Great Career Ahead Signpost

The Careers Coordinator is responsible for Career Education within ASC. In accordance with College policies and objectives, the Careers Coordinator provides guidance and support to students, their parents and staff so as to ensure a proper environment is established and maintained which helps students to develop a positive self-concept, obtain increased control over their lives and maximises career possibilities.

Our Careers Co-ordinator is Philip Stevenson. Philip may be contacted via email at philip.stevenson@education.vic.gov.au or by telephone on 5770 2006.

It is the role of the Careers Coordinator to:

  • assists parents, students and teachers in the process of suitable selection of Courses and Subjects for students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12.
  • manage the year 10 Work Experience Program within ASC.
  • oversee the implementation of career interest’s assessment for senior students, provide up-to-date information to students, staff and parents about post-secondary education and employment prospects for students.
  • facilitate the transition from school to work and school to further study.

For further details on career related matters, click on the following links:

Careers under a magnifying glass

Exploring Career Options

There are many online resources providing information and insights into career options. Listed below is a range of websites which could help you develop an understanding of various workplaces today and in the future. These are valuable resources worth visiting in preparation for a discussion with family, teachers and Careers Counsellors.

  • Myfuture – career information and exploration website – many resources to plan your career
  • Career FAQs – contains job profiles, interview suggestions and sample resumes
  • Australian Jobs – guide to the Australian labor market
  • Youth Central – Victorian Government’s website for young people aged 12-25. Contains information and advice on issues like jobs, study, travel, money etc.
  • Job Outlook – Information on job prospects, weekly earnings, training.

Planning a Pathway

The following additional websites are useful to assist with decisions about post-school options:

  • VTAC website – Course information and application procedures for courses offered by Victorian institutions.
  • VTAC Publications – Including the Year 11 & 12 Guide and the Year 10 guide, the ABC of Applying and the ABC of Offers as well as future years course prerequisite listings.
  • ATAR Calculator – An online tool for estimating an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.

The following additional websites provide practical information for mapping a career pathway as you approach the senior schooling years:

  • Where to Now? – VCE, VCAL and Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

Work Experience

Work Experience is an important part of ASC’s educational program where students experience the world of work, often for the first time. It, generally, occurs in the last week of term two at the Year 10 level with the actual dates altering each year.

It involves the short-term placement of a secondary school student with an employer, to provide insights into an industry and the workplace in which they are located.

The work experience program has enormous benefits for student and is designed to broaden secondary school students’ experience and understanding of the world of work and career opportunities.

The key to getting a good work experience placement is to start early. Many employers start planning their program a year before-hand. Placements in organisations like the Zoo, Victoria Police, professional sporting clubs, newspapers and hospitals are very popular and have few available spots. These groups need to be approached as early as possible to be a realistic possibility of gaining a placement.

You should “access your allies” in the search for a suitable placement. Family members, friends, neighbours and sporting club associates are always a good place to start the search. Of course, the ASC Careers Coordinator is also only too happy to assist students in obtaining a placement too.

Once a placement has been found the next step is to complete a “Work Experience Arrangement Form”. This document is a legal contract between the four parties involved, these being the;

  1. Student
  2. Parent
  3. Employer and
  4. ASC.

The form can be obtained from the Careers Coordinator or from the Department of Education and Training Work Experience resources site. Once completed by the student, parent and employer it should be returned to the Careers Coordinator for checking and processing.

Occupational Health and Safety

Prior to commencing Work Experience, students must satisfactorily complete Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training. This will be done at school during the students Lifeskills class. To view these Safe @ Work program and other OHS resources, see Occupational Health and Safety.

Guidelines for undertaking work experience with animals

The Department of Education and Training (DET) has identified that students working with animals could be exposed to risks not found in other workplaces. DET recommends that host employers recognise the hazards which could place a work experience student at risk, and consider the experience and capabilities of the student before placing the students.

The guidelines require students and parents to consider the hazards associated with animal contact and help prospective employers to plan suitable activities by providing information about the student’s experience and capabilities with animals on the “Proposed work experience with animals: summary of student’s experience” form.

It is the role of the Work Experience Coordinator to review the completed “Proposed work experience with animals: summary of student’s experience” form. If the information provided by the student is satisfactory, the information is forwarded to the prospective host employer for a final decision. If the Work Experience Coordinator has concerns about the student’s suitability or capability, the placement may not go ahead.

These guidelines only apply to work experience students aged 15 years and over. No students under 15 years should be permitted to undertake work experience involving direct contact with animals.

Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)

ASC’s Structured Workplace Learning program enables students the opportunity to integrate practical on-the-job experience in industry as part of their VCAL and VCE, VET programs of study. Placements generally occur once a week (on a Wednesday) for a maximum of 20 days with a single employer (unless an exemption has been applied for and granted).

Host employers supervise and instruct students as they practise and extend the industry skills they have learned in their VET programs. Similarly, to Work Experience, SWL placements benefit the student by building their confidence and understanding of employer expectations.

The key to getting a good SWL placement is to start early and students should “access your allies” in the search for a suitable placement. Family members, friends, neighbours and sporting club associates are always a good place to start the search. ASC Careers Coordinator is also happy to assist students in obtaining a placement too.

Students can also access SWL placements via the SWL Statewide Portal. The Statewide Portal lists current SWL placements available with employers from across Australia. You can restrict your search by location and industry.

Prior to the commencement of SWL the employer, students’ parent and Principal of ASC must sign the SWL Arrangement Form and SWL Travel and Accommodation Form as appropriate.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

School Based Apprenticeships & Traineeships (SBAT) If you are enrolled in the VCE or VCAL, a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship offers you the opportunity to combine an apprenticeship or traineeship with your school studies.

A number of people are involved in arranging a school based apprenticeship or traineeship, including you, your parents, an employer, A TAFE or other registered training organisation (RTO), your school and an Apprenticeship Network Provider.

A school based apprenticeship or traineeship requires a minimum or 13 hours per week, consisting of both training and employment. The arrangement must be integrated with you school timetable. It contributes towards you VCE or VCAL, leads to a nationally recognised qualification and includes paid work.

For further information please visit: Where to Now?

Full-time Apprenticeship or Traineeship An Apprenticeship or Traineeship is a training contract between an employer and an employee in which the apprentice or trainee learns the skills needed for a particular occupation or trade.

Apprentices and trainees are paid while learning, acquire nationally recognised job skills and combine formal training from a TAFE or training provider with workplace-based training.

Find information in the Victorian context at Victorian Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship and Traineeship guidelines for employers can be found on the Department of Education and Training (DET) website.

University

Universities grant academic degrees and focus on equipping graduates to work as professionals in their chosen areas. All courses expect high levels of written communication, problem solving, independent learning and research skills.

If you are looking for information to help you choose an institution, or an undergraduate course, you can go to the new Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT) website, which will give you feedback from thousands of students about their experiences studying higher education in Australia. This is at http://www.qilt.edu.au.

What Degree? Which University? – provides an overview of courses, accommodation and helpful tips from universities around Australia

For information about tertiary financial assistance refer to https://www.studyassist.gov.au/

Visit Victoria’s Universities below and follow links to Future Students or Prospective Students to discover what courses are available.

TAFE

TAFE Institutes offer a range of mainly vocational tertiary education and courses including Certificate III & IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Entry to these courses often requires completion of Year 12, however, some courses only require completion of Year 10 or Year 11. Courses at TAFE can be as short as 8 weeks or as long as 3 years. Many can be studied during the day or evening, part time or full time.

Students require maturity, commitment and responsibility to succeed in TAFE environments. TAFE courses can be practical, innovative and interactive.

For TAFE courses available in Victoria go to The Victorian Skills Gateway, a one-stop-shop for vocational training in Victoria.

Tax File Number

Tax file numbers (TFNs) are issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and are used to identify you individual taxation record. You will need a TFN when you become employed, when you open a bank account, when you seek Centrelink payments and enrol at an institution for your fee help.

ASC students should apply online directly to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Centrelink

Youth Allowance is Australian Government Financial Assistance for anyone eligible aged 16 and 24 years of age. If you are studying full time, an apprentice, sick or looking for work full time then you should visit the Department of Human Services Youth Allowance website and find out more.