Career & Pathways
Senior School
STEM Takes Flight with Australian Army Engagement Sessions
On Wed 11 and Thu 12 September, over 100 students from Years 7 to 12 had an exciting opportunity to engage with the Australian Army through an interactive STEM session. Across the two-day event, seven groups participated, immersing themselves in the ways STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) plays a critical role in military careers.
The session kicked off with students learning how STEM is applied within the Australian Army. Through the use of cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technology, students were able to step into the boots of Army personnel. They donned VR headsets to experience flying an ARH helicopter, operating a cannon, and driving a tank. This hands-on experience sparked excitement and curiosity as they navigated through high-pressure scenarios.
Following this, each student had a chance to pilot a helicopter simulator, giving them a realistic sense of flight. Many students tested their skills by flying past iconic landmarks, with some even attempting daring manoeuvres like barrel rolls! Narrowly avoiding the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a common theme, though the ultimate challenge lay in landing the helicopter—something only a few managed to accomplish successfully.
To wrap up the session, students faced a quiz that tested their knowledge of the maths and science concepts behind helicopter flight. In addition to the practical lessons, they were introduced to future opportunities, including Army Cadets, the ADF Gap Year program, and applying to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
As a parting gesture, each student received a memento to commemorate the day—ranging from lip gloss and lanyards to torches and wristbands.
The enthusiasm, politeness, and eagerness of the students throughout the sessions were remarkable. A big thank you to everyone who participated and made the most of this unique opportunity!
Being a part of the army incursion was an awesome experience and a great privilege. When I headed down to Rees house I had high expectations for this event, and the soldiers running the day exceeded those. The event kicked off by checking out the VR Headsets which allowed us to explore the working of a military helicopter, and experience army drills utilising ammunition. After exploring the workings of their helicopters, it was time for us to have a go behind the controls and learn to fly them ourselves. To commemorate the incredible opportunity we got to choose from a variety of cool army souvenirs to help us remember the day including lip balms and lanyards. This experience was both educations and fun. ~ Ritkriti Melam, 10A
The information the ADF provided in the video really helped me understand how helicopters function and what could be problems when flying. They also included a realistic flight simulation where we got to fly in a helicopter with all the basic controls which was a really fun experience. ~ Jacob Wordie, 10G
Last week, the Army conducted an incursion at Wantirna College, bringing in helicopter simulators that offered students a unique experience. Through virtual reality, everyone had the opportunity to pilot a helicopter, immersing themselves in a thrilling and educational flight simulation that sparked excitement and interest in aviation. They also provided valuable insights into job opportunities within the Army, highlighting various career paths available to students. Representatives spoke enthusiastically about their gap year program, emphasizing the benefits of gaining real-world experience while serving. To top off the engaging session, they offered us the chance to choose a small gift, which added a personal touch and left many students feeling inspired and appreciative of the Army's outreach. ~ Tijana D'Amico, 11F
Year 12 VTAC Applications
As we quickly approach the deadline for Timely Applications on VTAC, students and parents are reminded of the following key dates:
ALL students are encouraged to submit a VTAC application by 30 September (5pm), unless they have confirmed with Mrs Jessie Dennison or Mr Tim Knowles that they are applying directly to an alternative institute or have an apprenticeship/employment lined up.
Many students are uncertain about their preferences and the order in which they should submit them, and we reassure students and parents that this is okay and perfectly normal. Students are reminded that they can change their preferences an unlimited amount of times until 12 pm, 4 December – 2 days after the ATAR is released.
Students need to ensure that they submit their application (preferences) and pay their $60 fee by 5pm, Monday 30 September, to ensure that they don’t have to pay an increased fee.
Please see below for some reminders for Education/Teaching and Nursing/Midwifery applicants.
Education/Teaching Applicants
All students that are applying for Education courses are required to complete a situational judgement test. All courses will accept Casper, an online version of this test. The cost to complete Casper is $80 and the test will apply for all institutions. The final dates for students to complete their Casper testing to be considered for the December round offers are listed below:
- Friday 20 Sept, 10am
- Sunday 12 Oct, 10am
- Sunday 27 Oct, 10am
- Sunday 2 Nov, 10am
To register and for preparation material:
For more information on Casper in relation to VTAC applications and dates:
https://intercom.news/acuity-insights/news/66931-update--australian-teacher-s-education-test
Please also be advised that some institutions do offer their own situational judgement tests. Students are reminded to read the Course Requirements information carefully on VTAC to see whether they can complete individual institutions’ tests or if they are required to complete the Casper.
Nursing/Midwifery Applicants
For students who are applying for nursing and/or midwifery courses, you are required to complete an English language declaration. This will be made available on your VTAC account once you have submitted your preferences. If English is the student’s primary language, you are only required to tick some boxes within the application. For students whose primary language is not English, you will be required to complete some English testing to demonstrate your proficiency in the language. Please see Mrs Dennison or Mr Knowles for more information and support with this.
Students graduating without an ATAR – how they can find courses on VTAC
With timely applications closing on Monday 30 September, we wanted to remind you that students without an ATAR and those looking to take a gap year can still apply through VTAC.
Students studying VCE but not graduating with an ATAR: Did you know VTAC lists over 500 courses with no prerequisites? Majority of these courses also do not require an ATAR. Students can find these courses on CourseSearch under the VCE prerequisite explorer. Simply tick courses ‘With no prerequisites’ and this will display the list. Students can then filter further by study area, institution or qualification level for example.
VCE VM students: VTAC lists many certificates, diplomas and some degrees that VM students can apply for. Using the above advice for the VCE prerequisite explorer, VM students can also filter to find courses with no prerequisites that they can preference.
Students looking to have a gap year: Students looking to take a gap year can still apply through VTAC this year for courses that allow for deferral. Students should check with their chosen institution that they allow for deferral of offers. If students secure their offer this year, they take advantage of the lower application fee for Year 12 students and also lock in an offer to study in 2026.
We have also recently updated our Year 12 guide to cover more information and advice for all student groups, including those graduating with and without an ATAR. You can read our Year 12 Guide here.
Items in the 13th September Career News include -
- Dates to Diarise in Term 3
- Reminder: VTAC 2025 Upcoming Key Dates
- La Trobe University: September Campus Tours
- Experience Day at Federation University
- William Angliss Institute: School Holiday Program
- News from Swinburne University
- A Day in the Life of a Swinburne Student
- New Bachelor’s Degrees in 2025
- Diploma of Nursing Pathway at Box Hill Institute
- Richmond Institute Information Sessions
- Health Science Degrees in Victoria in 2024
- Snapshot of The University of Sydney in 2024
Items in the 20th September Career News include -
- Dates to Diarise in Term 4
- Reminder: VTAC 2025 Upcoming Key Dates
- New Diploma of Radiation Science at RMIT
- New Majors in the Bachelor of Biomedicine at La Trobe
- News from Monash University
- New Courses and/or Majors/Minors in 2025
- Pathways into the Bachelor of Education
- Bachelor of Educational Studies at ACU
- Diploma in General Studies (DiGS) at the University of Melbourne
- Cetacean Sisters - Inspiring Future Female Scientists through Cetacean Science Workshops
- Yarra Ranges Apprenticeship and Career Night
- Media, Communication & Journalism Degrees in Victoria in 2024
- Snapshot of the University of Tasmania (UTAS) in 2024
Jessie Dennison
den@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au
Tim Knowles
kno@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au
Careers Practitioners