Rebecca Ambrose

Careers Counsellor | Teacher

I look forward to working with you all this year. Firstly, I am meeting with our Year 12 students to hear about their goals for next year and beyond. It is here we discuss pathways and options available. Some students come and see me throughout the year as QTAC gets closer and TAFE applications open. Other students come and see me for assistance with getting jobs (casual, apprenticeships or traineeships – school-based or full time). There is an overwhelming amount of information for our seniors – skim reading is a great skill to develop so you can see what information is there but only focus on areas of interest.

We have our Year 10 work experience program this term – in Week 10 – 29th March to Thursday 1st April. Our Year 10s have undertaken interviews in preparation and in Week 8 they will be receiving their paperwork and employer details. More information will be coming to our students and families in the coming weeks.

For students and families looking for a one stop shop for Careers information we have our own School Career page – you can get to it via the app on the Portal or you can visit www.smcccareers.com.au Students can register using their SMCC email account. All year levels will look at this resource throughout the year but it is there for general use now – students can choose to go into the student section and complete the various quizzes and activities to help them explore future career options.

My days working in the Careers area are Monday to Wednesday and I’m located in the B Block counselling/well being area. On Thursday and Friday, I will be in the Diversity and Inclusion Department in I Block. I am looking forward to meeting and working with you this year. My email is rambrose@smcc.qld.edu.au please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships Pathways

If you are interested in an Australian apprenticeship or traineeship and don’t know where to start, the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways is a useful website. It contains information for people considering career options, employers looking at recruitment and those providing support and advice. The Australian Apprenticeships Pathways website is an Australia wide information hub for:

Students providing tools and resources to assist them research apprenticeship and traineeship pathways
Job Hunters seeking apprenticeship and traineeship information as well as job hunting ideas
Employers providing apprenticeships and traineeships information and support for employers
Industry Insiders providing tools and resources for people delivering apprenticeship and traineeship services and advice

What are Australian Apprenticeships?

The term ‘Australian Apprenticeships’ covers both apprenticeships and traineeships, which start when an employer creates a job and decides to use this pathway for employing and training staff. They are available to anyone of working age with eligibility to work in Australia. There are no specific school levels, certificates or other qualifications needed to start one. Australian Apprenticeships offer opportunities for you to train, study and earn an income at a variety of Vocational Education and Training qualification levels in many occupations and can be either full-time, part-time or school based.

A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship allows you to start your training while you are still at school and will contribute credit towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). You can find out about school-based apprenticeships and traineeships on the Apprenticeships Info website.

Apprenticeships are required for skilled trade areas such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetmaking, automotive, hairdressing, etc. Traineeships are undertaken in vocational areas such as office administration, information technology, tourism, hospitality, beauty therapy, etc. Traineeships can take from one to three years to complete, while apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete. There are over 500 jobs that offer Australian apprenticeships in over 30 different industries and the Queensland Training Information Service website has a list of current apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications. When you finish your Australian Apprenticeship, you will have a nationally recognised qualification that can take you anywhere in Australia and is held in high regard in many overseas countries as well.

Work-based education leads to better employment outcomes

A new NCVER review reveals work-based education can lead to better employment outcomes for vocational education and training (VET) students and provide productivity gains for employers in the form of job-ready workers. Read more here. Other benefits include:

Students: smoother transitions into ongoing employment and the chance to develop broad occupational skills.
Employers: productivity gains through ‘work-ready’ recruits, current employees can upskill in the workplace, and new skills are transferred more effectively to work tasks.
Training providers: a positive reputation, better relationships with employers, more motivated students, and better student outcomes.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) GAP Year applications now open

Want a gap year with a difference? Consider joining the Australian Defence Force for a year. Get an exciting 12-month taste of life in the Navy, Army or Air Force, full job training, meaningful work, memorable experiences and more. Click here to find program benefits and jobs available in 2022. ADF Gap Year program applications are now open.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) Work Experience program

The Defence Work Experience Program is planning activities for 2021. As placements are planned and confirmed, they will be advertised through their website and you can click on the “Placements” tab for specific course information. Your need to check their website regularly throughout the year for updates and courses on offer.

Defence Jobs websites

The Defence Jobs website is your first port of call for information about jobs with the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force. You can use the site to answer the following questions:

Can I join the ADF? You can check out specific information regarding eligibility requirements including: Quick Eligibility Check, Your Commitment, Citizenship, Age and Gender, Health and Fitness, Behaviour and Appearance.

What jobs can women apply for in the Australian Defence Force (ADF)? Across every one of the ADF’s 200+ roles, there are excellent career opportunities for women. Further information is available regarding:

Equal opportunities and career equality
Lifestyle and flexibility
Support for Family Needs
Health and Fitness

What Defence jobs would suit me? Explore the Jobs section of the ADF website to find an ADF job that you would enjoy. You can search by category or by job.

How can I experience what it’s like before I join? There are several resources on the website that can increase your understanding of life in the Defence Forces. For example:

Discover what Life in the ADF is like by exploring their website which provides information on jobs, lifestyle and benefits, joining the ADF and information for students
Join the Australian Defence Force Cadets, where you will develop leadership, team building and survival skills
Explore the Training opportunities available in the ADF, including Sailor Training and Officer Training in the Navy, soldier training in the Army, Army officer training, Airman/Airwoman Training and Officer Training in the Air force and Reserves
Consider Defence Force Work Experience (when available again) which provides a unique experience into the wide variety of careers available in the ADF
Visit Submariners to experience working and living under water
Discover ADFA by taking an interactive journey inside the Australian Defence Force Academy
Check out Your Future is Up? for Air Force experiences
Connect with the ADF on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for current activities

6 sectors presenting emerging occupations

New scientific discoveries and rapid changes in technology highlight the prospect of new and exciting careers in the 21st century. The digital age, for example, has meant that we have never been more globally connected than we are today. So what will this mean for the future? What opportunities are on the horizon for school leavers or for those who are thinking about changing career paths? There are many new and emerging jobs and industries in Australia that didn't exist in their current form a few years ago. Find out more here.

Career Interest Explorer

The Career Interest Explorer is a quiz that tests the strength of your interests and shows you which work types you probably prefer. You can Research Industries by choosing a work type which best fits your interests. The Work Type Explorer helps you explore occupations within your selected work types. Your interests can change over time, so it's good to redo the Career Interest Explorer each time you do some more career investigation. Or you can move through the Work Type Explorer and Research Industries pages to find information about the work types that you prefer.

Find my work type

Find My Work Type has three sections: Career Interest Explorer, Work Type Explorer and Research Industries. You can identify your work interests as your career interests can help you decide on your future career pathway. Career interests are different to abilities and skills. They are activities that you enjoy doing or are interested in. There are seven work types which include:

Analytic and Scientific - Work out solutions to problems through theories and ideas, and by investigation and experimentation.
Creative and Artistic - Express yourself and your ideas through your work.
Helping and Advising - Help people, often through advising, teaching, guiding or treating them.
Nature and Recreation - Many occupations involve working outdoors and are active and physical.
Organising and Clerical - Occupations that gather facts and figures, and recording and interpreting them.
Persuading and Service - Selling, or promoting ideas or a point of view, often industries involving people.
Practical and Manual - Working with a lot of tools and equipment, and their hands, to make things.

Join the YMCA Youth Parliament

Are you interested in community issues? Then you might be interested in joining the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament (QYP). The program is wholly run by an executive team, all under the age of 25; truly making it a program by young people, for young people. If you are between 15 and 25 years of age, you are invited to nominate. Nominations for the 2021 program are now open. You can nominate via their website.

New Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment

The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment has a new website where you can find information about: Early Childhood; Schooling; Higher Education; Skills and Training; Employment; International Education; Feature articles; Announcements

Check it out and make more informed career decisions.

Start investigating your career options now.

Important to know:

Career exploration can give you a sense of control about your future! Remember that you are only exploring jobs for your first step in life, not for your whole life. The future world of work will continue to present exciting opportunities over time, which will lead to future jobs and careers, probably even ones that haven’t been invented yet.
Remember, there is not one ‘ideal’ job for you. There may be several jobs that will build on your skills, knowledge and experience and will give you the things you want from a job (e.g. enjoyment, challenge, good income, working in a team, prestige, management opportunities, work/life balance, variety, skill development, self-employment, respect, travel or a combination of all of these).

Where to start:

Make a list of the jobs you have already considered. The list can include your dream job (i.e. a job you would love to have but are unsure what you need to do to get it)
Talk with five people who know you well (include a parent/guardian and a teacher). Ask them what jobs they think you would like and why. Some of their suggestions will be worth investigating further, so add them to your job list but remember it's only their opinion
Think about your favourite subjects at school. Use the Career Bullseyes to find jobs related to these subjects. Select the jobs you find interesting and add them to your job list.
Do a careers questionnaire. There are many career questionnaires that can help you learn more about yourself and the jobs you might like.
- Job Outlook - Career quiz
- myfuture (sign up when entering for the first time - it's free for Queenslanders)
- Career Quest

Add to your job list, any jobs you found interesting based on the questionnaire you did. You probably have 10 or more jobs on your list by now. The next step is to research these jobs in more detail and come up with three or four you like the most. The following websites will help you. Delete any jobs from your list that don’t meet your interests or expectations.

Job Outlook
myfuture (Log in and go to Occupations)
The Good Universities Guide – Careers Guide (click on the relevant industry area to find the job)

You now have a list of jobs, aligned to your interests and expectations worth exploring further. What things can you do next?

consider speaking with people already in the jobs;
doing a work observation (i.e. following a person in the job for a couple of days)
seeking work experience in the jobs you’ve identified
speak to me, the school careers counsellor, who can help you organise these activities and opportunities

Remember this is an ongoing process and your list can change as you move through school and gain more work and personal insights.

Where to next

Visit the CareersEvent.com website and check out the Welcome to Your Seminar Hub. You can click on a category that best suits your dream career, select from a series of video seminars and downloadable information from Universities, Colleges and more and plan your next career move! Categories include:

Information technology
Creative Arts
Science
Defence
Tourism and Travel
Universities
Health
Skills-based
Teaching
Student Accommodation
Application process
Private Colleges

Day in the life of a Bachelor of Paramedicine student at ACU

Take a look at what it’ s like in the day of the life of an ACU Bachelor of Paramedicine student here.

Have you heard of Tanker Drivers, Technical Cable Joiners or Telecommunication Network Engineers

Tanker Drivers drive tanker trucks requiring a specially endorsed class of licence, to transport bulk liquids. They can specialise in Milk Tanker Driver, Petrol Tanker Driver, Water Tanker Driver. You can work as a Tanker Driver without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A certificate II or III in Gaseous Fuel Delivery Operations or driving operations might be helpful.

Technical Cable Jointers join insulated electric power cables installed in underground conduits and trenches, and prepare cable terminations for connection to electrical equipment and overhead lines. You usually need a certificate III in cable jointing to work as a Technical Cable Jointer. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Telecommunication Network Engineers plan, design, and monitor complex telecommunications networks and associated broadcasting equipment. They are also known as Communications Specialist (ICT), Telecommunications Consultant, or Telecommunications Specialist. You usually need a bachelor or postgraduate degree in engineering with a major in telecommunication network engineering to work as a Telecommunications Network Engineer. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.

Looking at a job in policing or security?

There are several employing organisations you can investigate. These include:

When you are exploring these websites, you can investigate:

What are the jobs (and job titles) used by the organisation?
What are the duties undertaken in these jobs?
Entry requirements – age, education level, tests required, physical/medical requirements, criminal checks, drivers licence, etc.
If you get the job, do you have to live away from home?
Do they recommend you do specific university or TAFE courses?
Would having a second language be an advantage?
What is the recruitment process?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you contact the organisation by email from the website for other questions you might have?

At school, I will be your first step to gaining more information or suggestions about a career within the services.

The future of work will be hybrid

According to Mccrindle's third phase of research that explored the impacts of COVID-19, since a global pandemic was declared, two in five Australians (41%) have worked from home. Almost one in four (24%) are still working from home, while 13% are now back in the office. Although Australians have enjoyed working from home, only 14% of employed Australians see their ideal working situation as one where everyone is working from home all of the time. The future of work is likely to be hybrid, with three in five Australians (61%) looking for a degree of flexibility in their working arrangements with a mix of working from home and in the office or workplace. Find out more about this valuable research here including:

The office is not dead, but it will look different
Young Australians are driving the new normal of work to be characterised by greater flexibility and collaboration
COVID-19 is revolutionising the workplace

What Jobs Will be in Demand in 2024?

According to the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, and the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), the three predicted industry areas that are expected to have a massive spike in employment are nursing, software and applications programming and teaching. These rapidly expanding industries make up a high proportion of expected job openings between 2017 and 2024, but a report by NCVER details that this is mostly as a result of replacement demand rather than employment growth. Find out more here.

What are job clusters?

The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) researched 1,000 occupations and identified seven large job clusters based on similar skills wanted by employers. These clusters are:

The Artisans (builders and maintainers)
The Generators (sellers and servers)
The Coordinators (balance the books and do repetitive tasks)
The Informers (teach and provide information)
The Designers (use expertise to construct or engineer things)
The Carers (improve the wellbeing of others)
The Technologists (understand and manipulate digital technology).

How is it relevant for job identification?

The skills you get from working in one job could be transferred to 13 other jobs. It is important to recognise the skills you have and understand their transferability.
With seven new job clusters, you could choose a cluster based on your strengths and interests rather than on one dream job.
You could get a ‘foot-in-the-door’ to a job cluster through an entry level job in the cluster and progress from there to other jobs that you find rewarding.
Some job clusters have stronger prospects than others. It would be wise to consider clusters with strong prospects and jobs that are most likely to grow.
You could develop a portfolio of skills that will give you a broad range of options within the type of work you want to do in the future. This could future proof your employment.

Read FYA’s full report, The New Work Mindset, to see examples of jobs within job clusters and the transferable skills they share. The FYA has developed a fun quiz to identify a job cluster for you based on how you respond to the quiz. If nothing else, it will help you understand the job cluster concept. After you complete the quiz, read ‘What the blazes should I study so I can get a job in the future?’ for more about job clusters.

Australian University (ANU) Tuckwell Scholarship

ANU offers a unique Tuckwell Scholarship which allows you to study a single or double undergraduate program, including honours and vertical degrees (degrees that combine undergraduate and graduate study, across a range of disciplines, completed in a reduced time-frame), in any discipline offered at ANU for up to five years. It is best to do some research around the application process and eligibility before the scholarship opens early in 2021 for entry to ANU in 2022.

Check out scholarships for 2021

Universities, TAFE Queensland, private education providers, the Commonwealth and Queensland governments, some professional associations and industry groups offer scholarships. Common categories include:

Sporting scholarships
Equity scholarships for low income students, students with disability, women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Scholarships for specific fields of study
Financial hardship scholarships
Campus scholarships
International student scholarships
Academic scholarships.

A scholarship can help with course fees, textbooks, accommodation costs, transport and living expenses. No matter what your further education and training goals, it’s worth finding out what’s available. You can get scholarship information from:

Scholarship pages on University, TAFE Queensland and other education institute websites by clicking on their search tab and type in Scholarships
Study Assist website
The Good Universities Guide
Rural and Regional Enterprise scholarships
Your school careers counsellor (Ms Ambrose)

Scholarship information for the following year is generally available on University websites from Term 2 each year.

Learn to manage your money now

Whether you have a job or receive an allowance, understanding how to manage your money can help you survive and thrive. The Queensland Government has put together some tips to provide you with some useful advice to help you to get in control of your money to help you achieve your goals. You can find out about: Banking, Budgeting, Credit and debt, Financial counselling, First job, Getting a car, Getting a pet, Insurance, Investing, Mobile phone deals and plans, Moving out of home, Online transactions, Saving, Scams, Study costs, Superannuation, Tax, and more information.

Sail on the Young Endeavour in 2021

Young Endeavour undertakes around 20 eleven day voyages each year, mostly along the east and south coasts of Australia. On each voyage they embark 24 young Australians - the Youth Crew - and nine specially trained Royal Australian Navy Staff Crew. To sail in Young Endeavour subscribe to their newsletter to be the first to hear about new voyage dates. As of February 2021, they will be resuming a COVID-19 Safe Voyage Program beginning with Sydney based voyages for Youth Crew from New South Wales and are planning for voyages later in 2021 to other destinations and for candidates from other states.

Why take a Gap year?

Are you thinking of taking a break from study after Year 12? This time off study, has become known as a ‘Gap Year’. You might decide to take a gap year to:

Have a rest from study
Work to earn money for further study, buy a car, travel, etc.
Take time to explore your career options
Concentrate on an activity (e.g. sport, music, art).

Just as there are many reasons for taking a gap year, there are many things you can do during a gap year:

Travel
Working overseas or in Australia
Do a traineeship or a short course
Go on an overseas exchange
Volunteer overseas or in Australia
Do work experience to check out a possible future job.

Some students organise these activities themselves while others use the services of a gap year organisation. Whichever way you go about it, it is important to start your planning early (Year 11 is a good time to start). The following are some of the gap year organisations:

Especially in this COVID 19 world, always thoroughly investigate any gap year organisation you are considering and COVID 19 must be kept in the forefront of your mind when researching options as we don't know when Australian international boarders will open again. Get your parents involved in this process.

Feast 2021

FEAST is Future Experiences in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FEAST) and is a four-day residential program to inspire high school students about rewarding science careers in the agriculture, animal, plant and food industries. It is open to students in years 11 and 12 and although cancelled for 2020 they are now accepting expressions of interest for the 2021 Feast. Click here for more information.

Indigenous Careers with the Australian Government Development Program

The Indigenous Careers website connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with Australian Government Jobs. Their website contains a range of useful information and links including:

Queensland Government - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Careers and Training

Visit the Queensland Government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander website and access information relating to:

The website also contains information for current cadetships and traineeships, graduate opportunities and other useful job and application information.

Checklist for 2021

It is the start of a new school year. This is the perfect time to polish your study skills. The following checklist will help get you started:

Learning environment: find a place to study without distractions. It should be somewhere quiet, without a TV, music, computer or mobile
Focus and structure: consider studying the hard subjects first, when you’re most alert and focused
Time management: have a specific time of the day for studying and make it the same time every day if possible. Let friends and family know your allocated daily study time, and ask them not to disturb you. Put your study schedule on the fridge
Concentration and breaks: work out how long you can concentrate before you lose focus. It’s going to be different for everyone, so keep track of your ideal concentration time. Then take breaks when you’re approaching your limit. Limit breaks to five minutes
Preparation: ensure you have everything you need close by (e.g. books, notes, pens, pads, etc.)
Healthy Eating: avoid eating a large meal before studying, as it can make you drowsy
Get started: start studying when you say you will. Delaying the start will only make the task harder
One thing at a time: multitasking may sound smart, but it means you’re not giving each task your full attention
Get in early: never study too close to going to sleep. Give yourself at least half an hour of relaxation before turning in. Sleep is essential to achieving your best. Start the way you want to finish!

Celebrating Achievement

Academic Excellence

Dance Championships