This could be your big chance to blitz an apprenticeship interview.
Skilled migration has stopped,
Apprenticeship subsidies are high,
Building grants are generous, causing a building boom
Employers are looking for enthusiastic people to take up their jobs.
Therefore, your chances of winning a job are high.
Make sure you don’t miss this window by blowing your interview.
Do you shake hands now?
WA has so little spread of COVID that you can shake hands if you get to the interview stage. However, carry hand sanitizer and use it straight after the interview. Also, make sure you don’t have a pathetic handshake! A wimpy handshake is pathetic but a bone crusher is weird.
Have a firm handshake. Apart from having a decent handshake look at the person, say “Hi. Good to meet you” and smile.
It gives tips on how to give your potential employers a good gut feeling.
If you have a good written application the employer will start off with the feeling that you are going to be good. School leavers can get tips on how to write a good resume and cover letter HERE at Youth Central.
Dress like the employer
Neat casual will probably suit most apprenticeships. Don’t wear a suit. Your employer won’t be wearing a suit.
More Tips
Finding an apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a job. You can find apprenticeships through family and friends, on sites like Seek.com.au, through a career advisor, a Jobs and Skills Centre or via a pre-apprenticeship.
Getting a job as a trades assistant can help you to get a foot in the door.
Making a good impression
Employers like applicants who have done volunteer or part time work as it showed their enthusiasm and meant they would have some work ready skills.
Work experience in the field looks good on a resume.
Good school results, particularly in metals, maths and engineering are indicators that you might be a good apprentice in a building trade. Taking a folio of photos of projects you have worked on is a good idea.
Get your driver’s license
A driver’s license is important for most apprenticeships. Start working towards your driver’s license as soon as you turn 16.
At the end of the interview say you really want this apprenticeship.
(Know what to say if they ask why!)
Women in Trades
Only 1-3% of tradespeople are women. Opportunities to earn the big money during mining and building booms are largely given to men while women are directed into low paid caring jobs in the aged, child and disability sectors.
Women and girls interested in trades may find the Programmed National Energy Technician Training Scheme worth applying through. In 2019 they had 38% females in their trades program.
If you go to a school in Western Australia it probably subscribes to the In Focus Careers Newsletter. You can check, and get a complimentary copy here.
Testimonial
I have found your material invaluable. The information you have put together is thorough – a one-stop-shop in a sea of information that is out there. I have utilised this information on a regular basis with others throughout the school.
(South Metropolitan Government High School.)
My Commitment to West Australian Careers Education
For In Focus Careers to be the conduit to Insanely Great Careers Information for West Australian careers teachers and students I undertake to:
Write 10 insanely great issues of In Focus Careers newsletter each year that focus on the needs of West Australian students and careers teachers.
Search for local, national and international information that could impact on the careers of West Australian students.
Connect you with insanely great careers teachers across the In Focus Careers network.
Listen to and support West Australian careers teachers
The Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook is out for 2021.
It contains information that directly applies to year 10 students in the Western Australian education system.
If you subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter you will automatically receive your copy so that you can start to plan for 2021. Or you can subscribe now by going HERE.
There are three sections:
Step 1: Finding Your Purpose
Discover what you want to do
This is short but it is the most vital part of the Handbook. If you are trying to cut down on time, don’t skip this bit.
This is the boring, nuts and bolts skills that are essential to getting a job. It includes doing research, finding your aptitudes, time management,resumes, choosing career paths and the paperwork for work experience.
This is where you get to use your values and knowledge of how to get a job to design your success strategy. It includes setting SMART goals, doing a SWOT and a USED analysis and creating a project plan.
To keep up to date with West Australian career news and ideas subscribe to my insanely great monthly In Focus Careers Newsletter. Email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
You can’t get experience if you don’t have a job. You can’t get a job if you don’t have experience.
Employers constantly complain that young workers do not have any idea about how to work. They complain that doing employability skills in a classroom setting does not prepare them for the workplace.
The How to Get Authentic Workskills infographic suggests 5 ways that Year 10 – 12 students can develop employability skills through authentic workplace learning.
The number of useful websites keeps growing, so I have updated this Coggle Map. It is useful for career advisors, school leavers and job seekers.
Many of the government sites are duplicate services. You do NOT need to go to each of these sites. You MAY choose to get frustrated that government departments don’t collaborate!!
Useful Career Websites
You can find the Coggle Map of Useful Sites HERE. I have put links to each of the sites so that you don’t have to look up each one.
You can save time and improve the quality of career advice you give. Subscribe to the In Focus Careers newsletter that is supported and shared by 100s of West Australians.
I just wanted to pass on my appreciation and admiration for the work that you do with this newsletter and your website. Every month, there is something in there that resonates with me on the ‘why’ of our job.
Over the last couple of weeks the news has been reporting on all of the jobs being lost at universities in WA due to COVID 19 impacts. The unis are all working like crazy trying to attract local students and they are making it easier and easier to get in next year.
Preparation Courses
You can get into uni in Western Australia by doing a university preparation course. Most universities have at least one of these on offer.
After doing the course you may be offered a place at uni, which you don’t have to accept.
They are generally free.
You may be able to complete one before the start of the 2021 academic year.
You find out about a range of different courses that may interest you.
They are generally a semester long so you can start your degree in Semester 2.
You learn about university life without having the pressure of a full degree program.
Although each course is different there are usually 4 subject like….
Academic Writing
Communication Skills
Essential Maths
Research Skills and Information Literacy
UWA
ATAR-based entry
Normal ATAR entry through TISC applications will be the standard entry pathway for 2021. Find details HERE.
UWAY
UWAY – This is an alternative entry pathway and comprehensive support program for students completing Year 12 under challenging circumstances.
The program provides academic, financial and personal support, and it is responsive to individual student needs, throughout their final year of secondary school and during their university studies. You can apply for alternative entry to an undergraduate degree course through UWay if your academic achievements have been adversely affected by certain disadvantages.
Fairway
Fairway UWA is an admission entry pathway and comprehensive support program for students completing Year 12 under challenging circumstances. The program provides academic, financial and personal support, and it is responsive to individual student needs, throughout their final year of secondary school and during their university studies.
The Broadway scheme allows eligible students from a Broadway-identified Western Australian school to receive an automated ATAR adjustment if the school at which they completed their final WACE examinations:
UWA will provide an offer based on a student’s predicted ATAR from the end of Year 11. We may require a diagnostic interview to identify any additional support that may be required, including bridging units, once they arrive at UWA. At this stage Year 12 students must still sit their Year 12 exams and, when results are released, if their ATAR is higher than their predicted ATAR, they can update their application if they’d like to change their course. Find details HERE.
First in Family
If you have received an ATAR of 75-79.95 and will be the first in your family to attend university, you may still be eligible for a place at UWA. If you have a sibling at uni you are still eligible for First in Family consideration.
In recognition of the unique set of challenges Year 12 students are facing this year, 18 and 19-year-old students who are taking insufficient ATAR-based subjects or are not taking ATAR, will be eligible to sit the STAT test and a diagnostic interview as above.
The Predicted ATAR entry pathway is not applicable for Direct Pathways to Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Podiatry. The STAT test pathway is not available for any Direct Pathways or the Bachelor of Philosophy. The application process for these courses will be communicated shortly.
Applicants who have a VET Diploma can apply for entry to an undergraduate course. Find details HERE.
Indigenous Study Pathways
Did you know Indigenous students can gain entry to UWA without an ATAR? There are various pathways for gaining entry to UWA, and once you’re here, there is great support to help you settle in. Learn more about the Aboriginal Orientation Course and the Provisional Entry Scheme. Find details HERE.
UWA Foundation Program for International Students
The UWA Foundation Program is the most effective path to a place at UWA for international students. Successful completion of the program guarantees entry to an undergraduate degree, subject to any quotas or prerequisites.
School leavers must be able to demonstrate that they have achieved their WACE and meet ECU’s English Competency Requirements.
School leavers who wait until semester 2 to apply will be classified as Non School Leavers and will need to demonstrate how they meet ECU’s English Competency Requirements.
Edith Cowan College offers courses that can result in entry to second year of ECU’s Bachelor Degree program
Curtin University
Normal ATAR Entry
If you apply to TISC before 1 October with Curtin as your first preference, and you receive and accept an offer from us, we’ll refund your application fee of $55.
The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) provides an admission pathway to university if you don’t hold other qualifications that are acceptable for entry. It’s a test designed to assess aptitude for learning at tertiary level.
Curtin College is a bit like a TAFE. It is on the Curtin campus in Bentley and offers a range of courses that either prepare you for uni or give you credits towards a degree.
Portfolio Entry is not only for the creative courses; it is applicable to courses like Education, Science, Commerce and Health.
Indigenous Enabling Course
If you’re of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and you haven’t met the requirements for an undergraduate (degree) course, we offer a range of enabling courses. These short programs can help you meet the requirements for your chosen course, as well as equip you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed at university.
Not everyone has the same opportunities to achieve their true academic potential. You may have the ability to succeed at university but not had the educational, financial or social opportunities to focus on your studies and achieve a high enough Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for entry.
Graduating from TAFE can qualify you for entry to Curtin, so many students who didn’t successfully complete year 12 use it as a stepping stone to university.
If you are finishing Year 12 in 2020 and aiming to start university in 2021, then HorizonsPlus could be for you. This program provides an entry pathway into Murdoch.
On Track Sprint
On Track Sprint is a 4 week course run over the Christmas holidays. It is going to be a TISC option for 2021 selections. The course prepares you for entry to a course with a minimum ATAR requirement of 70.
On Track
On Track is a 14 week course that prepares students for entry to a course with a minimum ATAR requirement of 70. It is FREE.
FlexiTrack
FlexiTrack– can be done over 1 semester, accelerated 10 weeks, or 2 semesters at part time and this is entirely online.
Law Start
Law Startis an admission pathway for academically capable students who wish to study Law at Murdoch University. To be eligible to apply you must have completed one or more ATAR subjects with a strong focus on communication and essay writing skills. Acceptable subjects will include but not limited to English, English Literature, Modern History, Politics and Legal Studies.
TIC10
TLC10 – prepares students to apply for Murdoch through a 1 day per week course that runs all year in Mandurah and Rockingham.
Portfolio
Portfolio Entry – you can gain entry to courses that rely on creative talent in media, games art and design and creative writing, photography and web communication via a portfolio demonstrating your work + a number of hoops like WACE and English competence. You also need a letter of endorsement from a teacher and a 500 word application – which a school based career advisor can help you to write.
For Portfolio entry try the Domestic Admissions Team on 9360 7458 or send an email by following this link
KTrack
KTrack – is offered through our Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre and is open to students who identify with the ATSI community.
In most cases the links are through to the information provided by the Good Universities Guide Career Ladders. Where information wasn’t available on the Careers Ladders I have added a link to the most useful information I could find.
The Good Universities Guide has uni and VET courses
MyFuture
MyFuture has videos and great information about careers. It may be worth subscribing as all States and Territories contribute to that central store of information. It costs about $15 a year to subscribe.
MyFuture was created by all Australian States and Territories. It is THE most comprehensive career site we have.
In Focus Careers
I wrote a post recently with updated links to all of the key careers sites.
West Australian career teachers are the BEST INFORMED careers teachers in the world.
I haven’t fact checked this but…..
…where else would you find nearly 1000 educators, employment service providers, unis, RTOs, and a bunch of industry people who are so parochial, and so concerned for career education that they freely share information for the common good?
The contributions of West Australians, and a few other minor players like the Commonwealth government, has resulted in the August issue having 50+ pages of stories on:
strategies all local unis are putting in place to support Year 12s
Thanks to everyone who helps us to keep up to date in this bugger of a year.
(I did a Fact Check and found we are not only the best informed career teachers in the world, we are also the best looking, most intelligent, most professional and most generous!!)
If you subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter you know how much work I put into it. I am sometimes surprised when I meet someone at a workshop or conference who mentions something I have written.
I feel like I am working away in my cave and no one is listening.
Rebecca Herbertson, WA President of the CDAA wanted me to go for one of the National Careers Partnership Grants to have my newsletter developed for each State/Territory collating information just for that jurisdiction.
You need to be a little obsessed, a lot passionate and a tad parochial if you want to do what I do, so I don’t think it is a goer nationally.
Rebecca wrote this testimonial in support of her idea … and I am so glad she did.
Testimonial
The In Focus Monthly Careers Newsletter is a curated collection of current scholarships, career programs, important dates, Career Expos and events, career research and resources.
While aimed at the secondary school practitioner in WA, I find it incredibly valuable as a Careers Educator in the VET sector.
Having a trusted source of timely information means that parents, students, job seekers and career development practitioners have an up to date reliable resource telling what is out there, all in the one place. Prior to subscribing to the In Focus Careers Newsletter I would only discover resources or opportunities by accident, or through time consuming research.
Having this resource at a National level could address one of the biggest issues we have in Careers in Australia; recreating the wheel over and over because we don’t know about something that already exists.
There is currently no universally recognised system for distributing careers information or for advertising programs and events, which reaches everyone who would be genuinely interested and find it helpful.
The reinvention of the wheel can be seen in the plethora of websites which contain the same or similar information all funded by Governments, such as Jobs and Skills WA, MyFuture, Job Outlook and Job Jumpstart.
A National Resource, with a similar format of the In Focus Careers Newsletter, which was published monthly, and distributed through all schools, job actives, DES providers, TAFEs and organisations like The Smith Family across the nation, would be amazing.
Of course such a resource would need a team headed by someone like Bev Johnson, curator of the In Focus Career Resources Hub, who has the careers expertise, knowledge and energy required to put together such a well-researched publication. Without Bev’s passion, networking, and career expertise, such a resource would be likely to miss the mark.
Rebecca Herbertson,
WA Divisional President – Career Development Association of Australia
Director of Training and Compliance for the Betterlink Group – a private RTO specialising in Careers and Employment Training to the sector.
UWA 
UniPrep & UniPrep (Education Assistant Program
West Australian teachers and youth workers save time and improve their services by subscribing to the In Focus Careers newsletter.
Thanks Rebecca,