News For Parents

School Levies | 2021

Thank you on behalf of College Council to several families who have already paid Elective charges and Voluntary Levies and Donations or have committed to payments plans for next year.  Payment information for Essential Educational items, Optional Extras and Voluntary Contributions have been uploaded to Compass (as communicated via SMS and a Newsfeed to the community) and can be accessed on Compass, via the "Course Confirmation" tab on the main screen.  This portal also contains agreements, policies and other important information that require your attention to confirm enrolment at the College.  Copies of all supporting documentation are available at: "Community" tab > "School Documentation" > "Course Confirmation 2021".

Should you wish to set up an individual payment plan, require alternative payment preferences, or have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Business Manager at the College via email to business.manager@whsc.vic.edu.au.

We require your ongoing support to continue to provide the breadth of programmes and resources for our students. Please ensure you have confirmed some arrangements with the Business Manager before the end of Term 4, 2021.

Ms. Frida D'Costa-Kent | Business Manager

Careers Update | The Impact of COVID-19 on National & State Labour Markets (Part 1)

There is no doubt that 2020 will go down in history as the year that impacted many aspects of our lives, but none so dramatic is the impact that it has had on our labour markets. 

I was fortunate enough to recently attend a webinar on this very topic. The webinar was delivered by Ivan Neville from the Labour Market Analysis Branch, National Skills Institute. This webinar spoke to the significant challenges we face in our jobs market and in particular the challenges that young people will be confronted with in the Victorian labour market. The overall message was that “we will get through this” and that the labour market will pick up again and with this in mind, he urged young people to not make career decisions on what was happening now. It is still important for young people to follow their passion as this is what will provide them with a sustainable career. 

Current Snapshot:

• COVID-19 is having a significant impact on the labour market.
• Many jobs have been lost, fewer jobs available short term, job market more competitive.
• Some industries are being impacted more than others, especially in accommodation & food services, retail & tourism.
• Young people (15-24yrs) have been more impacted than other groups and are facing more difficult transitions.

Where were the jobs before the pandemic? 

Proportion Employed by Industry, Victoria, February 2020

Ivan went on to say that the above paints a picture of where opportunities where and also will be in the future. The number one employer in Victoria and Australia is Health. The Health Industry is also the fastest growing industry across the state and nationally and for many years and has been driven by population growth, roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and our aging population. So, the Health Industry is going to provide young people with a lot of opportunities for getting a job. 

But what if my child is not interested in Health, I hear you ask? Ivan explained that people often think that Health means Doctor, Nurse but encouraged us to think about what goes on in a health industry, what goes on in a hospital as there are people with IT qualifications, clerical jobs in Human Resources, Chefs in kitchens, people doing maintenance work, people with trade qualifications and several allied health professionals such as Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Exercise Physiologists, Social Workers etc. The message is that young people are encouraged to think as broadly as possible in terms of the industries that are available to them and consider ones that they may not have thought about.

Retail is the second biggest employer and Ivan again, stated that many people think it’s just working in a shop. Large retail companies like Woolworths, Coles, IGA, and Aldi are large employers and employ many people in roles such as IT, Logistics, Robotics Experts for their warehouses etc. So again, the youth of today are encouraged to look at where the opportunities are and look at the Health & Retail industries and not be put off by the names of these industries.

What is also interesting to see form this table is that all but two industries are in the service sector and that means that the nature of work and what employers are looking for is very different.  Ivan explained that whilst Manufacturing & Construction are still important industries in Victoria, most of the jobs in Victoria and across the country are in the service industry sector. 

According to the ABS Weekly Population & Wages Aust report, July 2020, during the pandemic the only jobs that saw an increase in their payroll was the Electricity, gas, water & waste services (+3%). The biggest decrease in payroll jobs was in Accommodation & Food Services (-24%) and Arts & Recreation Services (-19%) which is not surprising considering the shutdown of many cafes, restaurants, galleries, museums.   

So what is going to happen after the pandemic? Ivan admitted that this question was very difficult to answer because no one really knows what will happen however, he did state that it was not an unreasonable assumption to make that:

• Health, Aged & Disability care will be the largest employing industry across the country.
• Retail & Hospitality is dynamic and will continue to provide many jobs and good career prospects.
• Professional, Scientific, Technical Services, Construction, Education & Training & Manufacturing will continue to be large employer industries, e.g. Accountants, Architects, IT.

The above is a broad account of what has happened and also what has been impacted due to COVID-19. I hope you will be able to refer to some of this information when speaking with your young person about future career opportunities. In the next Newsletter I will present the second part of this webinar which talks to the impacts of COVID on young people.

Ms. Voula Jakubicki | Careers Coodinator 

Wellbeing @ Wheelers | SchoolTV Resources

Remote Learning can present many challenges, including dealing with feelings of isolation, disconnection, and loneliness while separated from friends and teachers. Luckily, all  WHSC students, parents, and staff can access the WHSC Wellbeing Portal, which provides information on a range of issues including mindfulness, anxiety, and maintaining good mental health while Remote Learning. Access the Portal via Compass, the College website, or by clicking here.

Students and families looking for information on how to deal with the emotional impact of COVID-19 can also consult the info in the above attachment from HeadSpace.

Ms. Helen Charalambous | Wellbeing Coordinator

College & DET Privacy Policy

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy. Please take time to remind yourself of the school’s collection statement, found on our website.

For more information about privacy, see: Schools’ Privacy Policy – information for parents. This information also available in nine community languages.