Careers Corner

This week sees the end of Week 8 Term 4.  Not long left in the school year for 2023.

The Year 12 students who have completed an ATAR pathway will receive their ATARs on Thursday, 14 December.  The wait is finally over and many decisions re post school pathways will be made.  Please come and see me if you would like any assistance with this.  Good luck to everyone. 

I continue to receive many emails from employers looking for students to fill positions.  Mid Coast Connect and VERTO send me information about apprenticeships and traineeships in our area and MidCoast Council have advertised several positions for 2024.  I have emailed all the information to the students in Years 10, 11 and 12.  So please CHECK YOUR EMAILS. 

I also put the information in the Year Group Careers OneNote which all the students should have access to. 

Regarding some of these positions, any interested students need to come and see me for further information, as per email information. 

On Friday, 23November, Paul Allan from Club Taree came in to talk to the Year 11 students about Career Pathways in Hospitality and in the Resort Industry.  Paul is a former student of St Clare’s (1996) and has followed a very interesting pathway since leaving school.  He had a great deal of information to give to the students and made them aware that their “soft skills” are very important and transferrable across many different careers.  Thanks, Paul, for giving up your time to talk to the students. 

On Friday, 17 November Shane Hardcastle and his team from Macquarie University came to speak to the students and imparted many tips and tricks to successfully navigate the HSC.  He had some excellent advice.  Thanks to Shane, Sally and Jess from InspirED and Macquarie University.

Careers Association of Australia News

Below is a wealth of information for parents and students regarding numerous post school pathways, courtesy of the Careers Association of Australia.

Courses & Workshops for Students

Campion College Summer Program | 9-12 or 17-19 January 2024 Experience college life and a taste of Campion's Bachelor of Arts in the Liberal Arts. Open to students aged 16 plus. Includes accommodation on campus, meals, social activities and sample lectures in history, literature, philosophy and theology. Free to attend but spaces are limited. Register at

TAFE NSW Pathway with the University of Newcastle The dynamic tourism, hospitality and events industries offer students a career filled with vibrant experiences. This pathway begins with an Advanced Diploma at TAFE NSW with students then able to transition into the Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events (484400) at the University of Newcastle. Find out more:

Making it in Media 2024 | Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt University is once again holding a Making it in Media workshop for students interested in Communication. As part of the event, students will work on a simulated media event in a TV studio, radio station and creative hub in Charles Sturt's newly upgraded $4.6 million facility in Bathurst. Please save the dates for 2024: 21 June for Year 11 and 12 and 15 November for Year 9 and 10. 

Information Sessions for Students & Parents

The Women's College within The University of Sydney Information Day - Friday 15 December Students can secure their accommodation and learn about academic support for their university studies by visiting Women's College on Info Day, before finalising their UAC preferences. Meet the Principal and Women's College students, tour College and enjoy some light refreshments. Register:

Open Day | JMC ACADEMY Saturday 20 January 2024, 561 Harris Street, Ultimo. See creativity come to life and explore a creative future. Tour world-class facilities and activations, network and meet students and industry experts, check out live performances. Register now:

Canberra Institute of Technology Course Information Sessions The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) has upcoming information sessions across a broad range of course areas. This is an excellent opportunity for prospective students to speak directly with CIT teachers to explore their course and career options. Learn more:

Notre Dame Invitation to Options Day - Friday 15 December, 10am-2pm Join in at the bustling Broadway campus for Options Day 2023. Students can find out everything they need and want to know about Notre Dame so they can start their studies in 2024 with confidence. Students can discuss their options, change preferences and enrolment information including their Early Offer and more. Registrations essential:

The University of Sydney Information Day - Friday 15 December Start a career journey to Sydney. Students attending will have an opportunity to get personalised course advice before finalising their UAC preferences, along with information sessions and campus tours. Students can register now to plan their schedule and utilise the resources offered on Info Day to embark on their dream study and career journey. Find out more and register below bit.ly/USYDInfoDay2023

The University of Sydney: UAC – Understanding How Preferences and Offers Work – Friday 15 December This webinar will provide information for Year 12 students, parents and guardians to help them confidently navigate the UAC offer rounds, engage with offers received, and use the UAC system to their advantage. The webinar will also give top tips to help prepare students for their first year of university. The session will end with a Q&A with admissions experts. Register here:

Canberra Institute of Technology | Graphic Design Exhibition 'FUSION' Prospective graphic design students are invited to explore their course interests at FUSION, an innovative exhibition showcasing the work of graduating and continuing graphic design students from the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). Register now:

Charles Sturt Parent Podcast | Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt has developed a new podcast series to help parents of a child thinking about going to university. The podcast aims to inform parents of information they need to know, in short episodes designed for busy people. The latest episode showcases how much of an impact a scholarship can make to a student's career and study journey, listen here:

Scholarships, Early Entry, Alternative Pathways

UNSW Young Women in Engineering Pathway Program Open Now for Registrations The UNSW Young Women in Engineering Pathway Program for 2024 Year 11 and Year 12 students interested in undertaking an engineering challenge at UNSW is now open. The program runs February to March 2024 taking the place of the UNSW GIE FEAS Program as an alternate pathway to UNSW Engineering. For more information visit:

Scholarships are Now Open | Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt have hundreds of grants and scholarships available, awarding over $3 million worth every year. Every scholarship has a different criteria and students are encouraged to apply for as many as they are eligible for. To make the search easier, Charles Sturt has a tool on their website to help narrow down what a student could be eligible for. Find it here:

Western Sydney University HSC True Reward Program Western Sydney University’s HSC True Reward program can provide students with an offer into most university degrees based on their individual HSC subject results rather than a scaled ATAR. Students still have time to apply for the HSC True Reward program to be considered in December and January offer rounds.

Western Sydney University Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Program The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Entry Program is an alternative entry program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants can gain entry to any undergraduate degree at Western Sydney University by completing an entry assessment. Assessments in January are conducted online and are available for registration now.

CQUniversity | Last Chance to Apply for Principals Recommendation Scheme - Close 1 December 2023 Principal’s Recommendation Scheme (PRS) offers Year 12 students an accelerated entry to most CQU undergraduate courses based on their principal's recommendation, bypassing the ATAR wait. With a quick 48-hour decision time and open to all Year 12 students, Term 1 2024, applications close on 1 December 2023. Visit:

to find out more.

Other News

Western Sydney University Student Clubs in Focus – Livestock Team Western’s Livestock Team was created by students to bring people interested in Agriculture together and provide students an opportunity to represent Western at Agricultural events. For students interested in Agriculture or Animal Science, even with no prior experience, the Livestock Team is a fantastic way to get involved in the care of the animals at the Hawkesbury campus.

Year 10

Year 10 have almost completed their Transition program for the year.  This is a wonderful program which covers a great deal of important information for Senior School and starts to look at post school possibilities. 

We have been very lucky to be able to run the “My Future Finder” program with the Year 10 students.  This is a great program which allows the students to look at their strengths and abilities and consider some of the post school possibilities that are available to them.  Parents also have access to this information and should have received an email regarding this. 

Many students have taken advantage of Work Experience this year, and this has given them the opportunity to find out more about future employment opportunities post school.  I am looking forward to this continuing in 2024. 

It has been wonderful to see many of our students gain full time apprenticeships and traineeships over the past few weeks, and we wish them well in their post school endeavours. 

If anyone would like to come and talk to me about anything Careers, they can email me or put their names down on the sheets attached to my office door.

Karen McCann
Careers/VET Adviser