Careers

Year 12 VTAC applications

Year 12s planning to apply for Tertiary study in 2024 have been making their VTAC accounts and submitting their initial preferences.

A reminder for year 12s and their families that the Pathways Team are here to help you.Below are some resources to assist you with your applications.

• Quick reference guide for students. This includes key dates.
• Quick guide to applying.
• Resources for parents and carers

School Leavers Information Kit

The following information is from the Centrelink School Leavers Resource Kit. Find out what support you can get from Centrelink to help steer you to success. Whatever adventure you’re going on after school, you’ll want to be ready for the journey. Just like the scouts say, it pays to be prepared. Centrelink has payments for students and trainees to help you with the costs of doing uni, TAFE or an apprenticeship.

If you’re doing full-time study or an Australian Apprenticeship, you might get Youth Allowance as a student. If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student or full time Australian Apprentice, you might get ABSTUDY.  If you’re looking for work after school, maybe including part-time study, you might get Youth Allowance as a job seeker.

See what payments and services you can get using the Payment and Service Finder. You can even get an estimate of how much your fortnightly payment could be. To get an estimate, you’ll need to enter in information like your parents’ income and where you’ll be living.

Even if you’re not quite sure what course you’ll do next year, apply early. You can apply up to 13 weeks before your course starts. This way you’re more likely to have your payment when you need it.

This PDF presentation gives you an overview of the Centrelink services and payments you may be eligible for. To help explain the information, there are videos in the slides and notes underneath them.

Job Spotlight: 

How to become a Data Scientist

Data scientists are professionals who engage in a process of collecting, analysing, and interpreting substantial datasets to extract valuable insights and support decision-making. They employ a combination of computational skills, statistical methodologies, and domain knowledge to tackle complex problems and discover meaningful patterns within data.

If you’re great with numbers and enjoy solving puzzles, a career in data science could be perfect for you.

If you have these skills, you could make a great Data Scientist

• Excellent problem solver
• Analytical and logical
• Strong maths skills
• Good communicator
• Programming knowledge
• An eye for patterns
• Willing to learn
• Great collaborator

What’s involved in the job?

• Gathering information from various sources
• Ensuring data is accurate and ready for analysis
• Selecting the right tools to analyse the data
• Looking for patterns and trends in the data
• Teaching computer models to understand the data
• Using these models to make predictions
• Visually representing findings to make them understandable to any audience
• Using data insights to improve processes and performance

Where do Data Scientists work?

As a Data Scientist, you will be working mainly indoors, most commonly in offices and laboratories, but there may be some opportunity to work out in the field directly collecting data.

What kind of lifestyle can I expect?

Most Data Scientists work full-time, and part-time and casual roles aren’t very common. They often work for tech companies, government and the public service, and research institutions.

Many Data Scientists earn an above average salary throughout their career.

Data scientists are generally more common in metropolitan areas or urban centres – but as technology advances and remote work becomes more common, opportunities for data science roles in rural areas or smaller towns might also increase.

How to become a Data Scientist

To become a Data Scientist you will need to complete a relevant university degree.

Step 1 – Complete high school with a strong focus on English and Maths. Sciences could also be beneficial.

Step 2 – Find work experience with STEM or tech-related organisations or businesses.

Step 3 – Complete a relevant undergraduate degree, such as in mathematics, statistics, or computer science.

Step 4 – Consider further studies or look into specialisations, such as machine learning or data visualisation

Step 5 – Start building a portfolio of projects you’ve completed or have worked on.

Similar Careers to Data Scientist

• Statistician
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Database Administrator
• Programmer
• Systems Analyst
• Mathematician
• Actuary