Careers & VET Information
Careers Corner
This will be the last chapter of Careers Corner for this term.
The end of Term 2 is fast approaching and there is a great deal of information available on the many different post school pathways. The Year 12 students are hopefully looking at their post school options and are being urged to complete resumes and cover letters as well as applying for as many different courses as possible.
I have recently attended an information day on tertiary pathways. I will be placing all the information from this day on each Year Groups’ Careers Team OneNote.
I would like to encourage students and parents to check the relevant Year Group Careers Team OneNote each week for updated information on Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Scholarships and University Open days.
The Job Jump section has a wealth of information about all things Careers as well. Please make it a regular weekly occurrence to check the information here.
Job Jump is and continues to be a great source of Careers information for students and parents and it is with great sorrow that we were informed of the passing last week of Gary Grant who began Job Jump many years ago. Up until quite recently Gary has been at the forefront of this platform. We will keep Gary, his family, friends and colleagues in our prayers.
I will be bombarding students with emails. So PLEASE check your emails carefully so that you don’t miss out on an opportunity if and when it becomes available. I am constantly being made aware of job vacancies in many different areas and email these out to the students as soon as I receive them.
There is currently an opportunity at a local dentist for a fulltime trainee receptionist/assistant. I am asking if anyone is interested to come and see me.
On Thursday this week, 60 Year 11 and Year 12 students travelled to Newcastle to take part in a Newcastle University Open Day. The students all registered for several sessions throughout the day and were given a great deal of information about the courses running at Newcastle University plus scholarship and accommodation information.
It was an early start but certainly worth the trip down and back. There will be some photos and more information in Careers Corner next term.
Next term on Thursday, 1 August, there will be a “Careers Quip” here in Taree at Fotheringham Park. I am in the process of organising for Years 10, 11 and 12 to attend. There will be many different exhibitors at this event, all with post school employment information. Last year was excellent. Details will be forthcoming in the first few weeks of Term 3.
Several universities are now open for early entry and several of these universities have their early entry separate from UAC. UNE, Southern Cross and Charles Sturt have various pathways and are worth considering. Newcastle University has just opened its Early Entry pathway and I have emailed the information to the students as well as placing this in our Careers Team OneNote. Please make sure that you have a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C!
There is also an information booklet and a PowerPoint with information about this in the Year 12 Careers OneNote with a summary of Early Entry 2025 for Year 12 2024 students.
University scholarships will begin to open up over the coming months and some have already, so if you want to choose that pathway it is very important to keep checking university websites.
APPLY, APPLY APPLY!
Many scholarships go “untaken”. You have to be in it to win it and have nothing to lose by applying.
UAC DATES
Key dates for 2024 to 2025
Dates are correct as of 2 April 2024 but subject to change. Times indicated are based on Sydney time.
Application dates
Monday, 30 September 2024 - Early bird processing charge deadline (pay for and submit your application by this date to avoid the higher processing charge.)
Friday 7 February 2025 - Applications close for Semester 1, 2025.
Some courses have early closing dates set by the institutions. Check the course descriptions on UAC’s website at uac.edu.au/search.
Processing charges
Early bird standard
Wednesday 3 April to 11.59pm Monday 30 September 2024 $80 Tuesday 1 October 2024 to Friday 7 February 2025 $215
All fees and charges are in Australian dollars, not refundable under any circumstances (except as required by law) and subject to change after 30 June 2024.
Year 12 results and ATAR dates
All dates determined by external organisations are subject to change.
2024 NSW HSC students 2024 ACT Year 12 students
Wednesday 18 December 2024
HSC results released by NESA from 6 am
ATARs released on UAC website from 9 am
Wednesday 18 December 2024
Statement (including ATAR) issued by ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies. ATARs released on UAC website from 9 am
International Baccalaureate (IB) students
Tuesday 17 December 2024
Results released by IB Cardiff, UK
Offer dates
All dates are subject to change. For the latest information, check uac.edu.au/key-dates.
Undergraduate
Institutions decide when they will make offers to their courses. There may be a significant amount of time between when you apply for a course and when the institution makes offers to that course. Most offers to 2025 Semester 1 courses will be made in December and January.
SRS Information from UAC
Students may receive one unconditional Offer per SRS offer round.
November Round 1 released 8 November
- 8 November students may receive one unconditional offer
- 8 November students may receive several conditional
November Round 2 – may receive one unconditional offer
December Round 1 - may receive one unconditional offer - Conditional Offers released by email only
- Unconditional Offers released through the UAC system and via email
There are also quite a few TAFE scholarships available in different areas. I can’t stress enough the importance of looking on the appropriate websites.
Those who have registered for the UCAT can access practice papers either on the UCAT website or other websites such as NIE. Be aware that most of these other websites charge money for the papers and workshops.
If anyone needs assistance with this, please come and see me.
I would also like to encourage those Year 12 students who are applying for University to register with UAC ($80 before 30 September and $215 after this date). Once you have done this you can apply for SRS (Schools Recommendation Scheme) (There are several students who have already done this). As students of St Clare’s, you automatically get the EAS consideration for being a student at a disadvantaged school and don’t have to apply for this particular part of EAS. There are also various other forms of disadvantage so if you think you qualify for any of these come and see me and we will go through the application process.
Year 10 Subject Selection Process
Year 10 students will be beginning their subject selection process soon and have been given access to their Year 10 Careers OneNote through their Year 10 Team. It is very important that each student look at their strengths, passions and what they like when considering subject choices and to this end work through the booklet which they will be given a hard copy of during their Period 1 mentoring sessions each week. This booklet will also be in the Content Library of the OneNote. Students can copy this into their own section of the OneNote and fill it in or keep using the hard copy. There will also be a UAC guide in the Content Library which shows various university courses and their requirements as well as a link to a “subject compass” to help in making choices for Year 11.
Information about TAFE and other pathways will also be provided. If any student is unable to access this OneNote, please come and see me or email me.
There will be an information evening for the students and parents regarding 2025 and beyond which will be held on Wednesday, 31 July at 6:30 pm.
TVET Course
If any Year 10 student would like to do a “TVET” course throughout 2025 and 2026, they will need to come and see me to get an expression of interest form once I have received these from TAFE. This should happen within the next couple of weeks. Next year TAFE are offering several online TVET subjects, and I will be providing more information regarding this in the coming weeks. I will put a booklet in the Team OneNote which outlines the courses available for next year. Students attend TAFE one day a week and school four days a week. Each student is responsible for making their own way to TAFE and home on their nominated day. This usually occurs on a Friday, however over the past couple of years Electrotechnology has run on a Wednesday.
There is a cost associated with these courses.
Some funding is made available to schools to support the provision of these courses. The funding agreement is based on the ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) Tier rating of the school. Based on the Tier rating of our school, families are asked to make a contribution towards the cost of these courses which does not exceed 16% of the qualification cost, capped at $1200. The remainder of the course costs are covered by funds contributed by the government and the Catholic Schools Office.
Things to remember when thinking about TVET/VET
- Some EVET courses are 4 units x 1 year. This means there is a bigger workload over the year and a parent contribution of up to $1200 for the year.
- Some courses have the option of an HSC Exam, others don’t. This is written on the information sheets available for each course.
- Work missed at school must be caught up.
- Compulsory Work Placement means a week out of school (35 hrs per year) each year for each 2 units. If the first year is missed, then the 70 hours have to be made up in the second year. If the course is 4 units x 1 Year, then 70 hours of Work Placement is necessary within that year.
- If a student does an EVET course and a VET course that means 70 hrs per year Work Placement
CAA Latest News
The latest news from the CAA is as follows:
Information Sessions for Students & Parents
Academy of Interactive Technology (AIT) Open Day - 13 July 2024 Join AIT on Campus in Sydney or Melbourne for Open Day. Attend workshops and watch live demonstrations. Take a Campus Tour. Experience the Post Production Studio and Green Screen Room. Chat with course advisers, educators and current students, and have all questions answered. Register here:
TAFE NSW | Bradfield Senior College Open Days For HSC students interested in preparation for the creative industries - filmmaking, a career in design or visual arts, production or performance, Bradfield’s project-based learning in Year 11 can build specialisations and industry connections. Find out more at an upcoming Open Day on 2 July, 30 July or 20 August.
TAFE NSW Information Sessions Offered online or at a participating campus, Information Sessions allow students to discover how TAFE NSW can help them to get the skills they need for the careers they want. Register here:
CQUniversity | Open Day Online Chat Session - Thursday, 25 July 3pm (AEST) CQU's Open Day Online Chat Session is a great opportunity to chat directly with expert staff about courses, student support services, scholarships, pathways, or anything else about studying with CQUniversity. Have questions about future study options whether it's TAFE or university, register at:
Save the Dates for ACU Open Day Save the dates to attend Open Day at ACU Blacktown Campus on 27 July, Strathfield Campus on 17 August, North Sydney Campus on 7 September, or Canberra Campus on 14 September. Students can get information about studying at ACU, tour campuses and chat to staff about ACU courses. Learn more:
CreAIT High School Competition 2024 CreAIT is a competition for high school aged students to showcase their creativity. Theme: Into the Future. Put them in the running to win a Wacom to start animating today. To ensure they are in the running, submit their application and original artwork by 5pm on Friday 2 August. More information and the entry form can be found at:
Western's School of Law - 2024 Kirby Cup Western Sydney University Competition Western's School of Law invites high schools in Western Sydney to participate in the 2024 Kirby Cup Western Sydney University Competition. This year’s theme is Law and Diversity and asks teams to reflect on the varied experiences with the law by people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Teams to submit their entries by Friday 27 September 2024:
Projects Abroad Overseas Medical Experience - Webinar Year 10-12 students interested in further studies in healthcare subjects can learn about clinical experience programs run by Projects Abroad in countries such as Cambodia and Nepal. The programs are two weeks long and run in the holidays, students can join as individuals or with friends. The webinar recording is available at
Personalised Swiss Luxury Business Hotel and French Culinary Schools Sessions Swiss Hotel Schools now offer courses in Hotel, Events, Luxury Goods, Real Estate, Wealth Management plus more. Register at:
if students or parents would like to book in a 15-30 min personalised Zoom meeting. If interested in business, hospitality or don't know what to do yet, if students ski or are adventurous or just want a gap year project, then contact Don at 0422766730.
Courses & Workshops for Students
Academy of Interactive Technology (AIT) Workshops Book a 60 minute workshop in: 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Film or Game Design. A representative from AIT will facilitate the workshop at school or at the Ultimo Campus. If located in a Sydney metro school, a representative from AIT will come visit, so no travel is required. Book today: Samantha Montaos to discuss further 0426 534 779 or email samantha.montaos@ait.edu.au.
The Interior Design Institute - Study Interior Design Start an exciting new hobby or career in interior design. The comprehensive program covers everything from fundamentals to advanced techniques. Enrol now to start the journey in creating beautiful, functional spaces. Visit:
SAE | Create for a Day SAE University College is opening its doors this July for a one-day program, designed to expand skills and work on inspiring creative projects in the fields of Animation, Audio, Design, Film, Games or Electronic Music Production. When: Saturday 6 July, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm (local time) | Sydney, Byron Bay. Register now at:
July HSC Holiday Preparation Workshops at Macquarie University A series of HSC subject-specific workshops are being held at Macquarie University in the July Holidays (8 to 12 July). Hear from HSC teachers in the following subjects: English (Advanced and Standard), Mathematics (Advanced and Standard 2), Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry and PDHPE. Learn more at:
New Date Released | Designer for a Day Workshop 10 July Missed out on 11 July event? Join Sydney Design School for an insight into their creative world. Get hands on and develop own interior space, create a mood board, play with colour and materials, and visualise a space in 3D using the latest computer software. Designer for a Day Workshop for high school students 10 July, $99 per person. Book a place at:
UCAT NIE: Free Webinar – Pathways into Medicine, and all about UCAT On 25 July 2024 the National Institute of Education will be presenting a webinar about UCAT, Interviews, Pathways into Medicine and Dentistry. The session is packed with invaluable information. Register here:
NIE | Early Medical School Entry Interview Preparation Years 11-12 students considering a career in Medicine or Dentistry? If so, then start medical interview preparation early. NIE August workshop dates are nearly full. To register please visit:
For further enquiries please contact NIE at enquiries@nie.edu.au or call (02) 4367 0404 / 0404 197 178 /
Careers in Medicine, Engineering, Business, Creative Writing, Psychology, Veterinary Studies with NIE National Institute of Education Careers has a unique opportunity to experience 11 Days of Residential Career Program, 5 – 15 January 2025 at the University of Sydney, for students 13 - 18 years of age. TEL. 1300 974 187 or 0412 439 115 enquiries@nie.edu.au Details via:
Jobs & Work Experience
UNSW School of Chemical Engineering Work Experience Program The UNSW School of Chemical Engineering is delivering Work Experience Week, from October 14 – 18. Perfect for high school students passionate about chemical engineering, this immersive program offers a unique glimpse into university life and potential career paths. Secure a spot today. Visit:
Master Builders Association of NSW is Taking Applications for Apprenticeship Opportunities Master Builders Association is taking applications now for apprenticeship opportunities in the Northern Beaches and Northern Sydney area. Master Builders have opportunities within multiple trades for all ages and entry levels. Suitable for those who have the commitment and drive to commence and complete an apprenticeship in the building industry. For more information email careers@mbansw.asn.au.
Resources for Students
Western's Free HSC Study Sessions Western's annual free HSC Study Sessions are being offered again this year from Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October. Year 12 students are invited to register now for the free HSC Study Sessions. Students can choose from a range of 24 free sessions across 15 key HSC subject areas. Find out more and register:
Other Information
Announcement: Western Sydney University | World #1 Topping the World’s Leading University Sustainability Ranking Three Years in a Row Western Sydney University has been named number one in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings topping the world’s leading university sustainability ranking three years in a row.
Last Friday we had the pleasure of a visit from Hugh Hayden from Koolah Park Highlands. He spoke to the Year 12 students about what he and his partner have created and the importance of taking an opportunity when it arises. He also spoke about the fact that there are many different options and pathways and sometimes you change direction. Mrs Nicole Lovern was very impressed – the Highland Cattle were beautiful! Once again, a big thanks to Erin Lute from RIEP for organising these visits and presentations for the Year 12 students. We have been asked to complete a survey and hopefully most of the students will have completed this.
A reminder to those students who might be interested in Work Experience to come and see me and collect the necessary paperwork.
I am happy to meet with anyone who has questions regarding Careers and/or TVET. The students can write their names in one of the “white spaces” on the timetable on my office door and I can be contacted by phone (6552 3300) or email karen.mccann@mn.catholic.edu.au.
Karen McCann
Careers/VET Adviser