Careers Corner

Welcome to 2021 and our first edition of Careers Corner for the year.

Hopefully 2021 will be a year of fewer challenges than 2020!

This year Chatham High is hosting the Country University Roadshow on Thursday, 11 February.

Year 12 students from St Clare’s, Chatham and MVAC will attend this joint presentation by UNE, Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University and Newcastle University.  The presentation runs between 1 – 2 pm in Room 106.

There will be information provided about:

How to apply?
ATAR only
Getting to University without applying for, or without qualifying for, an ATAR
TAFE Certificate III or Certificate IV
Early Entry
Other pathways

How much does a university education cost?

Deferrable cost (HECS)
Text books
Accommodation
Transport
Food
Activities
Ways to meet costs (part-time work, scholarships, student loans, Abstudy, Centrelink benefits including Youth Allowance and Relocation Allowance)

Brief details of each of the four regional universities.

On the same day as the School Swimming Carnival, Friday, 12 February, Year 12 students will be having their first and only full Careers Day at school.  The purpose of this Careers Day is to enable students to embrace the complexities of Year 12 and to develop a timeline in order to avoid excessive stress levels.  The program will address issues such as:

• Goal setting
• Personal Strengths and skills
• Apprenticeship and Traineeship pathways
• TAFE pathways
• What is an ATAR?
• What is UAC?
• What is EAS?
• Checking NESA information and details
• Scholarships
• Subject bonus points (now known as adjustment factors)
• Flexible/Alternative Entries
• Early entrance
• School references
• Resumés
• Study time tables
• Student Careers Profile

There will be several guest speakers including TAFE personnel.  The venue will be the Josephite Learning Centre (Room 106).

Within the next month (Tuesday, 10 March 12:30 – 2:45 pm) any Year 11 and Year 12 students who are interested in a Health Careers pathway post-school will have the opportunity to attend the University of Newcastle Health Learning Centre in High Street, Taree.  I will be asking for expressions of interest to attend this excellent presentation.  There is a limit of 30, so it will be first in best dressed.  Information will be on hand regarding nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech therapy, radiography and medicine.  To be able to access this information in Taree is wonderful.  A bus will be provided for those students interested.

On Wednesday, 3 February several Year 10 and Year 11 students completed a White Card course at St Clare’s run by Men At Work.  Anyone who is considering either working or doing Work Experience in the Construction Industry must have a valid White Card in order to enter a building site.  They must complete a course in a “face to face” environment for the card to be valid in NSW.

It has been very exciting to hear that several of our 2020 Year 12 students have been successful in gaining scholarships for 2021.

Congratulations go to Elise Rourke who has been the recipient of one of the prestigious Ma & Morley Scholarships at Newcastle University.  This is a great honour.  Congratulations Elise!

Work Experience 2021

Work Experience (W/E) in 2021 at St Clare’s will be available as targeted work experience.

W/E will be for the following students:

• Transition to work students identified by Learning Support
• Students in Year 10 interested in leaving school to find employment at the end of 2021
• Students in Year 11 and 12 who need W/E as part of applications for courses, scholarships and employment.

W/E can be done in the following forms:

• 1 day a week – transition to work programs for Work Studies students
• 1 day/week for 5 weeks OR 1 week organised in conjunction with the school calendar for students looking to leave school
• During holidays for Year 11 and Year 12 students, and for Year 10 students - ONLY if two supporting St Clare’s teachers are available as monitors

Work Placement (W/P) for VET students will continue as normal in designated weeks.

Process for Work Experience

• Students in Year 10 wishing to be involved in a work experience program in 2021 will need to collect and fill in an application form (See Mrs McCann).
• Each application will require an interview with the Careers’ Adviser and a written reason for wanting to be part of the program supported by parents.
• All students will need to complete a “Work Ready” booklet which is in the W/E pack
• All students will need to complete “Go2workplacement”
• Year 11 and 12 students need to contact the Careers Adviser if they wish to participate in work experience
• An annual insurance fee applies to all students involved in W/E or W/P programs.

Important Dates

17 February 2021 School Photo Day - individual photos for Year12 students are appended to NESA registration for validation of HSC Examination identity- it is ESSENTIAL that students attend school on this day.

Please check the Careers section of the St Clare’s School website as there will be news about apprenticeships, traineeships, jobs as they come to hand and of course other important Careers information.

If anyone wishes to contact me about any of the above matters or anything to do with Careers or VET please email me at school (karen.mccann@mn.catholic.edu.au) or ring the school to talk or make an appointment.

Karen McCann
Careers/VET Adviser