CAREERS/PATHWAYS/VET 

CAREERS/PATHWAYS/VET OFFICE IS ‘OPEN’ (REMOTELY) FOR BUSINESS

In this very different ‘new normal’, it is important that students and parents know that we are still offering all services we normally do, in the Careers/Pathways/VET Office.

Regrettably, for the first time in more than 15 years, we’ve had to cancel our Year 10 Work Experience Program. It was simply not compliant with Social Distancing rules, to compromise the safety of our students (and their families), by having them out in the community, seeking Work Experience or having Work Experience documentation signed.

Some of our VCAL Structured Work Placements are still going ahead, where the student, their family and employer are confident Social Distancing rules can be followed and the family feels there is not threat to their health, but many have been cancelled too, as many of our business partners are now also working remotely.

VET has been an interesting space. Students are able to access VET in their VCAL program across any of the Brimbank Cluster Schools, this increases the VET offerings, but in COVID19 times, has meant there have been a few teething problems in getting all students access to the multiple remote learning platforms being used in different schools. I have been working closely with those Cluster schools, teachers, parents and students to get them engaged in their remote lessons as a matter of urgency. Most of our partner training organisations have been able to readily adapt to the remote learning environment, with many opting to deliver the theory units in Term 2, in the hope that we’ll return to face to face learning in Term 3 and hold many practical lessons then.

What are we doing in Term 2 in the Careers/Pathways space?

This term we are staying on track and are delivering the first stage of the Year 10 Career Development Program, 2020. We will deliver this over a double period to half of the Year 10 cohort on 28 April 2020 during periods 3 & 4 and the other half on 30 April 2020, during periods 1 & 2. All information about logging into the sessions were posted on Compass on 23 April.

We have deferred the 4 period Year 10, Pre-Course Selection Assignment until Tuesday 21 July, in the hope we’ll all be back at school – if not, then we will run that remotely as well. That is the same day as we have scheduled the Year 10 Parent Information Sessions for VCAL and VCE – where students collect their Course Selection Handbooks.

It is a Department of Education initiative that every Year 10 student in a Government School attends a one to one interview with a qualified Careers Practitioner, during the academic year. We have three qualified practitioners and these interviews are continuing in the remote environment. Students are urged to regularly check their emails for an alert to attend.

All Year 9 students will be completing a four period Pre-Course Selection Assignment on 16 and 18 June. Notification will be put on Compass at the beginning of June about accessing and attending sessions. This Assignment will prepare Year 9 students for choosing subjects for Year 10, 2021.

Can students/parents request a pathways interview?

Yes, in fact we’ve had interviews with a number of students and parents already. Please email me: armstrong.catherine.a@edumail.vic.gov.au to request an interview. We can arrange to ‘meet’ by phone or video through the Google ‘Hangouts’ Platform.

Cathy Armstrong

Careers/Pathways/VET Coordinator