Assistant Principals' Report

Call for Parent and Alumni Support

In Term 4 our Year 8’s will have the opportunity to participate in a Careers unit in Discovery. As part of this unit, we are looking for parents from different occupations to participate in a panel presentation in Week 4 of Term 4. During the presentation, participants can share with students the main activities they do in their job, as well as the importance of developing employability skills during school and how they are used in the workplace.

Employers often look for skills that go beyond qualifications and experience. These are employability skills. These are the skills that we develop and take with us from one life or work situation to another. They include:

• Communication: Are you a good communicator? Are you able to listen and understand, speak clearly and directly and share information? Are you confident speaking with people face-to-face or over the phone and can you compose written works that are appropriate to your audience needs? 
•  Teamwork: Can you work with other people? Can you work towards a team goal rather than personal glory?
• Problem-solving: Can you find solutions when faced with difficulties or setbacks? If you can’t think of a solution immediately, do you have the capacity to develop a logical process for figuring things out? • Initiative and enterprise Can you think about the bigger picture, adapt to new situations, be creative and translate ideas into action?
• Planning and organising: Are you able to organise yourself, plan project timelines and meet deadlines?
• Self-management: Can you take responsibility for your actions and work independently? Are you able to stay on top of your own deadlines and delegate as appropriate to ensure tasks are completed?
• Learning skills: Do you want to learn new things and are you able to pick them up quickly?
• Technology: Do you have a range of IT skills, are you able to apply IT as a management tool and to organise data and are you willing to learn new IT skills? Parent/Carer Participation: Students should be encouraged to discuss skills and role-play activities with their parents/carers.

Prompt questions for students to ask during a field trip or industry visit can include:

• What is the main activity that you do here? 
• What jobs do people do? • What skills and qualities are required for these jobs?
• What are the main tasks the staff do each day?
• What skills and qualities are required for these tasks? 
• What are the entry-level jobs in this industry? 
• What formal qualifications/and or experience are required?
• What are the best/worst things about working in this industry?
• What hours does this business operate? • How do you think jobs will be affected in 5–10 years’ time? Why/why not

If you have any further questions or are interested in participating in this presentation please do not hesitate to contact me via email, morris.glenn.c@edumail.vic.gov.au. 

Glenn Morris

Assistant Principal