Careers & Pathways
It has been a very busy start to the term in the Careers and Pathways office. This week our Year 10 students embarked on work experience across a wide range of industries. It was an absolute joy to go out and visit some of the students and see them immersed in the workforce, and the incredibly positive feedback I received from employers made me proud to be a representative of the school.
While not all students were working in industries they have an interest in pursuing, all have developed many transferrable skills including communication, cooperation, independence, problem solving and adaptability that will assist them throughout the years to come.
I would like to thank all the staff who assisted in getting the students out on work experience and visiting them throughout the week, and also the families who supported the students in finding placements. It is not an easy task, but it is definitely worth the effort.
VTAC
From Monday, 3 August, current Year 12 students will be able to enter their VTAC preferences and apply for equity schemes (formerly SEAS) and scholarships. Last week, I ran a webinar for Year 12 students and parents and carers who were able to attend and the recording can be found on HT Connect here.
I am currently meeting with Year 12 students to discuss their preferences, and if anyone would like additional information to assist them, please see the following resources:
Please keep note of the below key dates over the coming months.
Early entry programs
Many universities, including Latrobe, ACU and Swinburne, offer early entry programs that Year 12 students can apply for throughout June-November (application period depends on the university). Applying for these courses means that students may receive an offer to a course based on their Year 11 results and co-curricular and community involvement prior to sitting exams in October & November, which can alleviate a lot of pressure.
Information regarding all early entry programs for 2027 study can be found on HT Connect here.
Please note the following key dates apply for early entry programs that are popular with HT students:
| Program | Closing Date for 2026 applications |
|---|---|
| Latrobe Aspire Program | 4 September 2026 |
| ACU Guarantee | 15 September 2026 |
| Swinburne Early Entry Program | 27 November 2026 |
Upcoming Events
Universities continue to offer a range of onsite and online activities including campus tours and course information sessions. Please see the details below regarding dates and how to register for these events. Even if you have missed a session of interest, you should still be able to register to receive the recording if the event was held online. As always, I highly recommend students in Years 10-12 use these events to assist with their planning and decision making.
What’s on | Relevant to: | When? | Further information and registration |
|---|---|---|---|
Melbourne University: Girls’ Programming Network | Female students in Years 8 - 12 who are interested in computer programming | Saturday 29 August Saturday 10 October | |
| Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar's Program | Year 10 students | Applications open now and close 30 August | |
| Melbourne University - Hands on Design | Year 9 - 12 students interested in design & architecture | 30 September | |
| Camp SEEK 2026 | Girls and non-binary students in Years 9 & 10 | 21 – 24 September | |
| RMIT Campus Tours | Years 10 - 12 | Various dates | |
| Melbourne University campus tours | Years 10 - 12 | Various dates | |
| Swinburne University campus tours | Years 10 - 12 | Various dates | |
| Discover Monash Course Information Series | Years 10 -12 | Various dates throughout 2026 | |
| ACU VCE Revision lectures (free, online) | Year 10 - 12 | 24 - 27 August | |
| Monash University VCE revision lectures ($10, Clayton campus) | Unit 3/4 students – Biology, Geography, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Maths Methods | 21 - 24 September |
Tertiary Open Days
Below is a list of the dates for the tertiary open days for 2026. As you can see, August is incredibly busy for open days, so I advise that if you are a student in Year 10 or 11, you start early and attend some of the institutions that may be of interest, so that you don’t run out of time trying to attend them all in Year 12! I will continue to update the table as more institutions publish their dates, and registration for open day information can be made by clicking on the link in the table.
| Institution | Dates |
|---|---|
| Australian Catholic University | Melbourne campus: 9 August Ballarat campus: 23 August |
| Chisholm | Frankston campus: Wednesday 12 August Berwick campus: Wednesday 9 September |
| Deakin University | Geelong campuses: Sunday 16 August Warrnambool campus: Sunday 2 August Melbourne campus: Sunday 23 August |
| Federation University | Gippsland campus: 9 August Berwick campus: 16 August Mt Helen campus: 23 August |
| La Trobe University | Melbourne campus: Sunday 2 August Bendigo campus: Sunday 23 August |
| Monash University | Peninsula campus: Saturday 1 August Caulfield campus: Saturday 1 August Clayton campus: Sunday 2 August Parkville campus: Sunday 16 August |
| RMIT | Bundoora campus: Sunday 2 August Brunswick campus: Sunday 9 August City campus: Sunday 9 August Point Cook/Bendigo: Sunday 16 August |
| University of Melbourne | Sunday 16 August |
| Victoria University | Footscray Park and Sunshine campuses: Sunday 16 August City campus: Sunday 30 August |
Additional Resources
Please take some time to explore the Careers and Pathways page on HT Connect. You will find links to the VTAC course search page and the Career Bullseyes, as well as information on various courses, gap years, non-ATAR pathways and much more. There is even a jobs board to help with finding a casual job!
Alison Howard
Careers Pathway Advisor