Careers
Wanganui Park Career News
Events coming up:
- Tues. 26th & Wed. 27th Sept. - Nuclear Medicine Workplace Visits, RMIT, http://bit.ly/2xFW4tF
- Tues. 26th & Thur. 28th Sept. Keeper for a Day, Werribee Open Range Zoo, http://bit.ly/1vornA4
- Thurs. 28th Sept. - Science in City Lab Tour, RMIT, City, http://bit.ly/2wbb7gN
- Mon 2nd & Wed 4th Oct. - Keeper for a Day, Werribee Open Range Zoo, http://bit.ly/1vornA4
- Thurs. 12th Oct. - Subject submission day (Year 9’s for 2018 classes, see details following)
Career Events For The School Holidays
There are a variety of career events available these school holidays for students at most year levels. Some relate to end of year exam preparation while others are exploring careers or courses of training. I’d encourage you to take the time to look at the attached PDF file detailing these:
Year 9 Students Selecting Their 2018 Subjects
Our Year 9 students are in the process of preparing subject choices for Year 10. Of course, these choices need to reflect career aspirations, if they know these. As such, there are a number of things that they can do to explore their interests and what they might be suited to – career wise. These include:
- Participating in the various Career events offered throughout the year e.g. ICT day at SHS on Oct. 31st (these are advertised regularly on the Daily Bulleting read out in morning roll call).
- Logging on to their student secure area within www.wanganuiparkcareers.com and completing the online ‘Interests test’. Attached below is a downloadable PDF file that will assist in logging onto the website and using it.
- Reflecting on (and researching) the 400+ careers that their ‘Interest Test’ results suggest.
- Using the links on the careers website to explore the kind of training and education necessary to make those careers of interest a possibility. Will it require a University degree? Will it involve on the job training? Will it require me to be successful in gaining an apprenticeship? Will I be able to do vocational training in a TAFE to access these careers? Will these training options require me to meet pre-requisites?
- Based on my research, what subjects will I need to complete successfully in Year 10? What subjects should I be choosing in my VMG?
- Who they can go to for advice with subject selections: subject teachers, house leader, Mr Bristol (VCE/VCAL Co-ord.), Mr Crosbie (Careers adviser)
Then the students are to go onto their secure area within the Careers website and complete their ‘Career Action Plan’, including the information they’ve found. They have been advised to discuss their VMG subject choices with their teachers and then bring the selection sheet to their Parent Teacher Interviews on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd September.
Year 9 Subject Submission Day – Thursday 12th October
As part of the new approach being adopted for students selecting subjects to go into Year 10, we are holding a ‘Subject Submission’ day at the school on Thursday 12th October. Parents and their Year 9 will attend a 15 min appointment to review the choices they have made in light of what career possibilities they might be seeking. Appointments can be made through the main office on 5820 9900. They are available between 10 am – 1 pm and 3 pm – 6 pm. Students must attend these with their completed (signed by all teachers) subject selection sheet and a printed copy of their completed Career Action Plan. This day is a student free day for Year 9’s only.
Year 9 & 10 Construction Technology & Medical Technology Trade Taster Day
On Friday November 24th in Shepparton the Career Education Association of Victoria and GOTAFE are hosting a free Industry Taster day with a difference. Open to Wanganui Park Year 9 and 10 students, the day will have two different focuses – Construction Technology and Medical Technology and Pharmaceuticals. Students will complete an activity in their chosen focus in the morning, lunch is being provided free of charge and then they will go into another activity in their chosen focus in the afternoon. The Construction activities will focus on Carpentry skills using the latest technology. The Medical Technology and Pharmaceuticals group will complete activities related to medical clinical procedures: in the morning simulating venepuncture, wound dressing, auscultation of body sounds, blood pressure; and in the afternoon simulating mixing antibiotics, giving injections, medication calculations and priming of an intravenous line.
Therefore the day would be most suited to students wishing to explore more about working in construction trades OR working in health and medical fields.
Students need to register interest with Mr Crosbie either via XUNO or in person in the 1st week of next term
Interested In Working In A Vet Clinic As A Nurse Or Technologist
You may find the following two courses interesting:
- Bachelor of Veterinary Technology, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga: You can specialise in practice management, large animal technology, or clinical technology and you can study the course on campus or via distance. You will also complete the Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing through Goulburn Ovens TAFE via distance, http://bit.ly/1BCc1w4
Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing, La Trobe University: This course is offered by La Trobe and delivered at Melbourne Polytechnic, Epping and is the first course of its kind in Australia. The course has a heavy focus on industry experience, http://bit.ly/22jRuuA
Would You Like To Work At The Zoo?
Werribee Open Range Zoo present a day of activities where you get to work alongside their Zoo Keepers and Vets. You will be able to: help with food preparation, assist with animal enrichment, listen to Keeper talks, do animal health checks and handle animals safely. Dates for the Keeper for a Day are: 26 & 28 September and 2 & 4 October, http://bit.ly/1vornA4
Are You Confused By Vocational Education and Training?
Vocational education and training (VET) includes traineeships, apprenticeships and TAFE study. 4 out of 5 parents report that they would prefer their child to go to university than study VET, but it is crucial that both parents and students take the time to understand the VET sector, and that a preference for just university study may in some cases limit a young persons potential.
Between 20 – 30% of young people in Australia drop out of or change their university course within the first year. Many young people don’t even consider studying a TAFE course due to incorrect perceptions or through lack of understanding of the sector. It’s no secret that employers love job applicants who have TAFE qualifications, including those who graduate from a university degree with a VET qualification. VET graduates are considered to have ‘job ready’ skills and in the future labour market in Australia with 1 in every 2 young people expected to complete a Bachelor degree, it is more important than ever to have diverse skills, industry experience and more than one qualification (e.g., a Bachelor of Engineering with a TAFE Diploma in Project Management).
Did you know that 9/10 occupations predicted to have the most jobs growth by 2022 are in vocational training areas and in the industries with the most growth (e.g., health and community services, construction, and accommodation and food services)? Source: http://bit.ly/1mab7j7
Specific occupations with the biggest growth prediction include sales assistants, aged care workers, disability workers, enrolled nurses, electricians, chefs, and early childhood education workers etc. Current skills shortages are in occupations such as automotive trades, food trades, construction trades, and building professionals.
A report, titled ‘Perceptions Are Not Reality: myths, realities & the critical role of vocational education & training in Australia’, was released by Skilling Australia Foundation this year, http://bit.ly/2vPBkPF. It revealed the following:
- VET graduates earn wages comparable to, if not exceeding, that of university graduates.
- VET graduates have a higher employment rate than university undergraduates. More than 78% of VET graduates are employed after training.
- VET courses have adapted more readily to changing workforce needs.
There are some occupations that require a university degree (e.g., medicine, social work, law, teaching). It is advisable that students consider undertaking VET study during their gap year (e.g., gap year traineeship or TAFE course) and concurrently with their university studies (if time permits).
Other benefits of TAFE courses include:
- Higher level courses (e.g., Diploma) can provide a direct pathway into university courses with credit
- Can give you the opportunity to trial an industry or career area before you commit to university study
- Can give you a qualification you can use to gain part time work whilst undertaking university study.
Did you know you can study a huge range of vocational courses at TAFE? TAFE provides students with the opportunity to:
- Undertake applied learning
- Gain ‘industry ready’ experience
- Learn about industries and careers
- Obtain a qualification in a relatively short time frame.
The following are examples:
1. Jane knows she loves working with people, has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is creative, loves thinking outside the box, is highly organised and enjoys solving problems. She explores the following TAFE courses:
- Public Relations
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Professional Writing and Editing
- Broadcast Journalism
- Liberal Arts
- Library and Information Services
2. Sally loves sciences and health and is considering working in rehabilitation, medical sciences or allied health in the future. She explores the following courses:
- Dental Technology
- Nursing
- Massage and Myotherapy
- Allied Health Assistance
- Laboratory Technology
- Pathology Collection
3. Paul knows he loves helping people and that he would like to work in counselling, case management, or human services in the future. He explores the following courses:
- Community Services
- Youth Work
- Disability Services
- Mental Health
- Alcohol and other Drugs
- Aged Care
Career Action Plans. Is yours complete?
All Year 10-12’s are reminded that they must have completed their Career Action Plans in their student secure area of the Wanganui Park Careers website (www.wanganuiparkcareers.com). Year 10’s will be bringing their printed copy of the CAP to their Course Submission Day appointment. Year 11’s need to have theirs complete before they can submit their preferences for 2018.
Graeme Crosbie