Since I took on the In Focus Careers Resources Centre, I have been cocooned in my home office, endeavouring to set up the world’s best career education support network right here in WA.
2021 is my time to break out of my cocoon and spread my wings.
I have stepped up to take on the role of President of the WA Division of the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) for 2021.
The more I work with the CDAA the more I appreciate their professional commitment to:
Collaboration
Excellence and
Empowering members
They are a cool group of enthusiastic leaders that I wanted to support in the best way I can.
My Commitment
I will be a visible leader who works to build the profile of our industry.
Career services are frequently seen as a “nice to have” luxury by people as they pursue their ad hoc and busy work of getting a qualification and getting a job.
I will:
advocate for collaboration between career professionals and with government, industry and community to build our authority in strategic and operational endeavours
enthusiastically share ideas, engage with others and influence the professional development services to achieve excellence in our industry
raise awareness of our power to boost educational achievement, focus career aspirations, and improve quality of life.
Invitation to You
My ask of you is that you….
engage with the CDAA with courage and creativity to become leaders of change with new approaches to the problems of today and tomorrow.
We need experienced, visionary career professionals to be at the core of decision making, advocating for the human and financial value that career services deliver.
You can join the CDAA HERE or support our efforts by attending CDAA events, forwarding your ideas and actively promoting career professionals in Western Australia.
Next Steps
The West Australian CDAA Committee is coming to my place for lunch on Thursday and we will set priorities and add to the CDAA calendar that has already been planned for 2021.
Lisa Liang has already planned the first network breakfast for February at Dome in East Vic Park and it is up on the CDAA Calendar. I will publish that information when it is ready.
Career Connect Rob Palmer has been working for months with Notre Dame to organise the Career Connect seminar for 12 February.
Rob is also the organiser of the Community of Practice meetings which happen on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Rob has suggested that we start these meeting with a short presentation from an expert before we move onto our informal chat.
CEAWA has agreed to work with us to build on the efforts put in by Robyn Ekberg, CEAWA and Rebecca Herbertson CDAA that were stopped due to COVID in 2020.
Janine Blake (nee Kannemeyer) has secured the support of the Food Fibre and Timber ITC which is making its meeting rooms available to our Committee.
Vanessa Buemi is Program Coordinator of VET and Curriculum at Cyril Jackson Senior Campus (CJSC). Cyril Jackson is one of a growing number of schools in Western Australia that is engaging with community, government and industry to deliver collaborative learning to students.
Towards the end of last year Vanessa invited me to an industry breakfast that recognised support that had been given to their students from outside the school.
Vanessa has kindly allowed me to share her welcome speech which provides insights about their Partnership Model.
Breakfast prepared and presented by Cyril Jackson Hospitality students
Vanessa’s Speech
Good morning and thank you for attending our inaugural Industry Breakfast. I’d like to speak about Partnerships at CJSC and our Partnership Model.
In 2021, CJSC trainers will deliver the following Nationally Accredited Certificates.
Active volunteering
Automotive vocational preparation
Business
Community services
Creative Industries
Engineering pathways
Hospitality
Information digital media and technology 1+2
Music
Visual arts
Technical graphics/CAD
World of Work
CJSC has historically delivered a diverse range of certificate qualifications, across 7 training industries. In the new Covid world, it is more important than ever before to prepare our students to be successful contributors in our ever evolving new world.
New world, new skills
COVID has changed the employment landscape and whilst we were already proving quality training to students we want to make it even better. Our models link students with authentic work and learning opportunities with employers in the same industries they are completing their training.
Teaching and training is enhanced through connections with the world of work and beyond.
Year 11 Plus Program
Our Yr 11 PLUS program has been providing such opportunities for the last 5 years, initially through a Certificate 1 in Work Preparation and later, Certificate 1 in Business. VET in schools, now called VET delivered to secondary students, has enabled students to begin their training whilst still completing their schooling. University pathways once considered the superior pathway to higher studies has not always been the preferred pathway for all students. We all learn differently, and VET and Workplace Learning opportunities have opened the doors for many, many students.
Policy Changes Delivered a Challenge to CJ Programs
In education, the 2016 new WACE requirements of requiring an ATAR or Certificate II qualification as the minimum requirement to achieve WACE, failed to recognise a substantial proportion of students learning needs; students like those who choose to come to Cyril Jackson to learn English.
Certificate I qualifications were largely overlooked as they did not meet minimum requirements for WACE. Certificate I qualifications disappeared from our auspicing choices and the education gap grew once again.
Our 11 PLUS program, often considered a second chance for students who have disengaged from school for many different reasons, including sociology economic and mental health reasons, has been affected by the disappearance of certificate one qualifications on scope for auspicing.
Innovative Solution to Tricky Problem
Finding a certificate II qualification that would be a suitable fit for the overall program and one that would provide new opportunities to thrive was difficult at first….then I found Certificate II in Active Volunteering which was only on scope for delivery in the Eastern States.
I contacted the provider and literally begged them to get it on scope in WA and told them we would be their trial school. That provider is now one of the largest vocational training providers for VET delivered to secondary Schools in WA.
This qualification fits perfectly with the other courses in the program; our Trainer, Teacher and Student Support Officer had the freedom to make academic and practical links with the content of this qualification and SCSA courses such as English, maths and career and enterprise.
This model works!
Links with Industry
It worked with a certificate I and it works with the certificate II in Active Volunteering because of the links with industry that form an essential role in their education at CJSC.
With the removal of certificate I qualifications it is not enough to simply train students and send them out into the world of work. We have to teach them how to transition from school to work or post school training.
Active Volunteering is a powerful qualification, one that allows students to work with members of the community as mentors and friends for others in need. It has been the foundation of personal and academic growth for once disengaged students, who have applied their learning in a safe and supportive environment.
How Cyril Jackson has met Challenges
Some of our students at CJSC start their schooling in our Intensive English Centre. Some have limited schooling and our classrooms may be their first opportunities to have an education. Our dedicated staff support our students in their transition from the Intensive English Centre (IEC) into mainstream, where they begin their Year 11 and 12 studies.
When I first started at CJSC in 2016 I sought to understand more about how the IEC worked and how I could best serve the students in my role as VET Coordinator. In just three years, through working with Belinda and the student services IEC and mainstream teams, we have trialled several successful models to ensure our students next transition into employment or further training is suitably supported. We have done this through dedicated Foundation English and workplace learning classes, building links with written and spoken communication in both a school and work environment.
The health industry, specifically aged care, has always been a strong career choice for some of our IEC graduates and we have worked hard to bridge the gap for our English as Second Language or Dialect, or EAL/D students, whose written and spoken English is still developing. Opportunities for our students to gain places in funded courses can be competitive and this has often meant these students have to wait until they complete Year 12 before can begin their vocational training.
Partnership with North Metro
In 2019 we entered into a partnership with North Metro TAFE establishing a dedicated EAL/D class of CJSC students to begin their VET delivered to secondary students training whilst also completing their courses at CJSC.
All 13 students graduated in June 2020 amidst the unpredictable early days of Covid interruptions to education and face to face classes.
These students have recently completed Yr 12 and this cohort meets again on Thursday to begin their higher studies in the health industry, through our new partnership with Amana Living.
Going Beyond the Campus
What makes both of these models work is the CJSC approach to supporting students, not only in the classroom but also through community work placements that allow our students to apply their skills through authentic learning opportunities. We aim to develop further partnerships such as these.
Every single staff member is invested in these students
Our students are supported by our team of teachers, trainers, workplace learning coordinator, IEC teachers and education assistants, our student services team, Deputy Principals and our remarkable Principal, Dr Karen Read.
They are our future and we are incredibly proud of our programs, team approach and most importantly our students who value education as a privilege.
You will not find a more dedicated school community and students with a phenomenal work ethic and will to succeed.
Our current partnerships include;
Aegis Bassendean
Amana Living,
DADAA
Ertech,
Garden City Plastics,
Plantrite
Black Swan State Theatre
WA Youth Theatre Company
Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation, and
the Cities of Bassendean and Stirling.
We hope to work with you in 2021, building strong working relationships in support of our future workforce.
Editors Note:
Thanks Vanessa and staff at Cyril Jackson. Our hearts burst with appreciation for the wonderful work you are all doing. As one student spoke I choked up and reached for a tissue, I glanced around to see EVERYONE at our table was in the same boat!!
Vanessa Buemi
At the end of the morning there were hugs and congratulations all round.
Vanessa has already offered to support teachers at Balcatta SHS by sharing details of how CJ has generated such a great environment for its students. I am sure she would be happy to pass on her wisdom to others.
Keep up to date with the latest career news in Western Australia. Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas.
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
Most teachers and many school leaders have never been taught how to do strategic planning. This quick guide to strategic planning could help you to achieve your professional goals. My interest is in promoting career education but you can use the process on any subject area.
Strategic planning is about clearly identifying what you want to do and how your are going to do it.
If you work for DoE, the priorities have already been set for you in the Building on Strengths document.
Schools use those priorities to identify their own strategic plans.
Each learning area will then create a plan based on those school strategic plans.
Each staff member will develop their personal plan based on their learning area plan.
DoE Priorities
Provide every student with a pathway to a successful future
Strengthen support for teaching and learning excellence in every classroom.
Build the capability of our principals, our teachers and our allied professionals.
Support increased school autonomy within a connected and unified public school system.
Partner with families, communities and agencies to support the educational engagement of every student.
Use evidence to drive decision-making at all levels of the system.
Career Education Learning Area Strategic Plan – based on DoE and School Priorities
Your school will identify local strategies against each of the 6 DoE priorities.
There are the 3 priorities for career educators to focus on. Check out your school plan. See what strategies you can add.
DoE Priorities
Career Education Strategies aligned with school KPIs
Provide Every Student with a pathway to a successful future
This is the big one for career educators. Building on Strengths talks about career skills in this priority.
If you have a reference or advisory group you could do a SWOT and USED analysis with them to identify key strategies.
– Check back copies of the In Focus Careers newsletter for ideas against STEM, Aboriginal priorities, future work directions and skills, entrepreneurial projects. – Look for advice from the DoE career education leaders and to CEAWA – Use Job JumpStart resources to build employability skills. – Work experience would go in here. – Check the Magic Happens Handbook for ideas
Strengthen support for teaching and learning excellence in every classroom
This priority doesn’t specifically mention careers but you can support this strategy by: – directing teachers to jobs in their subject area – establishing a career hub in the library – putting information about events from the In Focus Careers newsletterinto school notices – creating career notices for each learning area each month. – developing a database of subject area career experts that teachers can call on
Partner with families, communities and agencies to support the educational engagement of every student
This is a priority where career educators can shine. – Check out the Future Jobs, Future Skills STEM strategy to see who you can work with and opportunities that are available. – Your school’s Parents and Friends Association and past students are a great source of support as speakers, work experience providers and mentors. – Opportunities to engage with people outside school are identified every month in the monthly In Focus Careers Newsletter. – Establish partnerships and MoUs with local governments, businesses, organisations like WITWA and get them to support your students.
The next step is to put your strategies into a project plan. You can find a project planning proforma here. The Medium Project Business Plan is probably the best one for a project of this size.
Strategic Planning Help
Your school can delight families, achieve better educational outcomes and become a leader in 21st century education through the design and delivery of a well designed strategic plan.
In Focus Careers can:
Analyse your school strategic plan against system wide plans and report on what is going well and where there could be improvements.
Run strategic planning workshops.
Run professional development for staff on how to do strategic planning
Draft a strategic plan for your school.
Create a business plan based on your strategic plan.
Design a performance management template for staff to use as they plan their activities against the school plan.
Ensure that career education is a key consideration in your school planning.
Talk with me for a free consultation on how I can help your school.
EMAIL: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Become part of the network of West Australian professionals who are working to deliver the best career support in the world.
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
Keep up to date with the latest career news in Western Australia. Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas.
There are decades where nothing happens; then there are weeks where decades happen.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
For decades girls have struggled to be accepted into trade jobs but participation in traditional male trades stubbornly remains at 1%.
For decades women have fought to break through the glass ceiling but today senior executives in Australia are more likely to be called “Andrew” than be female.
Workers’ pay and conditions have declined over decades, as migrants were imported in great numbers to take on poorly regulated “skills shortage” jobs in aged care and horticulture.
2021 brings the promises of change.
1. Caring Industries
We learned throughout 2020 that many aged care workers undertake this stressful slog in shifts across a range of sites on pay that is comparable to retail work.
Once borders closed, we had to rely on Australians to undertake this work and the poor pay and conditions became transparent.
Future Directions
Aged Care courses are low cost or free as governments struggle to attract people into the industry. Jobs are plentiful.
Aged care workers pay and conditions are under scrutiny as we all realise how badly they impacted on staff and our aged relatives.
There are suggestions that the West Australian government buy back aged care centres to ensure quality care is provided by well paid, qualified staff.
2. Girls are Getting a Go in Trades
By the time the Careers Expo happened in October the building trade exhibitors were working to attract females into their traditional male occupations. Even the Master Builders Association had a tradie bloke in a pink high viz vest trying to make the building trade appear as if it was now more female friendly.
Future Directions
Skills shortages are costing builders money. Builders are willing to take on anyone with a good attitude towards their industry.
If you want support to go into one of these traditional male occupations the Department of Communities has a list of organisations that provide help. Look for Organisations that Support Women in STEM and Trades on the government site.
3. Harvest Woes
Late last year I suggested that adventures awaited school leavers who chose to bring in the end of year harvest.
As Australians investigated the work conditions and pay that was being given to the traditional backpacker workforce, they walked away.
While most farmers are good employers, there was a storm of horror stories of harvest workers being ripped off.
Future Directions
The agriculture and horticulture industries are scratching their heads to develop a regime that delivers good pay and conditions adn brings stability to workers.
4. Defence Industry in WA
There has been a boom in defence industry opportunities, not only for those directly employed by the industry, but for businesses that are supplying goods and services to defence. The boom has been so significant and wide ranging that the Jobs and Skills Centre site has a special page dedicated to what is happening.
Future Directions
A wide range of well-paid and specialist occupations will emerge through this investment.
Check out the potential careers through the Jobs and Skills Centre page or through the Rockingham Jobs and Skills Centre
5. Agriculture
Agriculture continues to struggle to throw off its old fashioned image as it tries to reflect its place as world leading in the production of high quality, clean, traceable food.
Future Directions
Application of Western Australia’s’ specialist and scientific knowledge of dry land farming will see opportunities for the creation of artificial intelligence to guide farming as the impacts of climate change grow.
6. Mining
While mining doesn’t directly employ many people, the flow on impact of mining in Western Australian has seen us become world leaders in mining technology.
Future Directions
There are big opportunities for the development of knowledge industries in Western Australia through mining and through agriculture, defence and health industries.
It is estimated that there will be 3000 data science jobs created in WA in the next decade.
7. What’s an Epidemiologist?
In 2019 I didn’t know what an epidemiologist did. Now I have had enquiries from several clients about epidemiologist careers in WA.
Future Directions
Murdoch is building a new medical research facility adjacent to Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Notre Dame and Murdoch will be working together to train doctors and medical research specialists.
Western Australia has a world class health care industry and future careers in the industry are looking good.
Keep up to date with the latest career news in Western Australia. Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas.
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information with me, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
I can talk about careers under water, so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career or the services you deliver, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Become part of the network of West Australian professionals who are working to deliver the best career support in the world.
If you have just left Year 12 and don’t know what to do next year, there is free, expert advice available to help you to come out of your cocoon and turn into a butterfly.
The range of careers through TAFE is too great to mention. A VET course can get you into the high demand cyber security industry or into a specialist health career without getting a degree. There are also apprenticeships and traineeships that you expect to get from TAFE. See:
Go to a Jobs and Skills Centre which is probably on the same campus as your local TAFE. They have diagnostic tools that will help them to point you in the right direction.
Lots of TAFE courses are free or low cost in 2021.
Still Lost?
Check out the wonderful MyFuture site. There are terrific quizzes there that will help to set you off in the right direction.
West Australians can get the best career support in the world
Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas
EMAIL: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
I can talk about careers under water so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career or the services you deliver, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Please send me a complimentary copy of your insanely great newsletter.
Millennials and Gen Z’s need to learn how to build their career online. The move to working from home will be the biggest long term career impact of COVID. If your work can be done on a computer, you need to know how to build your career remotely.
The future of working from home can be seen in Google which has no plans to go back into the office before mid 2021, and Twitter which has told its staff that they can work from home forever.
Companies have found that worker outputs improved, costs of running an office have shifted and the workforce has become more flexible by moving to remote working. Working from home is here to stay.
“[We have] changed the ways we work. This is supported through the greater use of digital and technological solutions and adopting a more flexible and trusting mentality.”
— Engineering & construction CEO, UK
Here are some baby steps to start building your career in a remote world.
Tip 1: Get a decent camera and sound system. Turn on your camera
Get a good camera and sound system
Men tend to leave their cameras on, women turn them off. Leaving your camera on makes it easier for your audience to connect with you.
If your voice is echoing, put a towel on the desk in front of you to stop the sound bouncing.
Close your curtains and get a softer light. There is a reason television studios have lighting specialists. Bad lighting can make you look like a stunned rabbit.
Check out some videos on how to look good on camera. People may have moved online but they still want human contact and you need to know how to make the best impression.
You need a good reception. This is a big disadvantage for rural, regional and remote people and there are still black spots in the metro area. My daughter has broadband to the home. I go to her place to do webinars.
Tip 2: Show your workspace on the screen
Background gives context
Lose the generic background provided by Zoom.
Check what is behind you that will show up on the screen. Make sure you like it.
Showing your workspace provides warm data about the context you are working in. People will understand your context and trust you faster.
Tip 3: Be like Bunnings
People on the Bunnings ads are just like the lovely helpful people in the store. They are Bunnings employees.
Look like a person in your industry. Don’t surprise your audience.
Bunnings always have a special to talk about and they want us to spend our money with them.
Be clear about what you have to offer and why you are connecting.
Bunnings ad staff know their stuff. Be authentic when you talk about your stuff.
A scientist I work with recently came into a webinar late and frazzled after dealing with her 2 year old. She had us all laughing before she started talking about her stuff.
Bunnings staff smile.
Everyone loves Richard Branson. No one likes Rupert Murdoch. Richard Smiles. Rupert scowls.
Become part of the network of West Australian professionals who are working to deliver the best career support in the world.
Keep up to date with the latest career news in Western Australia. Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas.
EMAIL: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Bev Johnson
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information with me, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
I can talk about careers under water so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career or the services you deliver, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
I thought filling out their Personal Record might help Year 7s to get grounded and become more conscious of who they are as they start on so much change.
If you plan to read or store their Personal Records, you will need to tell them that before they write down their personal information.
Baby Steps to Career Excellence
See how much Infocus Careers can help you to deliver the best careers education in the world.
Get a complimentary copy of the Infocus Careers newsletter to discover ideas that matter to West Australians.
I can talk about career education under water, so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career services, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
If you want great ideas about the future of careers, job design, the future economy and the way we work, come to this New Economy – Work in Progress event at the Naval Store in Fremantle.
I have just booked to go to the New Economy 2020 conference which will be live streamed on Saturday 21 November at the Naval Store in Fremantle
Naval Store Fremantle
People who are running new economy projects in WA will be at the Naval Store from 10am – 4pm. I know of no other event in WA where you can meet so many passionate, smart people who are trying to make the world a better place.
The event will take place in The Naval Store in Fremantle and offer presentations, exhibitors, display stands and demonstrations by people and organisations working to build a new economy, focused on ecological health & social and economic justice.
There will also be food trucks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
AND... The 2020 New Economy Network Australia Annual Conference, “New Economy—Work in Progress” held online on the same weekend, will be LIVE streamed into the un-convention during the day, and we will be LIVE streamed back to say hello from WA.
Exhibitor and presenter topics
Arts and Culture
Circular Economy
Cities and Urban Communities
Community Wealth Building
Cooperatives
Democracy and Governance
Doughnut Economics
Education
Energy
First Nations Economics
Food
Health
Housing
Inner Dimensions and Healthy Cultures
Just Transitions
Law Reform and Legal Services
Localisation
Money and Local Currencies
Rural and Regional Economies
General Admission
For the cost of $10 the general public gets entrance for the day including all presentations and demonstrations. Get your ticket here.
Exhibitor Package
For the cost of $80 exhibitors get:
Free entry to the un-convention for 3 co-workers from their organisation
One 3m x 3m exhibition space (powered) incl a small table
A 15 min slot to present during the day.
Logo exposure on promotional material.
In un-conventional style, we will allocate 50% of speaker spots beforehand and 50% at at the venue at opening time, so if you are late, the good ones may all be gone! Get an exhibitor’s ticket here.
About the New Economy Network Australia Annual Conference
The theme of NENA’s 2020 Conference is “New Economy—Work in Progress” and the intention is to share the amazing work being done by individuals and organisations across Australia, to build a new economy, focused on ecological health & social and economic justice.
This year’s conference will bring together people from around Australia, to discuss topics as diverse as food, energy, housing, health, sustainability, local economies, commons, local currencies, cooperatives, social enterprises, universal basic income, creating systems change, degrowth and the steady state economy, participatory democracy, Modern Monetary Theory, alternatives to GDP and much more.
NENA’s Annual Conferences offer a space for NENA members and the wider community to meet up, share experiences, ideas, research and project updates, spark connections and collaborations and work together to progress our network and shared vision for a new economy.
About Global Entrepreneurship Week
Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.
During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. These activities, from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors—introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities.
The initiative launched in 2008 and has since grown to 125 countries—with 24,008 partner organizations planning 33,846 activities that directly engage millions of participants every year.
Venue Address and Parking
The Naval Store, Corner of Canning Highway and Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle.
Please park on Beach Street on the river bank below the venue. (Google Maps: N Worrall Park, Fremantle).
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
I will be a visible leader who works to build the profile of our industry. 
The Magic Happens Infographic gives a quick guide to visualise the steps in the