Resources

Senior Secondary Certificate Reform

The VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) will replace VCAL in 2023

More information about the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate will be available in future Notices to Schools and on the Senior Secondary Certificate Reform page. 

Tertiary update

University course search tools

The Course Seeker website contains a national course comparison tool which allows students to search, select and compare higher education courses and filter search results by ATAR, study area and location, www.courseseeker.edu.au 

Year 12 students can search for university courses by using the course search functions on state based Tertiary Admission Centres. This will provide access to course listing and key details relating to a course, including the ATAR profile if relevant. Students should refer to the Lowest Selection Rank (ATAR inclusive of equity and academic bonus points) and while this can be used as a guide when planning for post school studies, it’s important to note that as ATAR profiles are based on the demand for a course, they may rise or fall for the 2023 intake. 

State based tertiary admissions centres:

Tertiary Access Payment (TAP): is an Australian Government initiative helping students with the cost of relocating to undertake tertiary studies. Year 12 school leavers from inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote areas may be eligible for a payment of $3,000 to $5,000 to help ease the costs of moving away from home. TAP can help pay for things like rent and bond for accommodation, household bills, groceries, textbooks or other study supplies. Applications are now open and can be made on the Services Australia website. Please visit the website to read the eligibility criteria and program guidelines. 

ACU: New course Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and attracting generous scholarships (Ramsay Scholarship $90-150K) is Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation) or Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation)/Bachelor of Laws double degree offering.

ANU: ANU Direct Applications for 2023 entry will be opening 2 March and close 23 May. Students interested in ANU are encouraged to check ANU Domestic Undergraduate Applications webpage. On Wed 2 March they will run an Applications Info Webinar and a Webinar Series will follow, register here. If you are unable to attend, ANU will post recordings on their YouTube. You can also view 2021 webinar series recordings here. Students interested in ANU are also encouraged to check out the generous Tuckwell Scholarship. 

Australia National University has also developed a large collection of over 90 inspirational videos that cover a range of topics from astronomy/astrophysics, physics and mathematics to science communication, environment and sustainability, to health, medicine, psychology, to earth and marine sciences and much more! Health related videos: https://health.anu.edu.au/open-day and Science related videos: https://science.anu.edu.au/open-day 

CSU: Charles Sturt Advantage Early Offer Program Round 1 has opened and CSU Medicine Information Night is 29 March from 6-7.30pm online, register here where you can discover everything you need to know about the joint medicine program (CSU and UWS).

Monash: Information Evening is 8 March 6-8.30pm online, register here, Information Webinars will commence in March and during the upcoming April holidays Monash will run campus tours. For information and to register your place, visit www.monash.edu/discover/events

RMIT: Students are invited to take a virtual tour of RMIT’s campuses and facilities. Students can get a taste of what life is like as a university student at RMIT, including the best spots to eat, study and hang out. The suite of videos covers the Melbourne campuses, with a look inside specific interest areas including media, art, engineering, and health science. Take a tour here.

UNE: Early Entry Program is open.

Monash: New Bachelor of Criminology and Policing in 2022Crime is a complex phenomenon, which requires it to be viewed from various perspectives. In a joint venture with Victoria Police, the Bachelor of Criminology and Policing is the only course of its kind in Victoria.  In this three-year program, students will complete the core requirements of the Monash Bachelor of Criminology, and have the opportunity to apply to undertake a Diploma of Policing, undertaken at the Victoria Police Academy in their third year.The breadth and depth of the Bachelor of Criminology is a great foundation for anyone considering a career in policing or criminal justice.  Students gain an understanding of crime, the broader context in which crime occurs, the drivers of criminal behaviour, and the limits of formal and informal responses to crime.This course will provide students with the chance to apply to join the Victoria Police and if successful, continue their studies at the Victoria Police Academy, where they will gain practical experience and go on to work in the police force.Graduate career opportunities include Advocacy, Anti-corruptions, Attorney-General’s departments, Corrections, Courts, Crime prevention, Department of Justice, Government agencies, Human rights, Juvenile justice, Legal support, Non-government agencies, Police, Policy development, Social welfare.The VCE requirements for entry are: Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 27 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL.  An additional entry requirement is the submission of a Monash University Supplementary Information Form. Find out more at Bachelor of Criminology and Policing.

Federation University: New Courses in 2022

Commencing in 2022, Federation University has added a range of undergraduate degrees in Allied Health, a combined Business and Information Technology discipline in the new Bachelor of Cognitive Enterprise, and the new Bachelor of Sustainable Food Systems, to name a few.  Students are encouraged to browse the following links to find out more about all the new offerings:

• Bachelor of Cognitive Enterprise
• Bachelor of Cognitive Enterprise (Professional Practice)
• Master of Cognitive Enterprise
• Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
• Master of Speech Pathology
• Bachelor of Sustainable Food Systems
• Bachelor of Criminal Justice Management
• Bachelor of Secondary Education
• Bachelor of Secondary Education (Health and Physical Education Teaching)
• Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery

Applying for Medicine or Dentistry?

Applications for the UCAT ANZ (University Clinical Aptitude Test) will open Tuesday 1 March 2022. If you are planning to apply for medicine or dentistry for the 2023 intake, you may be required to sit this test. For information on the test and to see if you have to sit it, visit www.ucat.edu.au 

UCAT Quick Facts

• the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a 2-hour computer-based test 
• the UCAT will be offered on a choice of dates throughout the month of July 2022, rather than on one single date 
• some pathways to medicine/dentistry/clinical sciences will not require the UCAT and some courses may require another test 
• institutions that will require the UCAT are listed on the UCAT website above

Interested students might also like to download a UCAT Guide developed by UCAT Masterclass, https://bit.ly/3HMyzTS 

UCAT Preparation Sessions

• National Institute of Education is running an online simulated UCAT workshop on Sunday 22 February between 10am – 5pm. A second online session will be held shortly after, www.nie.edu.au 
• This is a free online UCAT trial exam that will be sat by thousands of students. You will be able to get your mock UCAT score and have a benchmark to work on improving for the exam later in the year. You can sit the exam any time on Sunday 27 February, www.ucatmasterclass.com/ucat-med 

Medicine Information Sessions

• Charles Sturt University, Tuesday 29 March. This will be an online webinar. Book via 

https://engage.csu.edu.au/medicine-info-nights

• Monash University, Wednesday 6 April. This will be an online webinar. Book via 

www.monash.edu/discover/events

Medical Speciality Factsheets

NSW Health has compiled an extensive list of extremely useful fact sheets to assist students in making more informed career choices about the many careers in the health industry, and to ensure their career plans not only fulfil their personal aspirations but also align with the needs of the industry. Students keen on finding out more about what the job is about, whether or not there is a shortage, etc. are encouraged to browse the following link on NSW Health - Medical Career Planning.

AATIS – What to do if your young person doesn’t want to return to school?

A helpful article about some of the options when students don't want to go back to school here

AgCareer Start GAP Year Program

Year 12s might be interested in the AgCareer Start Gap Year Program for 2023.

Letz Live Working Holidays and Gap Year

Applications for paid GAP Year opportunities in the UK, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia in 2023 are now open.  Find out more at Letz Live.   

Australian Defence Force

If you are considering applying for any role in the Defence Force to start in 2022 or 2023, you should book a YOU (Your Options Unlimited) session early. This is the first step in the recruitment process, http://bit.ly/2Tyn8Yp 

Year 12s considering ADF Gap Year Program, please note applications will open in March. Students are encouraged to start the applications process now and book their aptitude test. For information, visit https://bit.ly/3dCELlb

Cadets: students may also be able to apply for the Army, Navy or Air Force Cadets program in their local area, www.cadetnet.gov.au 

Want to know more? You can find out more about careers in the ADF through participating in a free information session which are held regularly, www.defencejobs.gov.au/events 

Jobs Victoria Career Counsellors Service

This new initiative provides career counselling services to school-leavers, parents, jobseekers…

Call the CEAV on (03) 9433 8000 to book a careers counselling appointment or request a call back.

More information is available via the CEAV Jobs Victoria Career Counsellors Service website.The service is most suited to people who are: 

• unsure of their work/career options and pathways
• seeking employment but lack a clear vocational pathway/plan
• unemployed and struggling to secure work due to lack of work experience (e.g. recent graduates)
• underemployed and seeking more secure and/or skilled work
• in need of support to plan a transition to a new occupation/career wishing to pursue a professional career involving tertiary education pathways.

How to ace a job interview and 22 Resume tips

Great article, with expert input and excellent info about what’s new and key tips for maximising a job interview opportunity. https://tm-editorial.com/interview-coaching-how-to-ace-a-job-interview-in-2021 

Plus an article by Adrienne Tom shared in the Canadian resource CERIC the full article with all the links is available here.

Free online career planning and job seeker program

The team at My Career Match have developed a free program for high school students that is broken into five key categories: 

• Career planning
• Promoting yourself
• Getting a job
• Personal development
• Wellness

Students can choose which categories and lessons they would like to work through. 

www.blastoff.mycareermatch.com.au 

Careers with STEM + Space

• Full listing of articles relating to Space careers is available at the Careers with STEM Space Hub
• The A-Z of Space Careers: Australia’s space sector is taking off, and there are loads of ways you could be a part of it. With the space industry predicted to triple in size over the coming decade here in Australia, space-related careers are on the up! Lookout for these out-of-the-box next-gen roles. Astronaut not included… J

Engineering Heroes Podcast

Engineers Australia is at the helm of the Engineering Heroes podcast series.  Students keen on a career in engineering may find these podcasts about the engineering challenges in today’s society of interest. Engineers discuss their work life and the issues they are dealing with.  There are various categories of podcasts including aerospace, building services, and computer systems. 

Visit Engineering Heroes and sign up for regular updates.

Overseas Student Exchange 

If you are interested in participating in an overseas exchange program or would like to find out about becoming a host family, World Education Program (WEP) is running several online information seminars for prospective students. 

For information on the WEP and to RSVP for an information session, visit https://wep.org.au/

University Course Guides by Sandie McKoy 

These are super handy resources for students

Allied Health

• Speech Pathology, click here
• Occupational Therapy, click here
• Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Clinical Myotherapy, click here
• Podiatry, click here
• Prosthetics and Orthotics, click here
• Youth Work, Social Work – click here
• Nutrition, Dietetics – click here
• Oral Health and Dentistry – click here

Nursing

• Nursing, click here
• Paramedicine – click here
• Midwifery – click here

Medical Science

• Diagnostic Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Therapy, Medical Ultrasound – click here
• Medical Laboratory Science, Biomedical Science – click here
• Pharmacy – click here

Medicine

• Medicine courses – Victoria
• Medicine courses – click here

Interested in Careers connected with geoscience or resources?

Australian Institute of Geoscientist has this super helpful website https://www.aig.org.au/careers-in-geoscience/ 

While the SA Chamber of Mines and Energy produces this publication known as Resourceful https://www.saresources.com.au/ 

Are you interested in pursuing an Apprenticeship or Traineeship?

Even though you have just started the schooling year, your planning should start now. 

Australian Apprenticeship Pathways have developed an excellent four-step guide to assist you to start planning - www.aapathways.com.au 

Read through Step One and take the work type explorer quiz, download the AusAppPathways app to your phone, and complete practice aptitude quizzes to ascertain the level of literacy and numeracy skills you will need for different occupations. 

You can also do the following during the year to prepare for an apprenticeship:

• Meet with your Career Adviser to start planning your professional trade career
• Undertake work experience in several fields or with several employers in the same field. See your Career Adviser for information on how to organise work experience. 
• Contact industry leaders and associations in your fields of interest to ask questions.
• Contact local apprenticeship centres and/or group training organisations to ask their advice on what makes a competitive apprenticeship applicant. Use the following website to locate organisations in your local area www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au 
• Work hard in your English and Mathematics classes and VET/technology/science subjects if relevant. With advances in technology occurring across all apprenticeship fields, it will be crucial that you can read and interpret complex information and instructions and adapt to changes in technology during your apprenticeship and once qualified. 
• Check out Industry Live Event Recording (25/2/21): Apprenticeships and Traineeships
  https://info.beaconfoundation.org.au/e/892741/AqN0bXXHcZ8/clv9/64695070?h=K6wUnMg3NxzzkgcEoZBu5sVBde5BiECspZ6cqOVGfXk
• Check out AATIS Career Information for School Leavers and their Parents (28/1/21): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=JRHOfv9Y5zk 
• Check out the local BBLLLEN Apprenticeships and Traineeships Info Session Recording (14/10/21) https://vimeo.com/624992227 
• Bookmark websites for industries you are interested in to keep up to date with changes to industry technology, skills shortages, and events. For example: 

Skills Spiderweb

Different jobs need different skills.  The Skills Spiderweb shows 12 skills that are common across many jobs.  The size of the web shows the level of skill or expertise workers usually need to perform well in their job.  So, the larger the web, the higher the skill level.Students are encouraged to visit Skills Spiderweb and play with the little drop-down tab and explore the many jobs listed.  Students can learn more about the skills required for particular jobs.

Applying for a Tax File Number (TFN)

Any student will need at tax file number if he/she starts work (part-time and full-time) and all students planning on a tertiary education require one when they start. Importantly, current Year 12 students are reminded that they cannot enrol in a CSP course at university without a Tax File Number, so it is worthwhile getting an application submitted early!  Students must apply for a TFN online and have their identity verified through an interview at a participating Australia Post office.  To apply and also to find out about participating Post Offices, visit TFN Application 

Research and Information to Ponder…

Project GenZ – 20 Life Skills Every Kid Needs

New research coming out of the UK relating to essential skills and employment outcomes for young people from the SkillsBuilder Partnership has provided some thought provoking ideas with the intention of exploring the following questions:

• Who has essential skills, and how does this vary by socio-economic background?
• How young people build essential skills, and what are their attitudes to them?
• What is the impact of essential skills on earnings and qualifications level?

A summary can be read here https://www.skillsbuilder.org/blog/better-prepared-essential-skills-and-employment-outcomes-for-young-people 

Students with a Morrisby profile are able to access a really detailed and well scaffolded UK resource called Skills Builder via the Progress tab ‘Essential Skills’ should they wish to work on developing their own core skills.