Category: Year 10

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Don’t get stuck at school if you hate it. There’s a better path for you.

WRONG WAY: Just stop going to school.

  • People from the Department of Education will chase you up to find what’s going on.

  • You will cut ties with your friends and your support network of teachers, student services, VET coordinators, career advisors at school. 

  • You could end up alone and feeling lost. 

BETTER WAY: Do this preparation.

Leave School Early

Step 1: Talk with family and friends

Don’t shock your family and friends by just dropping out of school. They will get upset and add to your stress. 

Talk with them, flag the idea of leaving school early. Ask what they think. Get their ideas and support. 

Step 2: Get expert information

Your Mum’s best friend or your maths teacher is not the expert that you need right now. There’s a lot to know about leaving school. Talk to an expert whose full time job it is to know about career pathways.  

This mind map provides links to expert information about leaving school in WA.  Play with different links to see what’s available. Write down questions to ask your career advisor. 

Meet with your school career advisor

Take a list of questions. 

  • If you don’t know what you want to do, they will explore different opportunities with you. 

  • They can help you to get a job application ready. 

  • They can link you with an apprenticeship/traineeship company that employs lots of apprentices. 

Jobs and Skills Center free information and advice

Jobs and Skills Centres are co-located at TAFE colleges. There are 19 across WA and they provide free information, advice and support. 

Private Career Practitioners

Look up “career practitioners” in your “suburb”. There will be career practitioners who can be employed to guide you through the process from school into a job or further study. 

Step 3: How to leave school

  • Get your career advisor and family to help you to arrange a full-time job, enrol in a full-time course or a combination of both. 

  • Get your parents to fill out an Exemption from full time schooling and submit it to your school.

It needs to go to the Minister for Education. They won’t come back with a flat “no” but you may be asked to add some more information to your application. 

Once you have permission you can leave:

  • Get a copy of your latest report.

  • Get references from supportive teachers.

  • Check with the front office to see if you have forgotten anything. 

Say goodbye to your life as a school student 

MORE INFORMATION

Common pathways from school

1. Nursing

2. Computing pathway – leave the pretty stuff for later

There are so many computing jobs. Learn the hard, foundation, boring stuff. It will put you way ahead of others who focus on pretty, creative computing. 

Subscribe to In Focus Careers News 

In Focus Careers News is the ultimate solution for high school career news and advice. Over 150 West Australian high schools already subscribing, our newsletter provides unbiased and up-to-date information on a wide range of career options.  Don’t miss out on this valuable resource – subscribe now and give your students the career guidance they need to take action.

Bev doing research for 2025
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Did Term 4 go on FOREVER? See this mindmap of potential support services for 2025

So many teachers showed symptoms of  burnout towards the end of 2024 that it shouldn’t be ignored. 

I found one explanation  published in The Conversation.  

  • The need to support students who are experiencing trauma or stress is at least one factor wearing teachers out.

  • The need to ensure the safety of students can isolate schools and prevent them accessing specialist services for students that free up teachers to teach. 

Formal arrangements, with stakeholders who meet government safety requirements, can provide expert advice and free up teachers for the already complex task of educating.

I found these services that can engage with schools to deliver services in addition to teaching

The Coggle Mentor and Support Services Map provides links to potential support services to West Australian schools. 

In Focus Careers News- Supports Students to find a career that makes their life better

 

 

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Year 10: Ready, Steady, Go to University Open Days

Go to the university open days before you make your subject selections for Years 11 & 12.

  • Go with friends. University Open Days are fun. There are exhibitions and tech games and experiments and food vans and displays. Your friends will have similar views and thoughts and they will help you to refine your ideas. 
  • Take your parents. They need to become familiar with what is available at university and they will offer a different perspective. 

You may discover ideas to motivate crazy dreams. Remember, dreams come in a whisper, not in a shout. By going to open days in Year 10 you can start to listen to your dreams. 

Which University is best for YOU?

Most students will choose a university close to where they live.

All West Australian universities deliver first class education so you don’t need to worry about NOT getting a world standard degree, no matter which university your choose. Your choice will probably depend on what uni is closest to your home, where your friends are going, and what feeling you get when you go to university open days. 

Check out the WA Unis HERE.

Career Quizzes

There is so much to see and do that they can be a bit overwhelming. You can do some preparation before you go by doing some career quizzes. Your results may help you to narrow down where you go and what you want to see at the Open Day.

Hear Your Dream Aptitude Quizzes 

First in Family to Go to Uni

Even if your whole family has been to university, you will find information, tips and ideas on the First in Family site that will help you to come to understand the world of universities.

Planning Your Open Day

Make it a big outing.

Go with a friend. Your family and friends are the greatest influence on your career choice. If you can get both to go with you to an Open Day, you will have your power group around you.

  • Check out public transport and parking restrictions on the campus.
  • Where is the main admin building and where are the toilets?
  • Download a campus map.
  • Check the Open Day program and choose what you want to explore.
  • Plan your route and schedule any special events you want to see.

On Arrival

Don’t Rush

  • Get an Open Day map and program.
  • Find a coffee shop or nice place to retreat to and check the layout of the campus and events. 
  • Plan your route and schedule, including university accommodation tours.

Don’t Miss

  • Find the coffee shops, library, student services, guild, clubs and sports teams you can join now.
  • Talk to staff and students in different faculties and check out their buildings.
  • Each faculty has lots of different courses. For example, the Education Faculty will have Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary school qualifications.

Uni Opportunities from School

  • Find out about opportunities that are offered to school students by the university.
  • Do they have programs for school students like UniReady or Aspire or student mentor outreach programs that you can engage with at school?
  • You may be able to join sports clubs, computer clubs, and acting classes.

Study Coach

Good marks in Year 11 and 12 will increase the range of courses that you can apply for and they will put you in line for scholarships. 

Get Study Coach to Save Time and Get Better Results

Find your path to where you belong with Year 10 Magic Happens

 “Year 10 Magic Happens,” is a career handbook designed specifically for students in Western Australia. This handbook is here to guide you as you explore your interests, find your dreams, and make your plan for the future.

Subscribe to In Focus Careers News

Email: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au 

M: 0434056412

 

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Any journey from childhood to adulthood is a long one. Would a mentor help?

If you tell a 14 year old to start working with a mentor, expect a negative reaction. 

As they emerge from the chrysalis of childhood, 14 year old’s want to be responsible for what they do themselves. They want to work towards the future with their peers.

They do not want to engage with an authority figure of YOUR choice. Friendships are never more important than in the vital mid teenage years. 

If you think kids would benefit from having a  mentor, you need to:

  • match the kid to the right mentor program, then
  • help those kids to be clear and enthusiastic about wanting a mentor. 

Sport Coaches

The idea of having a coach, rather than a mentor, might be more familiar to kids.

The coach and the team are all working towards a single purpose. 

Students who play sport could tell you that their coach:

  • has superior knowledge in their field
  • suggests ways that they can improve 
  • will offer words of encouragement
  • sets clear boundaries
  • can be trusted 
  • helps them to set clear goals

What motivates the coach?

Kids know WHY the coach is there, it could be their love of the game, maybe their kids play in the team, maybe they played for the team at one stage.

Kids don’t know WHY a mentor is there.

They will be asking:

  • why would a total stranger would want to get to know me?
  • what is the payoff for this stranger?
  • what is the purpose of the relationship?
  • is it safe?

When they are clear about all these things, then they need to learn that the mentor:

  • will be working with them towards an agreed purpose
  • has superior knowledge in their field
  • suggests ways that they can improve 
  • will offer words of encouragement
  • sets clear boundaries
  • can be trusted 
  • helps them to set clear goals

How are mentors different?

If you want a one on one approach to help you to identify and achieve goals, a designated mentor could be your answer. A mentor will provide guidance and support, just to you.

Establishing trusted one on one relationships is more difficult with a mentor than with a coach as part of a team. You will need to work harder to establish a relationship with a mentor.

There are lots of mentor services in Perth. Many have a specific focus.

Here are some of them.

I will build on this map as people let me know about more mentoring services in WA.

You can choose different mentors for different purposes.

Finally

No-one seems to be focusing on the significant long term impacts of COVID that middle school students experienced just as they were leaving the comfort of childhood. 

I hope that by providing an environment, rich in ideas and opportunities, middle school students will be able to progress through a scaffolded approach to adulthood. It will take conscious and deliberate effort to engage…. if they are to arrive as confused, disoriented and bewildered as the rest of us.bewilder

 

Addendum

In the Boredom Breakers blog which I wrote last week, I provide a range of opportunities that young people could choose to explore as they move along the long path from childhood to adulthood . All of those suggestions have a leader who will be a bit like a sport coach. 

To keep up to speed with career opportunities emerging in Western Australia, subscribe to In Focus Careers News

Bev Johnson Director, In Focus Careers
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Year 9 Boredom Breakers

Year 9 is always a tough year 

Just as Year 9s were starting to grow out of the things they loved doing as little kids, COVID hit.  There is a fair chance Year 9s are bored but not aware of opportunities that are on the table. 

We don’t know the impact of COVID Year 9s

  • Some may be bunkering down and need more encouragement to approach new ideas.
  • Some may be looking to take control and make choices about ideas to explore.

If they don’t know it, they can’t do it

Here is a range of opportunities that may spark an interest and which Year 9s can investigate. 

Go to the Mind Map to find links to information about all of these ideas. 

Ask Career Advisors and Student Services at School

If you want to know more about any of these opportunities, school based career advisors, student services officers and year coordinators will be able to help.

Some highlights that you may not know about

Duke of Edinburgh

Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh Awards

Age: 14 – 24 There are 4 sections:

1.      Adventurous Journey

2.      Physical Recreation

3.       Skills, Voluntary Service

4.       Gold Residential Project

CoderDojo

CoderDojo

Coding for Fun

Ages 7 – 17

Run by volunteers in libraries, unis and community centres. Young people and volunteers get together to learn to play with coding.

WAAPA Short Courses

WAAPA

Age 6 – 18

Acting, music and dance short courses are run on weekends and holidays.  There are classes for young kids through to those who already have some experience.

Local Government Youth Programs

Government Youth Programs

Every local government council has youth programs. Check out your local government to see what it has on offer.

RoboCup

RoboCup

Age: 12 – 19

Fun with Robots

Teams make and program robots and compete in different challenges. 

Find all the career information you need for West Australian school students

 

 

  

 

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University Open Days Tips for Years 9 -12 students

In years 9 – 12? Go to uni open days

University open days are starting in March this year. 

Curtin University 3 April 2022

ECU South West 27 March

ECU Joondalup 10 April

ECU Mt Lawley including WAAPA 1 May   

Murdoch 19 March 2022

UWA 27 March

Going to a uni open day is like going to a show. There are food vans, exhibitions and demonstrations and interesting people to meet, who WANT to convince you that their course is fantastic.

Curtin University Open Day

Check out the Worksheets at the bottom of this post.

Year 9 Tips

Start learning about life at university in Year 9. Check out the food vans. Listen to the music. Go into buildings and see the latest tech tools, computer games and research. See what workshops are on. Find the library, the shops and the toilets.

Year 10 Tips

Explore and Experience Try stuff. There will be people inviting you to engage with practical experiences in their subject. It could be VR. It could be checking out the latest medical research, making a short movie using their studio. All faculties will have practical experiences for you to engage with.  Do it now.

Year 11 Tips

Get an authentic experience. Engage with current students. Build on what you have learned in years 9 and 10 visits by asking questions of both students, academics and staff.  Check out presentations and exhibitions to see what you will gain most from and register for them, or just make a schedule of where to be and at what time.

Year 12 Tips

This is it. You need to be able to build from your other Open Day experiences. You will know what faculties to visit, and you will have a range of questions to ask. By now you should have narrowed down your options and you will be able to ask specific questions about subjects, industry engagement opportunities, mentors, support programs etc. You will know which presentations and demonstrations you need to revisit.

 

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Year 10 Subject Selections for Year 11

Parents and students get REALLY STRESSED about subject selections for Year 11.Cat

Time to RELAX.

Help is at hand.

Before you start, know that only one in four university students get a place through the ATAR pathway.

A report from the Mitchell Institute identified that 26% of university students got their place via an ATAR pathway. Mitchell Report

STEP 1 Get SCASA

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCASA) is THE mob that makes up the rules about WACE.  The first place to find information about Year 11 and 12 is in the official Year 10 Information Handbook which SCASA puts out.

Handbook 2019

If you can’t find the information you need or if you are unclear on anything contact them at info@scsa.wa.edu.au.

STEP 2 Hear Your Dream

You need to have some idea about what career direction you would like to take.

Career VoyageMany schools have the Career Voyage program that will help you to nail down a career direction for the near future. If you don’t have access to Career Voyage at school you can do the quiz at a Jobs and Skills Centre.

I have done this Coggle brain storm of a bunch of places you can check out to narrow down what you like.

Coggle - Hear Your Dream

Email me Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au if you would like access to the Coggle map so that you can just click on the links.

STEP 3 Do You Want to do ATAR??Lockers

For years ATAR results were the short cut that universities used to choose their students. Things are changing. Competition between universities has heated up and they are looking at many alternative pathways that:

  • enable more students to go to university
  • ensure students don’t fail when they get there.

Universities are looking for alternative pathways more than schools and parents.

READ ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA HERE.

TAFE has always been flexible with its pathways to learning than universities and there is a huge range of possible pathways offered.

Job Prospects for Young Job Seekers

Last year the Career Development Association put on a webinar delivered by Ivan Neville, from the Commonwealth Department of Employment. He said….you really need to get a year 12 qualification, or equivalent, to get a job…..

Statistics 1

But there isn’t much difference in employment outcomes between a degree (3.6%) and a Cert III (4.1%).

The opening of university entry to a wider audience had resulted in a shift towards degrees and away from vocational education since 2008.

Statistics 3

There are now stronger job outcomes for apprentices and trainees than people with degrees.

statistics 2

Statistics 4

Step 4 Check Course PRE-REQUISITES

There are lots of courses that have RECOMMENDED subjects, but not so many have definite PRE-REQUISITES that MUST be done as a WACE subject in order to get into a course. University 2022

There are lots of pathways into further study and your WACE pathway is just one of them.

The most direct pathway is however, to take subjects that the universities are looking for. So, once you have narrowed down a career direction to take, check out the TISC University Admissions Handbook. It identifies what WACE subjects you should take to keep your options open.

OLNA

The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) is the minimum WACE requirement reading, writing and numeracy. It is usually done in 10 but there are more opportunities to sit the Assessment in Year 11 and 12 and even AFTER Year 12.

Prospective TAFE students who do not meet these standards can:

  1. sit a TAFE Admissions literacy and/or numeracy test administered by Training Sector Services;
  2. be referred to a TAFE college for a Learning Area Assessment; or
  3. enrol in a course that does not have literacy or numeracy requirements, including foundation skills, equity courses and Certificate I

 

Step 5 Contact Your Career Advisor

Tap into the knowledge and experience of your career advisor.

If you don’t have access to a specialist career advisor at your school, go to a TAFE college Jobs and Skills Centre or private careers consultant to be sure your next step is the right one.

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