Wanganui Park Career News

Events Coming Up -

Mon 19th Nov: RMIT Health & Biomedical Sciences – Bundoora campus (some Year 10’s)

Tues. 27th Nov: Peninsula Experience Day, Monash University. Peninsula campus, https://bit.ly/2EFK6Zd

Wed 28th – Fri. 30th Nov: The ConocoPhillips Science Experience, The University of Melbourne, Dookie campus. Register before 15 Nov, https://bit.ly/2ap3Cau

Thurs. 29th Nov.: Open Days, Holmesglen Institute, various campuses, http://bit.ly/1vxdZMy

Fri. 30th Nov.: Graduate Exhibition and Fashion Runway, Whitehouse College of Design, Melbourne, https://bit.ly/2E81RAj

Tues. 4th – Fri. 8th Dec.: Experience Monash Indigenous Summer Camp, Monash University, https://bit.ly/2z6KGt0

Fri. 7th Dec: VTAC Very Late Applications close

Fri. 14th Dec: VCE and ATAR results available online from 7:00 am

Mon. 17th Dec: WPSC Year 12 BBQ and Change of Preference get together in SLC from midday

Wed. 19h Dec. (noon): VTAC Change of Preferences close

Getting Year 12 Subject Results and ATAR

Your VCE study scores, ATAR and VTAC Scaled Study Scores will be available to you via the Results and ATAR website and the Results and ATAR app. All current VCE students receive a statement of VCE study scores from the VCAA. However, only students who have applied for courses through VTAC this year and have paid their VTAC processing fees will be sent an ATAR statement in the mail, naturally mail services are not as timely as getting results online so you shouldn't rely on these. Further details about accessing results, ATAR and change of preference will be provided in the next couple of Newslink editions.

How to access your results online

You will need to do this in order to have sufficient time to complete Change of Preference should it be required. The VCE results and ATAR Service will be available from 7am, 14th December. To view your results online, log on to www.resultsandatar.vic.edu.au using the instructions provided there.

Note: The Results and ATAR service log in details are different from your VTAC ID and PIN.

How to receive your ATAR using the VTAC app

Make sure you have the latest version of the app, which adds a "Login to your VTAC account" option on the main menu. Once you have logged in to your VTAC account from the app, you can use the "My ATAR" menu option to view your ATAR and contributing scaled study scores.

Increasing The Chance Of Gaining Graduate Employment After Uni

Interested in going to university? It’s important you are aware that around 30 per cent of university graduates are without full-time employment within four months of graduation. The following article appears on the Australian Careers Service website and has been adapted for our ‘Career News’, http://bit.ly/2zz56h5

“The 2018 edition of ‘The Good Universities Guide’ reveals that while universities around the country are providing a high-quality experience for students, it’s not translating to graduate jobs. Analysis from ‘The Good Universities Guide’, shows that across many courses and fields of study, Australian university students are overwhelmingly enjoying and excelling during their time at university.

Across all Australian universities the results for the six key measures of Student Experience – Learning Resources, Learner Engagement, Student Support, Skills Development, Teaching Quality and Overall Experience – are all strong. But, the news isn’t so rosy once students attempt to enter the workforce. When it comes to life after university, the employment outcomes are not as positive.

The Good Universities Guide graduate outcome data shows that across the country, Australian university graduates struggle to secure a job and earn a reasonable salary, with around 30 per cent of graduates without full-time employment within four months of graduation. The Guide can also reveal that the average salary for graduates employed full-time is $56,000 – the same post-graduation income vocational graduates achieve, according to figures published by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research”.

What does this mean for students currently in high school?

The good news is that some fields of study have better graduate outcomes (e.g., health and rehabilitation). The bad news is that some fields are harder to secure graduate employment.

What can you do to increase your chances of graduate employment?

It starts with you in high school. It is critical that you develop skills in how to a) manage your career journey and also b) develop skills and attributes that are desirable to employers.

Tips To Consider - What You Can Do In High School

#1) Build your resume through participating in career development activities.

For example:

Secure casual or part time employment
Volunteer for community programs such as the Country Fire Authority, Community youth organisations such as Word & Mouth, Defence Force Cadets, St Johns Ambulance Cadets, State Emergency Service, Community based organisations like the Ethnic Council or GV Family Care etc.
Play sport
Participate in leadership and community service activities at school
Participate in community-based fundraising activities.
Complete an overseas exchange program

#2) Meet with Wanganui’s Careers Advisor, Graeme Crosbie, regularly.

The more you meet with your adviser, the better they will know you and the better advice they will be able to give. Start in the junior years and work together in partnership with your family through regular meetings until you exit school.

#3) Plan your university program carefully.

Studying at university isn’t cheap. Aside from the course costs, you will need to invest in textbooks, printing credit, transport, a computer, Internet data, and for students who have to move away to study, you will be investing roughly $20 000 - $30 000 per year on accommodation and living expenses.

For courses that have a lot of unpaid work placement requirements, it will be difficult to maintain consistent employment and thus, consistent income. Some courses will require you to be at university for 5 – 6 years, which will place a greater strain on you financially. It’s important that you plan out what you would like to study carefully to start with and then to find an undergraduate degree that is going to give you the best chance of graduate employment.

The first step is to identify what you would like to study. Remember, that in a time of rapid change with the world of work and technology, the occupations you can imagine yourself doing now may not exist in 5 – 6 years time, or there may be new ones you would be suited to. Wanganui’s Careers Advisor, Graeme Crosbie, will be able to assist you to explore courses based on your interests. There are many courses available and ones that you may not have considered yet.

Once you have identified the type of course you would like to study, you will then need to find the right undergraduate degree at the right university. Look for courses that offer work experience, career development programs, overseas exchange opportunities, and (if relevant) are accredited.

Example 1:

For example, if you want to study a degree like the Bachelor of Criminology, think carefully. There are many criminology degrees in Victoria, Canberra and NSW and this means there will be many graduates. How can you be competitive for graduate jobs? - Consider the following option:

Combine the degree with another field of study that has strong graduate employment outcomes such as cybersecurity and Asian languages. The following are courses to consider:

Deakin University: Bachelor of Cyber Security/Bachelor of Criminology, http://bit.ly/2n1viHZ
Australia National University: Bachelor of Criminology/Bachelor of Asian Studies (majoring in an Asian language), http://bit.ly/2h9laLj

Example 2:

You would like to study a course focussed on marketing. This is a very popular course for people to study, so what will make you stand out? Choose a course that will give you substantial industry experience.

You could consider the following options:

Swinburne University: Bachelor of Business (Professional) with a major in marketing. You will be guaranteed a year of paid industry experience, http://bit.ly/2AjXf3T
RMIT: Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (Applied). You can undertake a year of industry experience, http://bit.ly/2zhCyYB

Develop a plan with the Careers Advisor and attend university open days and experience days throughout the year.

#4) Consider taking a gap year

During this year you could undertake a 12-month traineeship in the industry you are interested in or complete a Certificate IV or Diploma level course. This will give you 12-months to mature, save money, gain experience in the industry you are interested in, and give you time to consider if you are happy with the course you have deferred.

Employers also love VET qualifications and industry experience, so this year could boost your graduate employment chances.

Example 1:

Amy would like to study a law degree. She is aware that more law graduates are being produced than ever before and that this may place pressure on the job market. She decides to complete a traineeship in legal administration in a law firm during her gap year.

Example 2:

Steve would like to be a secondary teacher. He knows that supporting diverse learners in the classroom will be an important element of his future job. He also knows that based on the teaching speciality he goes into, he may find it difficult to gain graduate employment. He decides to complete a Certificate IV in Disability Studies or Education Support during his gap year at his local TAFE.

Example 3:

Sarah would like to study a degree focused on rehabilitation but isn’t sure what course she would be suited to. She receives an offer for Occupational Therapy, but to give herself more time to be sure of her course choice, she decides to complete the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance at TAFE. She knows that this course will provide her with a qualification, which will enable her to work as an allied health assistant whilst she is at university.

Example 4:

Will would like to join the Police Force but is aware that he may not be competitive with a Year 12 qualification and little life experience. He decides to apply for the Airbase Security Gap Year program in the Air Force. During this year he will undertake combat training, weapons instruction, dog handling, and simulated terror attacks. This will give him more time to consider his future direction and may open up other career opportunities for him if he doesn’t receive a place in the Police Force.

Tips To Consider - What You Can Do At Uni?

You can increase your chances of gaining graduate employment through the following tips:

#1) Meet with the Career Adviser at University

Did you know that only 30% of students meet with a Career Adviser at uni? It’s advisable to set up regular meetings to discuss career development opportunities, ways to gain industry experience and to assist you with applying for graduate employment.

#2) Build your resume through participating in career development activities.

For example:

Secure casual or part time employment
Volunteer for community programs
Play sport
Participate in leadership and community service activities at university
Participate in community-based fundraising activities.
Complete an overseas exchange program

Participate in leadership programs

What to do next: If you’re still reading this – great! It means that you are at least thinking about your career pathways. Make a time to meet with your career adviser and set some short and long term career development goals. Now is the perfect time heading into a new year level.

Monash Maths Bridging course (Year 12’s who don’t get the Methods score they want)

This program is available to domestic students who narrowly miss the required study score in the mathematics prerequisite subjects for a Monash Engineering, Science or Business and Economics undergraduate degree. Students will undertake face-to-face study in January 2019. Eligibility – VCE Students who receive a study score of 20-24 in VCE Mathematical Methods Units 3 and 4. The program is only available for Monash courses and will be held at the Monash College, City campus. For information, go to http://bit.ly/2wLiMAc

Educational & Medical Scholarships

The Community Fund Goulburn Valley has scholarships on offer for students studying VCE in 2018 - see attachment for details on how to access more information.

Graeme Crosbie

www.wanganuiparkcareers.com

www.facebook.com/careersWPSC/

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