The VET teaching role is becoming more complex. Teachers have always been required to respond to diverse learner needs, but now they need to comply with greater compliance and administrative responsibilities, which take away from their capacity to teach effectively! Systems must provide supportive leadership, adequate resources and clear organisational processes.
Psychosocial Changes
Teachers are increasingly supporting learners whose barriers to success extend beyond course content, including mental health, behavioural and wellbeing challenges.
In 2026 – Streaming Services like Netflix will be required to make Australian programs so there will be demand for more Australian film and television creators. Details HERE.
In 2026 – Perth Film Studioswill open in Malaga and there will be demand for creative people to use the facilities.
..a world-renowned screen industry showcasing exceptional creative content and stories to the world.
The Strategy includes a workforce development plan that allocates $11.2 million over four years. There will be an additional $2 million over two years for a pilot Digital Games and Interactive Fund, which will be delivered through Screenwest.
Current University Courses
Western Australia already offers opportunities to those who want to study for careers in creative industries.
VET Courses Provide Skills and Industry Connections
If you are willing to truly engage with the courses, do a VET course. You will quickly develop skills and get contacts who will be your passport into the industry.
Students who know how to create animation and digital games or how to maximise social media will have skills that can be used across the creative industries.
If you want to work in the screen industry start now.
Sketch out a story or game idea
Get help from friends
Use the camera on your phone to create a production.
Look for competitions or take your show reel to lecturers at one of the teaching organisations and ask for help.
Good luck with your screen industry career.
Subscribe to In Focus Careers News
If you need to know about emerging career opportunities in WA, you need In Focus Careers News. At $35 per issue, your organisation will have all the West Australian career information it needs to provide expert guidance to students.
At a recent university seminar for career practitioners, one speaker complained about West Australian school leavers not going to uni.
No wonder they aren’t going
There is such a critical skills shortage happening that employers are ringing schools asking if there are any suitable students for great jobs with career prospects. Students can walk out of school and straight into a job with an okay salary.
The State Government has been pouring money into vocational education and training. There is a bigger variety of courses, they are cheap or free and many give credits to uni degrees.
Uni courses are expensive.
Why would you go to uni?
Those who are not sure what uni to go to, or what they want to study, still get onto the uni bus because:
Their friends are going to uni and they don’t want to be left behind.
The uni bus came for them while they were at school so they bought a ticket.
Their parents told them to get on the bus.
Teachers knew about the uni bus and talked about their experiences in a positive way.
Just because the university bus is ready to pick you up from school, doesn’t mean that you have to get on.
Very few students are 100% sure of the university course that they want to take. About 30% realize that the course they are studying is not the right one for them, and they change direction. Others drop out altogether and end up feeling like they have failed.
If you are not sure what to do at uni, DON’T GET ON THE BUS.
The uni bus fare is expensive
Buying a uni course is not like buying a car. You can’t sell your used course to the next buyer who comes along.
If you get off the bus before you get to the destination YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.
If you fail, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.
If you change courses, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY for the part of the course you used before you changed direction.
You can estimate how much your degree is going to cost you by using the UWA fees calculator
Defer uni for a year
If you are not sure what course you want to do, you can still apply for a place at uni and, once you get offered a place, defer taking it up for a year.
After working for a year you will have a clearer idea about which units to enrol in.
Vocational Courses
Vocational Education and Training has been the winner in the post-school revolution in Western Australia.
The West Australian government has introduced Fee Free TAFE, it has been introducing short courses, skills sets, and employer subsidies. Industry has been partnering with training providers to deliver skills on the worksite. There are hundreds of courses available.
If you are unsure what course you might like to do or how to enrol find a Jobs and Skills Centre near you for careers guidance. It’s free. They can tell you what courses will give you credits at uni.
You HAVE to do post-school learning
You can’t just leave school and never study again. Okay, you can, but poverty could be your lifelong friend.
People who have post-school qualifications earn more money and have more life choices.
The world isn’t going to stop changing just because you aren’t learning new skills.
You need to keep up with changes in the world of work either by learning on the job, or online or in a classroom. Getting tickets, qualifications, and recognition for your learning will help you to have choices and steer your career in different directions. The skills you gain may even get you credits in some units at uni.
Take Your Time
More haste less speed is an old saying.
It means, don’t rush into things.
If you are not sure what direction to take, slow down and look around. There are many directions to take as you leave school. Uni is just one of them.
Find more choices and guidance on how to make a decision. Subscribe to In Focus Careers Western Australia
Apprentice plumbers, electricians and carpenters are to receive $10,000 payment from the Commonwealth government, spread over their 4 year apprenticeship.
Apprentices will receive $2,000 at six, 12, 24, 36 months, and at the completion of their apprenticeship.
2024 WorldSkills representatives Nick and Lewis
The funding aims to:
attract more people into construction apprenticeships by lifting their wages which are often below minimum wage.
take pressure off employers who are being asked to pay apprentices more.
encourage people to train for jobs in residential housing construction.
The Try-A-Trade program gives students in Year 9 and above, school leavers and mature-age job seekers, a chance to try various construction trades. Selected Registered Training Organisations deliver the courses on behalf of CTF at locations throughout Western Australia. Find details HERE.
Women in the Construction Industry
Although there are lots of incentives for females to go into construction industry jobs, most women in the industry tend to work in the office, in logistics, design and management roles.
The industry knows about discrimination against women and sexual harassment in workplaces and there are moves by many companies to create an environment where women and supported.
There are Apprentice Connect organisations that have been funded to work to reduce barriers for women.
Applications and preference change close – Friday 1 November 2024. …
Offers (competitive courses) – Wednesday 4 December 2024. …
Offers (non-competitive courses) – 6 September 2024 to 24 January 2025.
Vocational Education and Training has become a preferred pathway for West Australians because of the big money that can be made in the Resources Industry.
Our housing shortage is also making building trades a well paid career pathway and the Construction Training Fund has designed a range of courses for females so that they can also enter well paid jobs in the industry, without trying to break into the male dominated traditional building trades. See the courses HERE.
If you would like to do a VET course, but you are not certain exactly what to do, get along and see one to the brilliant counselors at your nearest Jobs and Skills Centre. You can do aptitude tests, check your abilities, chat about what is possible and find the best path for you.
If you want to apply for an apprenticeship, they will tell you how to apply and give you interview tips.
What Level Certificate is right for you
CertificateI delivers entry level skills that prepare you for further study. All Certificate I courses deliver literacy, numeracy, computing and life skills. Some provide additional skills, like basic trade skills and occupational health and safety. Certificate I is great for those without OLNA or WACE.
Certificate II is like year 10 in academic difficulty. Some Cert II courses are general, like the Certificate of General Education for Adults and some are more specific like Security Operations and in Health Support Services.
Certificate III is like year 11 academic difficulty. You do a Certificate III to become:
Photo courtesy of Directions Training
A carpenter (Certificate III Carpentry)
An electrician (Certificate III Electrotechnology Electrician)
A farmhand (Certificate III Agriculture)
A techie (Certificate III Information Technology)
Certificate IV is designed to be a more mature qualification for those with experience or previous qualifications:
A carpenter could go on to do a Cert IV in Building and Construction
An electrician could specialise in a Cert IV in Electrical Instrumentation
A farm manager could do a Cert IV in Agriculture to become a more effective at managing the business
A techie may specialize in Cert IV in Cyber Security
No OLNA or English – No Worries
Pathways for those without their WACE or OLNA
The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) literacy and numeracy requirements.
There are several alternative other pathways to TAFE for school students who do not achieve an OLNA.
Certificate I entry level with no qualifications required.
Vocational pathway (VET in schools): school students who complete a vocational course while at school can rely on their school qualification to demonstrate their literacy and numeracy skills i.e. students can achieve an OLNA or a Certificate I, II or III to gain entry to a TAFE course.
TAFE Admissions testing: School students may be eligible to register for TAFE Admissions testing if they have not sat the OLNA at school within the six months preceding TAFE Admissions testing and if they have not exhausted their maximum six attempts at the OLNA while of compulsory school age.
Alternative assessment: students can be referred to the learning area at their preferred TAFE college for a Learning Area Assessment.
Students can enrol at any Certificate I level, as there are no entry requirements, and
Students can enrol into one of the foundation skills and equity courses.
There are six West Australian competitors heading off to France in early September where they will represent Australia to win recognition as best in the world in their chosen fields.
All six of them are showing off their skills at the Skills and Employment Expo.
They have just come back from a training competition in China where the Chinese competitors were trained at an organization that JUST trains competitors for WorldSkills type competitions.
I ran into Lewis Italiano from Bunbury who did his cabinetmaking apprenticeship in at South Regional TAFE in Bunbury. His family is going over to WorldSkills to watch him compete.
His expert lecturer from South Regional TAFE is Nick Johnston. Nick is going too.
Next to Lewis and Nick were Lachlan Gelavis and Kai Baharthah-King who are representing Australia in a Cyber Security Team Event. They had also been to the trials in China.
You can see from the screens behind them, they were busy “playing” with code.
These are our Champion Geeks. They are already working in industry.
Congratulations to these six West Australians who are going to WorldSkills
Lewis Italiano – South Regional TAFE – Cabinet Making;
Jacob Dixon – North Metropolitan TAFE – Wall and Floor Tiling;
Antoinette Jackson – MPA Skills – Painting and Decorating;
Mitchell Rigney – North Metropolitan TAFE – Jewellery; and
Kai Baharthah-King and Lachlan Gelavis – North Metropolitan TAFE – Cyber Security (Team Event).
Who are the Experts?
WorldSkills Australia has also selected five Western Australians as Experts to coach the Skillaroos in the lead up to, and during, Lyon 2024.
WA Experts:
Nick Johnston – South Regional TAFE – Cabinet Making;
Liam Cochran – North Metropolitan TAFE – Wall and Floor Tiling;
Brendan Hibbert – North Metropolitan TAFE – Graphic Design Technology;
Ryan Goggin – North Metropolitan TAFE – 3D Digital Game Art; and
Todd Bell – Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – Electrical Installation.
Boys in Western Australian know that they can earn big money without a degree by taking on an apprenticeship that will lead to work in the resources industry.
Female school leavers who want to work in the resources industry tend to go to university. There ARE opportunities for girls in trades but it is hard. Sexual harassment has been an ongoing problem that has caused young females to stay away.
Girls who want to go into the resources industry can find great role models who have done VET and uni pathways HERE.
Training Pathways to the Resources Industry
By getting a job in the resources industry, West Australian school leavers can earn great money without a degree.
Here are VET jobs in:
Exploration
Commissioning and Construction
Operations and Mainenance
Exploration Occupations include:
Driller
Field Technician
Surveyor
Drone Operator
Finance Professionals
Hydrologist
Community Engagement Professionals
Laboratory Scientist
Land Access Professionals
Commissioning and Construction Occupations include
Excavator Operator
Crane Operator
Rigger
Scaffolder
Electrician
Welder
Builder and Carpenter
Contract Administrators
Construction Materials Testers
Project Manager
Operations and Maintenance Occupations include
Driller
Shot Firer
Haul Truck Operator
Mechanical Fitter
Motor Mechanic
Automotive Electrician
Procurement Professionals
Logistics Operators (warehousing, rail, and marine)
Telecommunications and Networking Operators
Maintenance Planner
For more information about jobs in the resources industry go HERE.
Go to your local Jobs and Skills Centre for information about apprenticeships, traineeships and pathways to these jobs.
Resources Industry Jobs that require a degree
Exploration, commissioning, and construction
Operations and Maintenance
Geologist
Community Engagement Professionals
Environmental Scientist
Engineering Professionals (IT, mining, petroleum, rail and civil)
Engineering Professionals (mining, petroleum, rail and civil)
Data Scientist
Project Manager
Site Restoration
Earth Scientists
Environmental Scientists
Environmental Engineers
Laboratory Scientists
Water Management Specialists
Field Officers
Planning Officers
Community Engagement Professionals
Contract and Compliance Professionals
For more information about jobs in the resources industry go HERE.
Subscribe to In Focus Careers News
Subscribe to In Focus Careers for all the information you need about careers for West Australian school students.
Many visitors sign up for thousands of dollars worth of training based on a noisy 5 minute discussion in the crowded Convention Centre.
The Careers Expo is great fun. There are lots of giveaways. There are glossy brochures and high-tech displays.
People on the stands are friendly and helpful.
Of course they are!
You aren’t going to buy something from someone grumpy.
The biggest, most professional-looking displays, closest to the entry, with the loud music and happy staff, are investing a lot to get you to sign up for their products.
If you are interested in having a Gap Year check out which exhibitors will have information that will interest you.
If you are interested in Trades, check out the ones that will be of most interest.
Make the decision about which ones to visit and what you want to know.
You could also ask….
How much will it cost?
How long the course will take.
What are the entry requirements.
How long it takes their graduates to get a job in the industry?
What sort of work do graduates get?
Tip 3 See your career advisor after the expo
If you don’t know a career advisor, go to a Jobs and Skills Centre and talk with them or make an appointment with a uni-based career practitioner. It’s FREE. The Jobs and Skills Centres are usually based in TAFE colleges, they also have information about unis.
Each month In Focus Careers News helps West Australian teachers to guide their students towards career opportunities. You can subscribe HERE.
This planner identifies the key career events for school in WA in 2024
Subscribe to the only careers newsletter in Australia, designed to provide comprehensive monthly coverage of local trends, ideas and new approaches to the career challenges for school students.
The 10 year plan aims to create:
The
