Careers News

Rebecca Ambrose

Careers Counsellor | Teacher

Year 10 Senior Education Training Plan interviews are going well. Students have been learning more about options for next year through dedicated lessons and the recent Subject Expo we held at school. I look forward to meeting more students and families in the coming weeks. Breck Nielsen and Justin Brennan will hold VET entry meetings in association with SETPlanning in the near future. Information on this will be distributed to families in the near future.

QTAC opens for our Year 12s on Tuesday 3rd August. I will be holding information sessions during lunch breaks to support student to complete their QTAC and ATAR applications. It is the responsibility of the student to register for an ATAR by creating their own QTAC ATAR account in the ATAR Portal. We will be assisting students to do this.

School leavers support

The Australian Government's Your Career has developed a School Leavers Support package to assist Year 12 school leavers to make a smooth transition to their new life. Click here to find help:

To build your future career
With short-term options
To pursue your goal
Disability and Special Education Needs Support
Localised Information
Rural, Regional and Remote Support
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Support
School Leavers Information Service

Is a VET pathway for you?

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a learning pathway available for young people in senior secondary. VET provides students with the opportunity to engage in education and training which may lead to employment and/or further study. Successful completion of VET provides students with nationally recognised qualifications that deliver the skills and knowledge required for specific industries and occupations. Benefits of participating in VET include (but are not limited to):

obtaining practical experience from work
gaining familiarity on how workplaces operate
developing employability skills
developing and improving interpersonal skills
allowing students to explore the potential career path they would like to pursue

The My Skills website

My Skills website is the national directory of vocational education and training (VET) organisations and courses. It is an Australian Government initiative to enable you to search for and compare, VET courses and training providers. On the site, you can search by using a course type, training providers, location or skills match. It also has key information for students who are starting their career search process. The website also includes a list of Government subsidised Queensland training options, apprenticeship and traineeship information and industry information. It has valuable information if you are wanting a VET pathway after school.

A new website for career advice

If you’re looking for career ideas the new Your Career website developed by the National Careers Institute can assist. It includes:

career quizzes to explore possible future careers
education or training options to help you upskill or reskill
Career Bullseye posters to you choose your school subjects based on what jobs they can lead to
an A to Z of occupations including detailed job descriptions, average pay and job opportunities

Career Quiz

The Australian Government’s Career Quiz on the Job Outlook website can be taken online for free. The quiz is useful if you haven’t got a clue about how to start exploring your career options. You can do the quiz through a series of simple stages on your laptop or desktop. The results will help you pinpoint options for further research.

My career profile from Myfuture or from our smcccareers.com site

On the Myfuture website you can complete career profile activities that will help you to identify your interests, values and skills. You are able to view your results, including suggested occupations, courses to explore and career pathways. The activities that you will complete will assist you in finding out about: Your interests; Your skills; Education and training options; Study options; Work conditions; Your values; Career knowledge; Entrepreneurship; Your dream job

You have to register to access Myfuture, however it is free and the website has much valuable information to assist you in discovering more about your job options.

Pathway information for Year 10 students

If you are in Year 10 then you'll be thinking about subject selection for next year and considering future options such as higher education, apprenticeships and vocational education and training (VET). Myfuture, an Australian Government funded organisation, has several resources (links below) to help you explore your options and pathways. If you want to access more resources and information you will need to register an account and log in (it's free).

How to select senior school subjects; Alternative pathways to higher education; Apprenticeships; VET

Videos about jobs

One way to learn more about the jobs you are interested in is to watch videos about them. The myfuture website has information on over 500 jobs. You will need to ‘Sign up’ (free of charge) on your first visit. Otherwise ‘Log in’ and click on ‘Occupations’ and search for the jobs you are currently exploring. Most job descriptions on the site includes a video. Each video lasts approximately three minutes. After you have viewed a video see if you can answer the following questions.

Name at least three of the main duties and tasks required in this occupation.
Would you like to do this job? Why or why not?
List some things you learnt about this occupation.

What’s the difference between an apprenticeship and a traineeship?

An apprenticeship and a traineeship aren’t the same thing. So what’s the difference? An apprenticeship is a structured training arrangement which usually lasts three to four years. The training combines practical experience at work with complementary off-the-job training with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). On successful completion, you are issued with a nationally recognised qualification and you have on-the-job skills which are highly regarded by many employers.

A traineeship is a training agreement between the trainee and their respective employer. The employer agrees to train the trainee in a specific industry and the trainee agrees to work and learn. Traineeships are available for people of all ages and usually last between one to two years (but can last longer), depending on the vocation and certificate level undertaken. SkillsRoad has more information which you can read about here.

6 sectors presenting emerging

There are many new and emerging jobs and industries in Australia that didn't exist in their current form a few years ago. Early identification of these new opportunities is important to ensure that educational and training programs are preparing the workforce with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to fill them in the future. The dominance of big data is an influencing factor for high demand jobs, however there are several other sectors that are presenting new opportunities, including:Digital marketing; Cyber security; Healthcare; Retail; Manufacturing; Information technology. Read about these sectors in more detail in the Myfuture article.

Why a good attitude can matter more than experience

Having passion for the job, a good attitude and a willingness to learn can make you more attractive to employers than someone who has plenty of experience but comes across as bored, jaded or disinterested. Read the Seek article to find out about:

Most employers choose passion over experience
Your positive attitude can transform a workplace
Employers are looking for people who add to the culture
How to build a positive attitude
How to demonstrate a great attitude to employers

A positive study mindset is essential

When you know that you have to sit down and do some study, what thoughts go through your head?

I hate this and don't want to do it OR If I'm going to pass I will need to get it done
I have better things I'd rather be doing OR I'd rather be doing something else but if I get started, I'll get it finished
I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing OR I'll start with a plan for the session so I don't waste time
I'll never get this done OR If I get it started at least, its a step in the right direction
Everyone else finds this easy OR If I focus on what I'm reading I'll have a better chance of understanding it
I have too much to do and not enough time OR It's a hectic time of the term so just focus on one thing at a time

These are just some of the thoughts that go through our mind when it comes to study but you get the idea. Success and happiness in anything you do is all about how we think/talk to ourself :)

Year 11 and 12 Study Skills

Don't study harder—study smarter! No one is born knowing how to study. It takes time and experience to know how to study well and Deakin Uni has these tips to help you out. These study skills have been developed specifically for high school students currently undertaking VCE/QCE, but they will also be useful in university and the workplace. Independent learning centre for VCE study skills suggestions are:

What does TAFE Queensland offer students

TAFE Queensland is the State’s largest further education and training provider. They deliver practical, industry-relevant qualifications, from certificates and diplomas through to degrees in creative, accounting, civil engineering and more. From nursing and aviation to their new blockchain qualification, there’s a course or pathway that may suit you. Their purpose-built facilities let students put theory into practice, with recent upgrades completed for their clinical labs on the Gold Coast and Townsville (Pimlico) campus. Scholarship applications are now open and you can apply directly or via QTAC. Visit their website at tafeqld.edu.au for more information.

What does it cost to go to TAFE

As a TAFE Queensland student there are a range of concessions, loans, and scholarships you may be eligible for to assist you with the cost of your study. Don't guess as to whether you can afford to study after school. Click here to find out more about student loans, funding options and payments and refunds.