end of Year 12, receive your results and be able to say to yourself that they are the best results you could get while maintaining life balance and well being. The ATAR is a rank used by QTAC or your competitive entry into tertiary institution courses. It is NOT an indication of your 'intelligence' and future success and happiness in life.

Year 10 Guide

QTAC will produce a Year 10 Guide under the “My Path” tab on their website. Available as a free downloadable eBook, this Guide includes all listed university prerequisites and assumed knowledge needed to meet entry requirements for courses in 2024. It will also feature useful information for those students who are intending to pursue Apprenticeships, Traineeships, VET study or go straight to work. The Guide is also available to be purchased as a hard copy through the QTAC website.

Year 12 2022 course guide

The Year 12 2022 Guide will be distributed to schools from 14 June 2021. You will also be able to download it as an eBook from this date.

Ideas to assist you with managing panic and reducing anxiety

Idea 1: When you are starting to panic remember this is an exaggerated physical reaction to stress. The feelings are unpleasant, but you can cope with them … breath!

Idea 2: Concentrate on your breathing – Breathe three deep breaths in and out slowly closing your eyes (when possible) as you do it … repeat until your heart rate is settled.

Idea 3: Watch your thinking. Say in your head statements like: “It’s OK”, “I can cope”, “breath”, “I can manage this” …

Idea 4: Use distracting techniques – count backwards from 100 or describe a painting to yourself or remember a happy time

Idea 5: Tell yourself that this is just one point in time and it will pass …

It is important to think in positive words to yourself. Everyone gets stressed and can panic but learning how to manage it will make the panic become less frequent. Always remember to back yourself. If you are finding managing your stress and/or panic difficult, speak with your school guidance officer, school counsellor or make an appointment to see your family doctor. They will all have great ideas to assist you to move forward positively and confidently.

The Study un-do list

Time wasted is time you will never get back. This is why it’s important to beat time-wasting and negative study habits before they become an issue. USQ has developed a list of time-wasters (or you can create your own) study un-do list that will help you to identify your bad habits so you can avoid them and focus on the task at hand. Click here to read more and find the template to help you stay productive.

Tips to smash your study

Whilst we all think we have to ‘hustle’ to get where we want to go in life; study, completing assignments, group projects and preparing for exams can be very unappealing. So below are some tips to keep motivated and moving towards your study goals. Megan Buxton from TAFE Queensland has seven helpful tips. Click here to read more about:

Establish your study environment
Download helpful Apps to keep you on track
Form a support team of 'study buddies' consisting of classmates, and other TAFE/school staff and services
Schedule your assessment
Start on assessment early if possible and progress
Share the study load
Celebrate when you have submitted :)

Clubs & Activities

St Gerard Majella FETE

Debutante Ball Cairns 2022

MFS Sugar - Cane Train Safety Awareness