Career Development

Warrnambool and District Schools 

Work Experience Program 

The Warrnambool and District Work Experience Program is continually looking to expand the host employer list. If you have a business, or know someone that would be interested in supporting our local youth by becoming a host employer, please contact the Work Experience office.  Our program places over 800 students per year from all the Warrnambool & District Secondary Colleges.

Warrnambool and District Work Experience Coordinator (Sarah Mcilroy)

Ph:  55 644 444 - Email:  workexperience@wblcoll.vic.edu.au

Warrnambool College – Year 10 Work Experience Dates:

Work Experience Forms are being distributed by the Year 10 Humanities Teachers and need to be returned to your Humanities Teacher by the due date.  These forms will consist of the “Official Departmental Permission Form” and a Form outlining the students Work Experience Preferences (3 Job Preferences are required).

Students can choose to do Work Experience in Warrnambool from the list of positions provided in the Work Experience Booklet – handed out with the forms.

Note:  Work Experience is just that - an “Experience of Work.”  It is not meant to be job training.  Many employment positions – especially professions do not allow students to undertake work experience at Year 10 due to the sensitivity of the position or the maturity of Year 10 students.  Many students therefore choose positions that might help them to find a part-time employment position.

Students are also required to complete an on-line, Occupational Health & Safety Program before being allowed to undertake Work Experience.  

Students from Year 11 & 12 may undertake Work Experience during normal Holiday breaks.  All Work Experience enquiries should be directed to Mr Bollard.  

2019  Work Experience Dates are as follows:

Congratulations:  Michael Loughhead – Year 12 Class of 2017

Following his completion of his VCE in 2017, Michael completed a traineeship with Warrnambool College as a maths class tutor last year.  He also applied for and was successful in being awarded the inaugural Salt Creek Accommodation Scholarship.

This scholarship was set up by the Coy Family who run a merino stud at Salt Creek, five kilometres south of Woorndoo.  The family have diversified their property and have installed a number of wind turbines and Peter Coy wanted to give back the royalties from 1 turbine to assist young people from the district to realize their dream to be able to attend university without the pressure of worrying about the cost of university residences.

Students from Western Victoria were asked to apply and of the 26 who did, Michael was successful from a very high cohort of students.

VET Courses: Year 10, 11 and 12 Students

This year we have just over 100 students undertaking Vocational Education and Training Courses outside the College.  Courses at SW TAFE commenced on Thursday 7 February.  Final VET Course Confirmation letters were distributed to all VET students via their Tute Group Teacher.  The Letter confirms the following:  Start Dates and Times, Campus to attend, Transport Arrangements, July holiday Compulsory week classes.  

Students undertaking VET Music & at Emmanuel College commence at 1:00 pm.  Students to meet their Teacher at the Main Office at the McAuley Campus – Ardlie Street.

VET Travel Arrangements:  All students attending Thursday Afternoon VET Courses at SW TAFE are required to travel to South West TAFE by the Bus’s provided by the School.  The Bus’s leave from the Bus interchange at 12:30 pm Each Week and travels to both the Sherwood Park (Deakin) Campus and the Timor Street Campus and Emmanuel College.  The Bus will not wait for late comers.  Students attending other times will need to make your own travel arrangements.

VET Clothing and Safety Requirements:  Reminder that for all trade courses, correct leather shoes and overalls are required.  Students usually change into their VET gear at TAFE once they arrive on the bus.

VET Holiday Block Sessions:  Many of the VET program also conduct a July Holiday lessons.  Each student is expected to attend these lessons.   To check if you have a holiday block requirement – check you Final VET Confirmation letters or you can also go to www.swtafe.edu.au/tafeinschools.

Choose Timetables

Note:  The Final Confirmation Letters include the VET Holiday Block Dates if they are applicable to you!

Parents need to note that planning holidays should be done avoiding these holiday dates. Attending Holiday Blocks is Compulsory and failure to do so will mean you cannot complete the course.

Attendance:  VET Students are required to attend all timetabled lessons because these programs are competency based – attendance is essential every week. If you cannot attend, you should e-mail your TAFE Teacher and explain your situation.

Congratulations Class of 2018

On 16 January the Class of 2018 received their VTAC Higher Education Offers.  Initial Offers indicate the vast majority of students received one of their top 3 preferences, which is a demonstration of the preparation they have made in selecting their courses.

Many students are deferring their course for 2019 so they can become eligible for Independent Student Allowance in May 2020.  A few students are travelling overseas as community volunteers or are just looking for a break (Employment) before commencing their studies

Year 9 – Morrisby Careers Assessment Service

The Department of Education and Training have developed in association with the Career Education Association of Victoria are rolling out a careers program for all current Year 9 students.  The objective of the program is to assist young people and their parents / guardians to learn about the student’s interests and abilities and to then link these to possible career and study options. 

This program uses psychometric testing via a number of small assessments that measure a student’s interests, skills and abilities. Psychometric (Greek: psychos = mind, mental, spirit; metros = measure) assessments provides reliable, objective information on you as a person and helps you make the decisions for your future.

The process used by DET has been developed by the Morrisby organisation in the UK over many decades and has been adapted for Australian conditions over the last 20 years.  The Morrisby Report is the leading assessment based careers guidance instrument in the UK having held this position for many years.  It is widely used in the school sector between the ages of 15 and 18 for subject, course and career choice.

This career guidance model has been used within our school for 20 years, and now it is being rolled out to all schools in Victoria. The program specifically involves:

1. Completing a questionnaire telling us about your interests and willingness to study;
2. Sitting a series of ability / performance assessments on-line that gives us the information on a student’s strengths.

Following the assessments, a personalised computer generated 20 page report (the Morrisby Report) is produced. This includes 12 carefully considered careers suggestions for discussion.

Assessment Information:

The on-line assessment can only be completed on an iPod or laptop – Not on a Smart phone.  The series of assessments will take place during class time and is broken down into 2 x 1 hour sessions.  Plus students will view an introductory video and complete practice questions before the assessments commence.

Permission Forms will be made available to Parents / Guardians – all Year 9 students are expected to complete the Program. 

Following the assessment, students will be timetabled into a 30 minute feedback interview with a trained assessor who will unpack the report and explain how it can be best used to assist students develop a pathway plan and assist with subject selection.  Parents and Guardians are able to attend the feedback session but they must be able to attend during normal school hours.

The DET is fully funding this program for our students.

Peter Bollard

Careers Practitioner - Contact: 55 644 406