Careers update 

I recently presented to Year 11 and 12 parents about how parents can be involved in their child’s career planning. There is no doubt that parents play an important role in helping their child learn about different careers and industries, however, it is easy to ‘take over’ the decision making. Below I have some key messages that came from a report produced by the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) in March 2012 titled Engaging Parents in the Career Development of Young People. It identifies ways that parents can be proactive in their child’s decisionmaking. 

Ways that parents can assist with career education

• The importance of modelling positive career management skills in their own approach to life, learning and work.
• The power of parents using their own experience of career development to assist the career development of young people.
• Support for individual pathways.
• Encouraging exploration of opportunities.
• Parental engagement is essential for aiding the transition from year to year and exit from school.
• Accessing appropriate career development websites.
• Encouragement of information gathering from expos and industry opportunities.
• Pathways and options; understanding the labour market and post school options in order to make the best decisions through school.
• Exploring careers, self and world.
• Emphasis on exploring career options rather than defining ‘what are you going to do when you leave school’?
• Exploring the jobs market both locally and nationally.
• Providing opportunities for work placement/work experience.
• Encouraging students to access workplace ‘wisdom’ from a variety of sources (including parents).
• Developing a well-rounded resume.
• Opportunity to explore local university/TAFE/college options.
• Own employment and encouragement of exposure to different workplace practices.
• Social networking skills; employability skills.
• Transferring school results into Employability Skills.

Two great resources for identifying labour market trends are the Job Outlook website and the Australian Government labour market information portal.

Cath Freney

 Future Pathways and Careers Coordinator