Careers News

For Year 12 Students

Clancy the Orange Bus is coming to Viewbank!

What better way to provide you with last minute course information than with a bright orange Volkswagen Kombi?  Latrobe University will be in residence with their Ambassador Bus, Clancy at lunchtime on Monday August 22nd at the flagpole area.

This visit will give you the opportunity to speak to their team about VTAC preferences, prerequisites, scholarships, the Aspire Program, games, activities and more. They’ll also come equipped with the second edition of their 2017 course guide.

Here is a reminder of your VTAC information session:

1) Create your VTAC user account by August 12th.

2) Start adding course preferences. You can go back and change them later.  

3) Be aware of SEAS and Scholarship application deadlines.

4) Apply for courses by September 29th ($32) if later, penalties apply.

5) Keep an eye out for alerts.  eg. Viewbank College Careers FB page, Compass Newsfeed.  Download VTAC App.

6) Attend Open Days – get organised.

7) Set alerts in your devices to remind you of deadlines.

8) Read the ABC of applying booklet.

9) Let us know this month if you are applying interstate.

10)  Come and see us for assistance. We’re here to help.  If you don't have a plan for study next year, we can give you information regarding GAP year options.  As a minimum, you should sign up for the barista/RSA training in December.  See the Careers Office for details.

Dates to Diarise - Term 3

• SpotJobs Careers Expo – 26, 27 & 28 August - limited tickets available from the careers office.
• University / TAFE Open Days 2016 – throughout August
• Year 12 VTAC applications – throughout August and September

Open Days

Alternative to 'Schoolies'

Make your Year 12 celebration something worth remembering! 

For those students who want to mark the end of their very long school education with something different, with something more than just a week-long party, picture this: you travel to a developing country and immerse yourself in the culture, you make a positive impact to your world (which is your oyster!) and you do this alongside volunteers from all over the globe. Sound pretty great? Welcome to your Alternative Schoolies – quite literally a world away from your typical schoolies week!

Students can go alone or with a group of friends on a one, two or three week volunteering journey to Cambodia or Samoa to work with disadvantaged children, renovate community centres and participate in environmental and nutritional education projects.

The Alternative Schoolie programs offer flexible start dates in a three week period over November and December. The projects are structured to give you a variety of hands on, worthwhile and rewarding work - as well as the chance to take a little time out to relax and take in the sights of the destination.

Get your imagination going and think outside the box for your schoolies; after all, you only get to do it once – so make your schoolies something worth remembering!

Monash University News

Pathways to Education, Science, Business and Nursing

The following pathway courses allow domestic students who may not reach the required ATAR or meet the prerequisites, to gain entry into Monash:

The Diploma of Tertiary Studies (DoTS) and the Diploma of Higher Education (DoHE) are both equivalent to the first year of a university undergraduate degree and allow students to transition to the second year of their destination degree.

Applications can be made through VTAC and students will be required to submit a Monash University Supplementary Information form 31 December 2016 if they wish to apply for one of the pathway programs.  This form is the student’s opportunity to outline their motivation to study, career goals and work experience.

During the September school holidays, Monash Art Design & Architecture (MADA) will be running a few workshops for Year 11 and 12 students who intend applying for courses that require folios or pre-selection tasks.  Examples of such courses are architecture, visual arts, communication design, etc.  These workshops are designed to assist students in working on their folio in one of the MADA studios, gain some insider tips on the process, and spend some one-on-one time with the MADA lecturers.  Students can even take part in a practice interview.

Students can choose one of the following four workshops: Fine Art / Visual Arts OR Communication Design OR Industrial Design OR Interior Architecture running on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 September, from 9.15am – 5.00pm at a cost of $150 per person.

Students considering studying Architecture might like to attend a one-day workshop on Tuesday 27 September, from 9.15am – 4.30pm at a cost of $75 and discuss strategies for tackling the pre-selection activity. 

Book for any of these workshops at MADA Design Workshops

Femmes in STEM

An event for girls who heart science! 

Hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, the inaugural Femmes in STEM event allows girls in Years 10 -12 to meet and be inspired by women changing the world through science.  The event is for girls to learn more about a future career in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.  The students will hear about possible career paths, and engage with some of the big scientific challenges of the future. 

Date:               Friday 23 September 2016

Time:               11.00am – 2.30pm

Venue:             Cossar Hall, Monash Parkville

Registrations have opened, and students are invited to visit Femmes in STEM to find out more, and to register. 

New Business/International Business

The Monash city based Bachelor of International Business can now be combined as a double degree with the Bachelor of Business, which means students have the opportunity to complete two undergraduate degrees in three years. 

Students can combine their International Business degree with a Bachelor of Business and major in one of the following:

• Accounting
• Banking and finance
• Business law
• Business management
• Human resource management
• Marketing
• Taxation

A major in the following requires four years of study:

• Statistics
• Economics
• Business strategy

Find out more at Business/International Business

Monash - Take CTRL Event

Are you in Year 11 or 12? Interested in information technology? Want to have an amazing range of careers to choose from and loads of jobs to apply for when you graduate? Then, this free event is for you.

• Learn how IT and entrepreneurialism go together: how does an idea evolve into a multi-national cooperation? How can IT enable students to realise their own ideas?
• Get involved in a mobile app development workshop
• Hear from current students
• Meet Monash Uni lecturers
• AND, the first 60 students to register, will be able to go on a tour of the multi-million dollar 3D data visualisation facility, the CAVE2***

Date:               Tuesday 27 September 2016

Time:              10am – 4.30pm

Where:            Clayton Campus, Monash University

Registration:   Register as soon as possible*** at it.monash.edu/TakeCTRL

Email Taylor Maxwell at taylor.maxwell@monash.edu with specific queries.

RMIT News

New Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)/Bachelor of Business (Accountancy)

RMIT’s double degree is believed to be the only one in Victoria that combines financial planning and accounting to develop the knowledge and capabilities to provide business, finance and wealth advice to individual.  While developing specialist knowledge necessary to operate successfully in contemporary business and multidisciplinary environments, the program prepares students to provide holistic and integrated business, financial and wealth advice to the highest level of ethical and professional standards.

Graduates of this program will be a new type of advisory services professional who can provide business, financial and wealth advice on complex financial products and situations for a diverse range of clients.

The specialised studies in accounting, financial planning and wealth management will introduce students to the regulatory and global influences relevant to the financial services industry, and develop their understanding of accounting, financial planning, financial products, risk management and investment strategies that are essential to providing financial and accounting services to clients.  In addition, students will have the option to undertake a six month internship to apply their technical knowledge and analytical skills.

Current Year 12 students should have the following VCE prerequisites: Units 3 and 4 - a study score of at least 25 in any English (except EAL) or at least 30 in English (EAL), and expect to attain an ATAR of 75 or more.

Find out more at Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)/Bachelor of Business (Accountancy)

Science in the City (Lab Tour)

Students and parents are invited to visit RMIT’s state-of-the-art learning laboratories to learn more about the programs on offer, and the research and training facilities available.  Students will also find out more about the wide range of single and double degree science programs available at the city campus including: biology, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental science, food science, nanotechnology and physics.

Date:               Monday 19 September 2016

Time:               11.00am – 2.00pm

Venue:             Building 3, Level 1, Applied Sciences Reception, RMIT City campus

This is a free event but registration are important.  Register at Science in the City (Lab Tour)

Message from RMIT

Why Become a Teacher?

If you’ve considered pursuing a career in education there’s no doubt you’ve done your research into what the stats say about life as a teacher.

At RMIT, we know that making a career move is a big decision and how important it is to really understand your future industry, so we’re hosting an event to give you insight into the teaching profession.

You’ll meet and network with RMIT’s leading education professionals and hear about emerging International trends in Education from RMIT’s Professor Amanda Berry and opportunities for qualified teachers to work in non-traditional education settings.

Find out why now is the perfect time to become a teacher

Event details

Date: Monday 12 September

Time: 5.30-6.30pm

Location: RMIT Bundoora, Building 224, Garden Room

Cost: Free

RSVP Essential 

Light refreshments provided

More info

LaTrobe University

Love the outdoors? Join us for the experience of a lifetime!  The Department of Outdoor and Environmental Education at La Trobe University is hosting a 5-day trip for Year 10–12 students who are interested in Outdoor and Environmental Education.  Students will have the opportunity to meet university students and other secondary students with similar interests.  Students can select from two camps:

Canoeing on the Murray River

OR

Bushwalking or climbing at Kooyoora State Park

The program runs for 5 days in the September school holidays, Monday 26 ­– Friday 30 September 2016.  The cost per student is $100 and includes food and most equipment.  The trips will begin and end in Bendigo at La Trobe University campus.

To find out more, or to complete an Expression of Interest form, visit Outdoor & Environmental Education Holiday Program

Psychology 

The Melbourne branch of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) is hosting a free careers seminar for aspiring psychologists. The purpose of the event is to offer students an insight into a number of specialist areas of psychological work. 

Date:               Wednesday 24 August 2016

Time:               6.00pm – 9.00pm

Venue:             Cathedral Hall, Australian Catholic University, 20 Brunswick St. Fitzroy

Register at http://www.psychology.org.au/events/eventview.aspx?ID=16940

Any queries can be made to melbapsstudents@gmail.com

Career in Urban and Regional Planning

Urban and regional planners (often also called Town Planners) develop policies and plans for the use of land and resources.  They advise on the economic, environmental, social and cultural needs of particular localities or regions as they relate to the built environment and the community.  They also work on large-scale projects such as new suburbs, towns, industrial areas, commercial and retail developments, urban renewal projects and transportation links.

Urban and regional planners may perform the following tasks:

• develop long-range objectives to cope with growth and change, in consultation with affected communities
• perform surveys and site inspections
• compile and analyse information on physical, economic, social, legal, political, cultural and environmental factors which affect land use
• discuss plans with local communities, private companies and government organisations
• consider new developments or re-developing areas and advise state and local governments on planning issues for projects such as new suburbs, transportation links, industrial estates, retail complexes and housing developments
• draw up plans for development or re-development and evaluate proposals in terms of benefits and costs, recommending how schemes can be carried out
• prepare urban and rural subdivision plans, taking into account various land uses, including residential, public open space, schools and shops
• prepare and coordinate economic, social and environmental impact studies

Planning is a broadly based discipline and it is possible to specialise in a wide range of fields, including strategic planning, urban design, environmental impact assessment, residential planning, commercial and industrial planning, heritage planning, tourism planning and social planning.

Successful planners need to –

• Be interested in social, economic, environmental and cultural issues
• Have good oral and written communication skills
• Be able to produce detailed and accurate work
• Have good analytical and problem-solving skills

To become an urban and regional planner students usually have to study urban, regional, community and/or environmental planning at university.  Students may also consider other degrees that emphasise related fields of architecture, economics, environmental management or science, geography and sociology.

Entry to these courses requires students to attain their VCE and a year 12 maths is highly recommended. 

It is important to note that degree studies in urban and regional planning are necessary for professional recognition by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).

Visit Urban and Regional Planner for further information.

Sourced from the Good Careers Guide

Victorian universities that offer undergraduate courses in Urban and Regional Planning include –

La Trobe University

Bachelor of Urban, Rural and Environmental Planning

Urban, Rural & Environmental

RMIT University

Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (Honours)

Urban and Regional Planning

University of Melbourne

Bachelor of Design

Design and Urban Planning

Important changes to Teacher Qualifications

The Australian Government believes that strong personal literacy and numeracy skills are an essential part of the personal attributes and skills needed to be an effective teacher in the classroom.  The Australian Government now requires all students undertaking Initial Teacher Education courses in Australia to pass a literacy and numeracy test in order to obtain their degree.  Many universities will require their students to sit this test in the first year of their teaching course.  To find out more about the literacy and numeracy test, and to try a few sample questions visit Teacher Quality.