Creating Personal Futures

Careers Education at Glen Waverley Secondary College

 

“Creating Personal Futures” is the underpinning rationale of the GWSC Years 7-12 Careers Education Program. The program focuses on developing students’ self-concept and broadening their perspective, enabling them to better understand their internal and external worlds and the ever-changing, dynamic nature of these worlds and the ever changing world of work.

 

The program aims to increase students’ awareness of the complexity of career planning and to assist them in developing the skills to be able to cope with change in their lives.

 

This holistic approach to career development aims to develop ‘career adaptability attitudes’, which will enhance students’ capacity to construct and manage their own careers. These attitudes as defined by renowned career theorist Mark Savickas are:

 

Concern - That students will show a future orientation and see the value in thinking about and planning for the future.

 

Curiosity - That students will demonstrate an inquisitive and exploratory attitude to finding out about the world of work and how one’s self-identity fits into that world.

 

Confidence - That students will trust their ability to handle challenges and make decisions, and will anticipate successful outcomes.

 

Control - That students feel capable of and responsible for constructing their careers.

 

As part of the Careers program at Glen Waverley, all students will be developing an electronic Career Action plan that will become an important document to help them with choosing the right subjects and helping them to make informed career choices.

Students also have access to a dedicated Careers team and Careers Office where they are able to come and ask questions and seek help about careers related matters. Both students and parents/guardians have access to the GWSC careers website that is updated on a regular basis and they also receive a weekly newsletter.

 

Years 7 & 8

In Years 7 & 8, students start to explore their concept of work and what a career might look like. They will undertake a range of activities that will expose them to asking questions about what they see their future looking like.

 

Year 9

In Year 9, all of the students will undertake a range of activities to help them better prepare for the ever changing world of work and to allow them to choose subjects for their senior years that meet the requirements of interest, enjoyment and strength.

 

Work Experience and Senior School preparation

Students will also take part in various seminars to help them find a meaningful Work Experience placement when they are in Year 10. They will also take part in activities designed to help them choose an appropriate pathway for Year 11 and 12.

 

Morrisby Profile and interview

All Year 9 students will be completing the Morrisby Profile as part of the My Future Careers program and they will also be having a one on one interview with a qualified Careers Counsellor who will help to unpack their profile. 

 

Year 10

Careers development program

As part of their studies, all Year 10 students will complete a Careers Development program that builds on the work they have completed in Year 7 – 9 and also start them to think critically on their personal future.

 

By the end of Year 10, it is expected that students will:

  • Understand that career development is a lifelong process
  • Understand that in a world of change, lifelong learning is essential
  • Have the confidence to apply a problem-solving strategy to make a decision
  • Develop an understanding of self
  • Acquire an understanding of educational pathways in Australia
  • Acquire an awareness of tertiary learning environments in Australia
  • Understand the role of the Careers Advisor in supporting students
  • Be able to locate print and online career information
  • Be able to work cooperatively in group activities and share information

Work experience

Work experience is a program where Year 10 students experience the world of work, often for the first time. It is the short-term (5 days) placement with employers, to provide insights into the industry and the workplace in which a student is hoping to work in. Students will primarily observe and learn, and undertake manageable tasks; they will not undertake activities which require extensive training or expertise.

 

Work experience forms an integral part of the career development process. It can provide students with:

  • A better understanding of the work environment and what employers expect of their workers.
  • An opportunity to explore possible career options.
  • An increased self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence.
  • An increased motivation to continue study and/or undertake further training.
  • A better understanding of how the school curriculum can help prepare young people for work.
  • An introduction to workplace recruitment practices.
  • Enhanced opportunities for part-time and casual employment.
  • The opportunity to include the employer’s work experience evaluation in future job and course applications.
  • The opportunity to develop work-related competencies and acquire skills e.g. communication, teamwork skills.
  • The opportunity to ‘try out’ a career interest area, prior to undertaking VCE/VET studies in Year 11 & 12.
  • Evidence of interest in a particular career area to include in an interview for university/TAFE selection, or for a job.

The Work Experience Arrangement

Each work experience placement requires the completion of a work experience arrangement form. This form is a legal document and must be completed and signed by all parties involved - the student, the parent, the employer and the school. Students will be provided with a pre-filled copy of this form at the start of Year 10 and they are also available from the Careers Office.

 

The student will be insured for WorkCover and Public Liability by the Department of Education and should be paid a minimum of $5.00 a day by the employer (Federal Government Institutions and non-profit organisations are exempt from making payments).

 

Features of the Glen Waverley Secondary College Year 10 Work Experience Program

 

  • All Year 10 students are expected to do a minimum of one week’s work experience with the exception of International Students and students with less than one year’s residency in Australia who have limited English.
  • The designated work experience week is the last week of Term 2.
  • Students can arrange additional work experience during the term holidays but cannot do work experience during the summer holidays (Dec/Jan).
  • The College requires that students must be 15 years of age to access work experience. Students who will not be 15 years of age during the designated work experience week, will need to wait until they turn 15 to do work experience.
  • Students are expected to find their own work experience. The Careers and Pathways Manager will be available to assist students through this process.
  • Students are encouraged, where possible, to use their work experience as a ‘TASTER' and undertake work experience in an area in which they have a career interest. This will give them some insight into the work involved and the skills and personal qualities that the job requires.
  • All students are required to complete OHS training and testing before going out on work experience. This is mandated by government regulation.
  • Students in Year 11 and 12 who wish to do work experience, will normally be required to do work experience in the school holidays.

 Vocational testing

Students will use their Morrisby profile that was completed in Year 9 to further explore their preferred future. They will be exploring different options for their VCE and how these options fit in with their profile.

 

Vocational interest testing can be a valuable tool in conjunction with other holistic career development activities, in particular for students who have no idea about what they may like to do in the future. It can enhance their knowledge of vocational interests and provide them with a range of occupations to be explored. Follow up with career exploration activities of occupations can then form the basis of reality checking. Students need to know which courses and occupations are real options, which are those from which they will be excluded because they do not have the physical requirements or the academic ability. They also need to be aware of future job prospects in occupational areas that interest them.

 

VCE Planning Seminar

In preparation for selecting their Year 11 VCE course, Year 10 students will attend a VCE/VCE VM Planning Seminar to explain the VCE/VCE VM system and to provide them with information on the VCE/VCE VM subjects available at GWSC. Students are also informed of VET in the VCE/VCE VM options, alternatives to completing the VCE at GWSC and factors which should be considered when choosing VCE/VCE VM subjects.

 

Following the seminar, each Year 10 class will be allocated a VCE/VCE VM course counsellor who will discuss with students their proposed VCE?VCE VM course and advise accordingly. There will also be a VCE?VCE VM Information Night for parents and guardians.

 

Students will receive a folder of information which will include all the activities that are needed to be completed when deciding on choosing the most appropriate subjects for Year 11 and 12. Students will also be required to access the online Year 10 VTAC guide. This guide is important reading for Year 10 students as it lists prerequisite VCE subjects. These are subjects that students must study in the VCE to be eligible to gain entry to a tertiary course at University or TAFE.

 

VCE Careers Expo

All students and their parents will be able to attend the VCE Careers Expo held in early term 3. The expo will allow them to ask questions of current students studying the different subjects on offer at GWSC as well as asking the Heads of Learning Areas about their subjects. There will also be the opportunity to talk to representatives from the major Universities and TAFE providers. This aim of the expo is to allow the students to make informed subject choices for their VCE.

 

VCE Parent Information Evening

This evening will allow parents to become better informed in the structure of the VCE and how it is run. Topic covered will include:

          Subject selection

          VCE structure at GWSC

          ATAR and Scaling

          Alternatives to the VCE.

 

Years 11 & 12

In Year 11, the students will continue refining their ideas of the world and the main focus is looking at where they might be heading after Year 12. They will partake in a range of different activities across the year that will help them to choose subjects for their Year 12 that meet the prerequisites for University and TAFE and, more importantly, that they are interested in completing.

 

The main focus in Year 12 is the transition to University, TAFE or employment.

The Tertiary Transition Program aims to prepare students for the move from secondary schooling to tertiary study, further training or employment. Students will participate in the following activities:

  • Year 12 Careers Seminar at Monash University (February) which includes a tour of the Monash Campus and a presentation by a Monash University student recruitment officer.
  • Student and Parent VTAC briefings (August) where all aspects of the tertiary course selection process, including SEAS (Special Entry and Access Schemes) and Scholarships will be covered.
  • ‘One on one’ career counselling (ongoing throughout the year) held during one of their nominated study periods.
  • Presentations by guest speakers invited to the College.

Students are encouraged to attend institutional information evenings and Open Days and to research courses and careers using the plethora of institutional and careers sites on the web.


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