Whatever you have been investing in career education in the past, you will be most likely to invest more in the future. Teachers can become learning coordinators by connecting with others to form a learning network. This infographic gives you ideas about who you can collaborate with to support students to gain skills for life beyond school.
Dave Turner created the WE3 Framework which supports the move from exposing primary school students to career ideas, through exploration in middle school and work experience for senior students.
Dave told me to connect with Ian Palmer on LinkedIn. He is from School Industry Partnerships. There are some good tips for parents, teachers and students on there including information about work experience.
There are just 5 steps to get in place when you want to start collaborating with community or industry.
Governance: Agree on what you are trying to achieve together, who will be responsible for what bits, and to what standard.
Business Rules: All organisations have rules that govern how things are done within the organisation. These are often about your priorities as an education providers. SCSA delivers some of our rules for example.
Legal Framework: Schools are governed by duty of care, privacy and equal opportunity.
Financial Management: Schools need to be accountable for the money that they spend and for the way that resources are used.
Technical Framework: You will need to have some IT standards that ensure interoperability on one hand and privacy and security of data on the other.
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With so much competition for school leavers, teachers have plenty of opportunities to engage with universities.
All West Australian universities provide one on one career interviews. Everyone should talk to a career advisor at their chosen university before they enrol.
All universities also do campus tours and special information evenings. You can find an updated calendar of events in the In Focus Careers Newsletter.
Schools can invite career counsellors to give presentations at schools or attend school expos.
Murdoch workshops for high schools
Murdoch Outreach have been working hard to develop an online offer to help support teachers and school communities. Explore our wide range of online workshops and our inspiring podcast series.
Explore our online workshops
Your high school students can participate in our Outreach workshops, but online! Get them to explore the curriculum, build new skills and develop a deeper understanding of subjects through our series of free online STEM, HASS and Creative Arts and Communication workshops, which can be booked by teachers for a whole class.
STEM workshops
In our STEM workshops, students will develop their critical thinking and teamwork skills through using their imagination to solve challenges, crack codes, write algorithms, explore probability and design and build machines.
What is criminology? Can we lower our carbon footprint? How do businesses work and what do marketers do? Get your students to explore all these questions and more while working with their classmates in our HASS workshops.
In our Creative Arts and Communication workshops your students will explore digital painting, pixel art, portfolio design, personal branding, design thinking and ideation, the principles of graphic design and much more.
Join us for our Murdoch Minds podcast series where you will hear from our free thinking academics as we explore their career paths, current research projects and more.
Curtin AHEAD is a dynamic outreach program, fostering the potential of individuals and groups underrepresented in higher education. We work with high schools to raise aspirations and build learning skills, delivering workshops, on-campus experiences, mentoring programs and career-developing activities.
EcoChallenge Australia
EcoChallenge Australia provides an exciting and authentic learning experience for students in Years 5-12 through the online strategic game, Aqua Republica, to explore issues and solutions relating to water management and sustainable development. EcoChallenge Australia incorporates a sustained engagement with the principles of water usage across industrial, urban and agricultural systems and the impact upon ecosystems.
Innovative Schools Consortium
Through a partnership with Curtin, secondary schools can help their high achievers fulfil their true potential. Identified students participate in programs that build their skills and strengths in innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. They receive a record of their achievements that can be used towards meeting university admission criteria, gaining accelerated entry into Curtin or supporting their scholarship applications. Download the Innovative Schools Consortium flyer – [.pdf 270kB]
Learning Futures Network
Comprising more than 140 schools, industry and community organisations, the Learning Futures Network is focused on driving transformation across student learning and the future of work, while building deep learning relationships across communities.
The network provides an avenue for schools to collaborate with Curtin, and learn more about higher education, alternative entry pathways, and professional learning and postgraduate opportunities for teachers. Join the Learning Futures Network.
Professional Learning Hub
Curtin’s commitment to teaching and teachers continues after graduation. Our Professional Learning Hub enables our alumni to remain inspired, informed and current in their classrooms. Our innovative, practical and research-based workshops contribute to teacher PD hours, building better educational outcomes for the community through greater job satisfaction.
Curtin’s School of Education also offers networking sessions and presentations for teaching professionals.
STEM Outreach offers engaging and innovative programs that connect your school and community to STEM and Curtin research. We deliver programs, workshops, camps, excursions, incursions and competitions for students and teachers across metropolitan and regional Western Australia. See all the ways your school can get involved with STEM Outreach.
UniReady in Schools
The UniReady Enabling Program is one of Curtin’s alternative entry pathway programs. It has been approved as an endorsed program for high schools in Western Australia and can be run as part of the high school curriculum. It not only makes up a high school student’s WACE but, if completed successfully, also means the student is eligible to apply for a range of Curtin undergraduate courses.
Presently the course is offered as part of a pilot with a limited number of places. If your school is interested in the program, you will need to make an application to UniReady and pay a program licence.
Through the AIME Mentoring program, Curtin students are empowering Indigenous high school students, giving them the skills and confidence to grow and succeed. Read more about AIME
High school resources
This dedicated page provides resources to all the key questions we receive from high school students around admission pathways, study areas, scholarships, how to apply and understanding prerequisites. This will be a key resource for you to distribute to students with everything they need in one place. Visit the high school resources page
UWA Career advisers and teachers
Here you can access resources, request school visits or on-campus experiences, and keep up to date with the latest information to help your students find their path to UWA. You can find the information HERE.
School Engagement team
The School Engagement team supports students in Years 10–12 to make informed decisions about their future study options. Our team can advise on UWA courses, opportunities, scholarships, accommodation options, admissions pathways and more.
Please contact us directly for further information and to book:
presentations at your school
campus tours
attendance at careers expos, fairs and information events
You can also sign up to receive our regular e-newsletter, which covers opportunities, events and activities for your school, as well as the latest information on UWA courses and admissions. Contact the School Engagement team on schools@uwa.edu.au.
Notre Dame For Career Advisors
Careers Advisor hold the key to guiding students to their future opportunities.
To best direct students’ potential towards education and career choices that will enrich their lives, you need to know the facts.
We’ve gathered everything you need to know here to support you in your vital role.
Exploring opportunities outside school should not be a huge burden for teachers. These resources are designed to support teachers and students. If you are looking for something different for your school, contact your local university and request the help you need.
Career education isn’t social work and it isn’t psychology, although it could be a bit like fortune telling if you don’t keep up with the changes to career development.
Predicting the future
These 5 clear steps will help you to build your capacity to confidently lead students to their best career.
Be an expert
You can’t wing it as a career advisor. People believe you are the expert. People believe what you say. A flippant comment or ill informed advice from you can change the direction of their lives.
Don’t do computer programming. Computers are a passing fad.
1990’s Phys Ed Teacher/Career Advisor to high school student in Geraldton
You have a personal responsibility to be the expert, to KNOW where to look for the right information.
Empower yourself with knowledge
STEP 1: Get a qualification. Join professional organisations. Make sure your skills are current.
Listening
Moore’s Law says the capacity of computers doubles every two years. I think the pace of change is doubling every two years. I look back on 2019 and it seems like ancient history.
You can’t keep up with the changes that every student is experiencing. What they bring to the table in 2021 is going to be vastly different to what you would have expected from a similar student in 2019.
Students even look different
If you bring a deep appreciation of how much things have changed to the table, you will be more able to listen, empathise and question until you understand.
STEP 2: Appreciate the world view of your student.
Research
Everyone, from the OECD and World Economic Forum to teachers writing to parents, is trying to help people to make rational, data driven career decisions.
There is so much change flickering into view. Career advisors must be able to discriminate between the latest bright, new, shiny thing, and a substantial initiative that could deliver a lifetime of career satisfaction.
Actively study the research
STEP 3: Do the hard yards. Study the research. Go to conferences. Keep up with professional developments.
Tech Tools
I love tech. The latest gadget, app, block chain initiative sends me down rabbit holes for hours.
If you don’t love tech, you need to figure out how to keep up.
STEP 4: Find out about digital career tools at meetings, conferences and workshops.
Collaboration
When I worked in Arnhem Land the whole community worked to support students to find their best career.
We had NorForce (Defence) taking on cadets, unionists working as Master (Electrician) Mentors to would-be apprentices, the principal’s sister in Cairns providing accommodation to an interior design work experience student. Every business in town was willing to take people for work experience. Ex students and community members were mentoring students.
Throughout Western Australia, there is significant goodwill on the table waiting to engage with and support students who want to explore career opportunities and develop knowledge and skills.
Work with others
STEP 5: Reach out and collaborate with your community, with industryor with the In Focus Careers network to expand the opportunities available to your students.
Deliver Insanely Great Career Education
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
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.
His system has been adopted by a lot of teachers to demonstrate their commitment to becoming experts in their field, without a qualification.
The trick to finding the best system is to understand how you would use it
I would:
See what is trending from speakers in Australia and around the world.
Attach a copy of the data to job applications if it was able to be seen as a snapshot
Go back and check on notes for speeches and articles.
Figure out what functions you want your system to deliver as a first step, then start searching for options that deliver them and compare to see which one is the best fit. Be wary of the biggest and best available as it may do a lot of things that you don’t need.
After doing my simple analysis of what functions I need, I think a simple Excel spreadsheet will do the job.
Start by figuring out what you need
A quick analysis of how you would use your records will deliver the solution that you need, at least for the near future. A digital record can always be attached to a job application, and a potential employer can ask you about the courses you have done, even if they aren’t accredited courses.
Become part of the Network of West Australian professionals who are working to deliver the best career guidance 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
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
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.
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.
On their Making Sense of Career Research webinar they debunked three myths.
Robots are NOT Taking Your Jobs
Bad news travels fast and there is reason to be fearful. There are not many chimney sweeps around… even chimneys are disappearing!!
But jobs are NOT disappearing. Since the introduction of IT across industries, the amount of work has actually increased.
Machines haven’t REDUCED housework
Our behaviour will change because of the machines. Before we had washing machines doing washing was hard, and time consuming. Not it is easy, but still time consuming because we wash our clothes more often.
Houses are cleaner, food is more interesting, we stay awake longer.
Machines have changed the way we live, and there are lots of jobs in our new way of living.
Artificial Intelligence Won’t Replace ALL Workers
If a some sauce is spilt on the floor at McDonalds, it takes a person a second to wipe it up. That task would take very sophisticated AI and it would be slower and more expensive than a human.
The same with self driving vehicles. It takes a lot of AI to account for every possible accident. It is more likely that technology will make us better drivers by helping us to park without crashing, showing us which route to take, or warning us when we are about to run out of fuel.
Where will the jobs be?
The Naked Scientist podcast Life in the Year 2100 talks about all the jobs required to create sustainable futures and build smart cities with intelligent buildings. They claim gardeners will be more important as green space makes people physically and mentally healthier.
The Future is Human is an optimistic report with lots of practical recommendations for future success. You can see a Press Club presentation on the report by Deloitte economics Chris Richardson, HERE.
It is likely that you will stay in a job for a shorter time at the start of your career, as you work at McDonalds or travel overseas, then stay longer as you go through your career.
On the Making Sense of Research CDAA webinar Jason Brown gave this explanation of how absurd it would be to try to totally change careers and start learning from scratch again.
You can relax. In 2000 we stayed in jobs for about 3 years, now we stay in jobs for about 4 years.
Millenials are NOT more focused on meaningful work than baby boomers
I was pleased to hear this. I have always sought meaningful work and I’m a baby boomer. Claims that young people are more focused on finding meaningful work than me, seemed to be dismissing my life’s work.
It is common to broadly group people of different ages into “generations” and to speak of distinctions between such groups in terms of “generational differences.” The problem with this practice, is that there exists no credible scientific evidence that (a) generations exist, (b) that people can be reliably classified into generational groups, and (c) that there are demonstrable differences between such groups.
We have already noted an emerging generationalized rhetoric that has characterized how people of different ages have been affected by and reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic. …..We urge researchers to eschew the notion of generations and generational differences and consider alternative lifespan development theoretical frameworks that better capture age-graded processes.
Thanks to career professionals
It is great to have professionals from the CDAA debunking myths that make us feel bad.
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Join more than 120 schools and organisations that tap into a network of careers experts around the State so that they can deliver the BEST careers information to their students and clients.
I will be a visible leader who works to build the profile of our industry. 
