Hello Parents/Guardians and Community Members,

Welcome back to the new school year for 2025! This year will be a very busy year in the Careers office. With Year 12 going to the University of Wollongong Discovery Day next week, TAFE YES program commencing on 21st February, our many School Based Traineeships and Apprenticeships either commencing or continuing on into their second year as well as our Work Experience for Year 10 scheduled for the last week of this term. We also have several guest speakers booked in, and our Year 10 group can attend the Charles Sturt University Explore Day on 18th March. See below for details of each event coming up this term.

Upcoming Events:

UOW Discovery Day Excursion Scheduled for 19th & 20th February!

A small group of our Year 12 students have elected to go to the University of Wollongong Discovery Day next week. We will leave school around period 4 on Wednesday 19th February after their senior photos are taken. Drive down to Wollongong, stay overnight and attend the Discovery Day on 20th February. We then drive back from Wollongong on Thursday night and will be returning late at night. The Discovery Day is a fantastic way for students to immerse themselves into university life and to try out four different areas of study or interest. Students are really looking forward to the trip and we will have an update in the next newsletter with photos of the trip.

YEAR 10 Work Experience – Week 11 Term 1 – 7th April – 11th April!

Please note that Year 10 Work Experience week will be held the last week of this term 7th-11th April. All students in year 10 are expected to try to source and attend work experience that week. I have met with most of the Year 10 cohort in year meetings to provide students with the information packs and forms as well as instructions on how to go about finding a placement. Please send students to the careers office if they have not collected these information packs. Please read this information carefully as these documents are required for our students to be covered by the departments insurance and parents and students are both required to read and sign the forms.

Please encourage your child to get in early as the whole year group are needing to find a placement and some employers will be approached and snapped up quickly. If you wish to ask any questions about the work experience program and requirements, please call the careers office for more information and assistance. Students are welcome to go stay with family and attend employers outside of the Narrandera and Riverina area but will need to also complete a separate accommodation form. We have had students attend work experience in the ACT, Albury, Sydney and further afield.

All forms and placements are to be finalised by Friday 28th March so that I can complete the necessary correspondence and finalisation of the forms to ensure students are prepared, covered by insurance and are set up safely for their placement.

TAFE YES Program – Construction Commencing on 21st February – 4th April 2025 (Every Friday in for 7 weeks Term 1)

We have our TAFE YES programs continuing again this term at Narrandera TAFE, with students participating in the popular Construction course. Students have been provided with the TAFE Forms and a school note will be sent electronically to those interested students in the few days.

All students are to make their own way to and from TAFE on the scheduled days (Fridays) and are required to wear full work gear and steel cap boots. A note will explain all the requirements of this course and will be outlined in the school bytes note. Any questions, please call the careers office. All students will require a Unique Student Identification Number and can obtain this with my help by bringing in a photo of their current Medicare card.

As always, these amazing courses are due to the tireless work and advocacy for our students by Fee Smith of Narrandera TAFE, so a huge thank to Fee!

School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT’s)

This term we have a huge jump in the number of senior students who have signed up to undertake SBAT’s with host employers. Students in years 10, 11 and 12 can undertake school-based apprenticeships and traineeships and work and obtain specific qualifications in an industry as part of their senior students. Any parents, students or employers who wish to obtain more information about SBAT’s are encouraged to call the careers office for more information.

CSU Explore Day 18th March 2024

Later this term Charles Sturt University will hold their annual Explore Day. This is a fantastic day for our Year 10 students to immerse themselves into interactive workshops and to explore and try out university courses and see what university life is like. Students have already put their name on the list and have selected their activities. The note with more details on this excursion will be coming in the next week.

2 x White Card Courses: 18th & 28th February

We have confirmed two White Card Construction Safety courses for the 18th & 28th February. These two dates are fully booked, and I have prioritised our students in years 10 and senior years then fill the spaces with our Year 9 students who have put their names on our waiting list. We have over 20 students on the wait list, and I have already requested another round of course in for either term 2 or 3.

Due to the rules of SafeWork we can only host 20 students in each course. The course is completely subsidised by the Department of Education and so there is no cost for the course itself. However, the SafeWork Card does have a cost of $30.00 for each student.

*All students will need to obtain a Unique Student Identifier Number to participate. I can assist students to obtain this online but will require them to bring in a photo of their Medicare card to obtain this USI. Or students can obtain this themselves by accessing the following website: https://www.usi.gov.au/providers/create-usi-student

All Careers Events:

All these opportunities are always announced to students at our morning assemblies, year meetings and in our newsletters. Any student or parent who has any questions in relation to these activities are welcome to contact the careers office for further information.

Mrs Judy Ing

Careers Adviser

Bell Times