In this issue

It is never too early to start thinking about career ideas, researching your options, developing a career action plan or simply having a discussion with me!

If you are in Year 12 it is essential that you discuss your options with the key people in your life as soon as possible.  Have no idea what you would like to do when you leave school?  No stress!  Do not delay seeing me – now is the perfect time.  Not sure what to say?  Do not worry – it is my job to guide you and open up possibilities you may not have considered before.

As a starting point, if you are interested in studying at university or TAFE in the future, it is important you attend open days and plan out your course interests early.

If you are interested in pursuing a traineeship or apprenticeship pathway, it is important that you gain as much industry experience as possible.  You can undertake work experience once you turn fifteen years old in Years 10, 11 or 12.  Seeing me early in the year is important to ensure you can get organised early and to be able to start making links with local employers.

Please read the fortnightly Career Newsletter to ensure you keep up to date with upcoming career events, scholarships, information sessions and key dates, and much, much more!

Work Experience for the first term holiday break 2020 – please get applications in to the Career Office no later than Monday 2 March.  We need a number of weeks to complete all the paperwork and if we do not receive your application in a timely manner, you may not be able to undertake work experience when you want to.

Happy reading for this first newsletter of the year!

Mrs Deb Cumming
Head of Careers

Work Experience

The Florey Institute in Melbourne offers a week of work experience for secondary students interested in neuroscience, brain diseases and disorders, biomedical science, mental health and medicine.  Currently the work experience program is closed for applications but a second round may be offered in September 2020.  Please bookmark https://bit.ly/37V6CHT for updates.
Cost:  Families are responsible for all costs associated with the experience such as transport and accommodation.
Information:  www.florey.edu.au/

Work Experience Directory:  Students can bookmark the Work Experience Directory website and check regularly for work experience opportunities.  You will need to create an account and you can then search for opportunities in your area.  Go to, https://bit.ly/2sDABUN

Australian Defence Force:  Keep up to date with work experience opportunities for secondary school students, bookmark the following link, https://bit.ly/2OpQeaF

Casual Employment

You can sign up for employment opportunities at the following websites:

Coles, https://bit.ly/383OETN
IGA Supermarkets, https://bit.ly/382p4yw
KFC, https://bit.ly/33N7mM1
Woolworths, https://bit.ly/2RptgTp
Hungry Jacks, https://bit.ly/2qkwIU8
Kmart, https://bit.ly/2Y8U2Rd
Target, https://bit.ly/2qZ76MZ
McDonald’s, https://bit.ly/380Uvtb
Bunnings, https://bit.ly/2LfB2Ls
Donut King, https://bit.ly/2YbqYIy
Boost Juice, https://bit.ly/2P36v4I
Red Rooster, https://bit.ly/2Lf35Le
Myer, https://bit.ly/2sHiEov
Cotton On, https://bit.ly/2LjebPj
Sportsgirl, https://bit.ly/2RfT2cC
Officeworks, https://bit.ly/361GkCp
Apco, https://bit.ly/33F09xz

About eighty per cent of all job vacancies are not advertised, so it is crucial that you market yourself to businesses with an excellent resume and cover letter.  Make sure you tell as many people as possible that you are looking for work as employers often rely on ‘word of mouth’ to recruit for their positions.

Job seeking resources:  For excellent job seeking tips and resume/cover letter templates, check out the resources at Youth Central, https://bit.ly/2DIg04a

Rights and responsibilities:  Know your rights and responsibilities when starting a new job, https://bit.ly/2SggKUP

Tax File Number (TFN):  If you do not have a Tax File Number you will need to apply for one via the Australian Tax Office, https://bit.ly/37VdCnP

Parents – School to Work Resources

Supporting your child to prepare for the world of work after school can be a challenge.  Casualisation and globalisation of work force, automation and rapid advances in technology will all have an impact on your child’s navigation of the world of work.
The Australian Government has developed resources to support parents through their new Future Ready Career Education Portal.  To access the resources go to, https://bit.ly/2Ok0wsL

Competition – Filmmaking

Calling all secondary school film makers:  As part of their annual Martini Film Festival and Awards, JMC Academy hosts the High School Mocktail Film Awards.  To enter, you will need to submit a short film (for example; film, documentary, animation, television commercial, film clip) by Sunday 5 April.  To find out more and to submit your film go to, https://bit.ly/3b8u2eN

Interested in studying at university in the future?

The Good Universities Guide has released ratings and rankings of Australian university undergraduate courses.  You can compare ratings from the following categories:

•  Learner engagement
•  Learning resources
•  Overall quality
•  Skills development
•  Student support
•  Teaching quality
•  Graduate salary
•  Getting a job

To access the ratings and compare results between universities visit, https://bit.ly/2RSvASt

Charles Sturt University

Explore Days:  For secondary school students in Years 10 to 12.  Learn about courses at Charles Sturt University, participate in workshops and speak to course advisers.
Albury-Wodonga – 24 March and Wagga Wagga – 31 March, https://bit.ly/2ul20w3

Doctor of Medicine:  The first intake for the Doctor of Medicine will be in 2021.  Find out about entry requirements and the admissions process at an information session running in March and April, https://bit.ly/2ul20w3

Interested in pursuing an apprenticeship or traineeship?

Even though you have just started the schooling year, your planning should start now.  Australian Apprenticeship Pathways has developed an excellent four-step guide to assist you to start planning, http://bit.ly/2E2R7T2

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, http://bit.ly/2rdQlci
•  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.
•  Bookmark websites for industries you are interested in to keep up to date with changes to industry technology, skills shortages and events.
For example:
Bricklaying, http://bit.ly/2DYCwbA
Plumbing, http://bit.ly/2FK6wnP
ICT, https://bit.ly/2SaxPj2
Agriculture, https://bit.ly/36WW9dq
Community Services, https://bit.ly/2OoUQgS
Rail Careers, https://bit.ly/36Ruo65
Climate control, https://bit.ly/3b8mBo0

Australian Defence Force

Defence Force Gap Year Program
Applications for this fantastic program will open on 1 March.  Any student considering applying for a position in the Army, Air Force or Navy should book their YOU Session as soon as possible.  The YOU Session is an aptitude day and is the first step in the recruitment process for all roles in the Defence Force.  You can book a session by phoning 131 901 or visiting your local Defence Force Recruiting Centre.
Note:  Anyone considering applying for any role in the Defence Force to start in 2020 or 2021 should book a YOU session early!

Recruitment process, https://bit.ly/2SgzYtn
Gap Year Program, https://bit.ly/2GSbFNa
Defence Jobs, https://bit.ly/3b7yp9V

Work Experience
Secondary students can apply to undertake work experience in the Army, Navy or Air Force.  The following are examples of work experience opportunities that can be applied for.  It is important to note that work experience must be organised in partnership with your school and that students and their families are responsible for any costs associated with the work experience such as accommodation and transport.
9 to 11 March  Navy Aviation Overview, Nowra, NSW
23 and 24 March or 25 and 26 March  Air Force Familiarisation Camp, East Sale, Victoria
25 to 27 March  Introduction to Navy (Technical Trades), Crib Point, Victoria
29 March to 1 April  Women in Army Experience, Townsville, QLD
30 March to 2 April  Women in Navy Aviation Experience, Nowra, NSW
6 to 8 April  Navy Aviation Overview, Nowra, NSW
27 April to 1 May  Army General Entry – Indigenous Youth Program, Bandiana, Victoria
3 to 8 May  Army Officer Entry – Indigenous Youth Program, Duntroon, ACT
4 to 7 May  Army Familiarisation, Puckapunyal, Victoria
4 to 8 May  Army Familiarisation, Hawthorn, Victoria
18 to 20 May  Navy Aviation Overview, Nowra, NSW
For information and to apply for any of the above opportunities and to keep up to date with other future work experience options visit, https://bit.ly/2OpQeaF

Australian Defence Careers Expo
Considering a career in the Australian Defence Force?  Want to get an inside look at the people, places and products that make up Australia’s Navy, Army and Air Force?  Join us as Defence Force Recruiting hosts Melbourne’s biggest Defence Careers Expo at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre!
This expo will showcase some of the Defence’s best equipment, with various displays and interactive exhibits; check out the vehicle and weapons displays, witness performances from Service Bands and the Australian Federation Guard, and speak with current serving members about their own experiences and advice.
When:  Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February
Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Information and RSVP:  https://bit.ly/2SzAe7d

Upcoming Career Events

TAA Hotel Careers Expo
Over the next  five years up to 14,000 new hotel rooms will be constructed in Melbourne.  That is a thirty five per cent increase with 110,000 new jobs available.
Tourism Accommodation Australia is running a careers expo for prospective students where they can meet Melbourne’s major hotel brands and explore the range of career opportunities within the industry.
When:  25 March, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Where:  The Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street Melbourne.
Information and RSVP:  http://taavic.com.au/

UCAT Preparation Sessions
Any Year 12 student planning to study medicine or dentistry in 2021 may need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in July 2020, https://bit.ly/2HcrTki
The following companies are running UCAT preparation sessions:
Matrix Education, Saturday 15 February, Melbourne, 10:00 to 11:00 am, https://bit.ly/37ZXkKA
NIE, Saturday 21 March, Melbourne, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, https://bit.ly/36Q7coQ
MedEntry, 28 and 29 March, two-day weekend workshop, https://bit.ly/2RSrv0B

La Trobe University – Experience Clever
Years 10 to 12 students are invited to participate in the La Trobe University Experience Clever Day.  Students will be able to explore three study areas through one-hour workshops (such as, business, allied health, science, arts) and speak to course advisers.
Date:  Friday 28 February
Location:  Albury-Wodonga Campus
Information and RSVP: https://bit.ly/31JsL9H

University of NSW (UNSW) Arts and Law United Nations Workshop
This all-day workshop is for students in Years 10 to 12 who want to be inspired by addressing and resolving real world issues affecting our global society and building their skills in diplomacy, negotiation and public speaking.  Students will engage in a simulation of the debate and diplomacy which occurs in the UN’s real General Assembly.
When:  27 March or 26 June
Where:  UNSW Law Building, Kensington.
Information and RSVP:  https://bit.ly/2w064lJ

University scholarships for Year 12 high achievers

The University of Melbourne – George Hansen Scholarship:  If you are planning to study at The University of Melbourne in 2021, you should consider applying for the prestigious George Hansen Scholarship.  Stage 1 applications are now open and close on 9 March.  You must be able to prove financial disadvantage to be eligible, https://bit.ly/2IB4IDC

Australian National University (ANU) – Tuckwell Scholarship:  If you are planning to study at ANU in 2021, you should consider applying for the prestigious Tuckwell Scholarship.  Applications will open on 4 March and will close 25 March, https://bit.ly/2Sja5r7

Search for university scholarships
The Country Education Foundation has developed a resource to assist Year 12 students to find and apply for university scholarships.  To access the resource go to, http://bit.ly/2yGMSGX

Volunteer Overseas

Students in Years 10 and 11 looking for something worthwhile to do during the school holidays should look no further than a short-term overseas volunteer placement with Projects Abroad.  Position are available in places such as Nepal, Cambodia, Samoa and Fiji in positions such as archaeology, building, animal conservation, medical and dentistry interning, childcare, human rights, journalism and community work to name a few.  For information and to apply for the program go to, https://bit.ly/3bvCHbq

Lattitude Global Volunteering is a company that provides overseas placements for Year 12 graduates during their gap year.  You can volunteer in countries such as Argentina, Poland, Spain, China, Vietnam, Canada, Japan, UK, Fiji, Ghana and New Zealand, in positions such as teacher’s assistant, sports coach, outdoor activities instructor, medical assistant, teacher or community worker.  Lattitude is offering fifty per cent off the cost of the application fee to students who apply by 30 April, just use the code: AUMAIL50.  For information and to apply go to, https://lattitudeaustralia.org/

Train to become a flight attendant

The following are examples of two institutions that offer flight attendant training in the Melbourne area:
Aviation Australia:  Training runs in blocks with numerous starting dates throughout the year.  You can explore start dates, location and fees at this link, https://bit.ly/35kRGlw
William Angliss offers the Certificate III in Aviation (Cabin Crew).  To find out about the course go to, http://bit.ly/1U6C1uv

Careers With STEM

The latest issue of Careers with STEM celebrates diversity in science – whether it is highlighting the need for inclusiveness or non-traditional career pathways.  We feature thirty-five men and women in science careers helping us do everything from solve crimes to fight climate change and to be more sustainable, safe and efficient in both farming and resource extraction.  Discover where the STEM jobs are around Australia in our infographic and aspiring scientists can find their dream job in our fun personality quiz.
You can download the new Careers With STEM:  Science and Careers With STEM – Digital Retail at this link, https://bit.ly/2Os7gCR

Interesting articles from Careers With STEM
•  Virtual reality (VR) is revolutionising remote mental health care:  Using VR for remote therapy involves conducting ‘face-to-face’ sessions in a virtual environment.  This mode of treatment could make counselling more accessible to those living and working remotely, https://bit.ly/2w0k0fx
•  Civil engineering:  Everything you need to know: looking for career inspo now holidays are over?  Civil engineering is not all hard hats and high-rises.  Here is what to expect from a successful STEM career in construction, https://bit.ly/2tSSWhO

Interested in Engineering, Science and Maths?
You can download the following Careers with STEM magazines from this website, https://bit.ly/2Os7gCR
•  Careers with STEM: Engineering
•  Careers with STEM: Maths
•  Careers with STEM: Science
•  Careers with STEM: Economics
•  Careers with STEM: Health
•  Careers with Code