In Focus Careers

Creating insanely great career education in Western Australia.

Category Archives: TAFE


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Five Career Things for Year 12s to Do in April

You have fewer than 20 contact teaching weeks to go before the ATAR. The April holidays are going to be your last chance to sit back and get organised.

Tip 1 Relax

April is the last relax time you are going to have until your final exams are over.

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  • Plan your time through until the ATAR exams, including relaxation time.
  • Take that time off…. Guilt free. Total relaxation.

Tip 2 Humanities or Science? Uni or TAFE?

  • Humanities or science? Which way do you want to go? If you can’t decide go to these sites for help. (If you contact me I will email you a link to this Coggle map so that you can get the links without looking them up.)

Hear your dream snipped

Tip 3 Check out the Year 12 Handbook

In Year 12 it is time to check important dates, exam information, double check WACE requirement to make sure you comply. They are all in the Year 12 Information Handbook.Year 12 handbook

Tip 4  Enrol in ATAR Revision Courses for Mid Year Holidays

Most successful students get at least some revision support from one of the companies that provides mid year ATAR revision programs. 

Tip 5 Set SMART Goals and Ask for Help

  • List your subjects
  • Set a SMART goal for each subject
  • Check with each teacher to see what you need to do to achieve your goal
  • Ask them for help to achieve that goal.

If you have any great tips for Year 12 survival please send them through.

The monthly In focus Careers Newsletter helps you to see what is possible. Contact me for a complimentary copy.

Testimonial:

Thank you for such wonderful work throughout the year. (XXXX) SHS has found your newsletters to be so very, very helpful. We are so appreciative of your efforts and look forward to the 2019 issues.

(Top Ranking Metropolitan Government School.)

My Commitment to West Australian Careers Education

For In Focus Careers to be the conduit to Insanely Great Careers Information for West Australian 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
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Bev Johnson

M: 0434 056 412

Email: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

 

 


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Looking for Information from VETiS Teachers

Teachers have lots of sites where they share teaching questions. There is also an Education Department (and Catholic and Independent School) focus on quality of teaching. Is there anything similar for VET?

The closure of VET in Schools Consulting Services has shone a light on how tough life is for VETiS teachers and ALL VET teachers.

I rarely hear VET professionals discusing pedagogy (andragogy, heutagogy). All discussion seems to focus on just surviving under the enormous work pressure, that is at least partially due to the significant compliance demands.

By looking at the Department of Training and Workforce Development latest annual report it looks like there is no teaching or learning expertise in the senior management. You can see that the Executive Director has a significant background in Consumer Protection which sounds like a compliance role. There is financial management and financial compliance expertise and expertise in developing strategic policy and in accounting. Nothing there about teaching or learning.

Annual Report

Even DTWD advisory partners aren’t education experts. The Training Accreditation Council is concerned with compliance and the State Training Board is concerned that the Department is focused on industry needs.

No education best practice gets a look in.

I write a careers newsletter for schools and hear the grievances and barriers faced by VET teachers at the coalface.

I would love to hear from anyone who knows of infrastructure, or sites or even tips that would help those involved in VET delivery to focus more on teaching and less on compliance demands.

Contact me to get a complimentary copy of the In Focus Careers Newsletter:

 

 

 


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Anything BUT Plumbing

In  2017 I paid $120 to a plumber to replace a washer on the garden tap. (The tap was stuck. I was going to break the pipe. Stay with me on this!!)

It took him less than a minute and that included going to his van and getting the washer. Then he charged me $120!

So plumbers had the expectation of getting paid about the same rate as a surgeon.

Due to the exorbitant rates charged by plumbers during the boom there was a rush of young guys taking on plumbing apprenticeships. Everyone with capacity to train plumbers took on the apprentices and pumped them out. lauging emojiNow there are unemployed qualified plumbers working as trades assistants and doing cash jobs for family and friends.

The Department of Jobs and Small Business published its latest employment stats today and there is no shortage of plumbers for every job.

stats(Sept 2018 Employment Stats)

Employers were able to attract job qualified plumbers with a minimum of four years post-apprenticeship experience.

What Employers Ask For

Most vacancies required applicants with some specialist experience, such as roof plumbing, undertaking drainage works, fit outs or renovations. Employers often sought applicants with additional accreditation in backflow prevention and a gas-fitting licence.

Employers also required applicants to be solutions focused, demonstrate a high standard of workmanship, resourcefulness, the ability to work well with colleagues and engage professionally with clients.

st-francis-1758485_1920Sense of humor and sainthood preferred!!

It was standard for applicants to have a drivers licence and their own transport, a police clearance, a White Card and pass a drug and alcohol test.

Applicants were most often deemed unsuitable due to a lack of overall experience in the trade, or a lack of experience in a sub-specialty or particular environment (e.g. mining sector experience).

Applicants whose resumes were poorly presented (for example, not tailored to the job requirements or that failed to demonstrate good literacy skills) were deemed unsuitable, as were those with uneven work histories and poor references.

Applicants who were unwilling to relocate were deemed unsuitable for regional vacancies.

You can read details of the Report HERE.

You can find building trades career advice at the Building and Construction Training Fund  

To keep up with all of the latest West Australian career information subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter. Contact me to get your complimentary copy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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This is how you get an apprenticeship in WA

Bottom line??? Getting an apprenticeship or traineeship IS getting a job… with low pay and lots of training…. which is usually paid for by the employer.

 

Difference between Apprentices and Trainees

When you complete your apprenticeship or traineeship you are qualified to work in your field, at your chosen qualification level.

  • An apprentice is a qualified tradesperson (painter, electrician etc).
  • A trainee is qualified in their chosen field (IT, hospitality, mining, child care etc).

Coggle with pics

Step 1 Discover what Apprenticeship/Traineeship you want

  • If you don’t have a career advisor at school go to one of the Jobs and Skills Centres and ask for help to find a career that matches your abilities and what you like. These Centres are West Australia’s first point of call for people wanting career help.
  • You can do some online research at home by exploring some of these Career Tools and Resources. 

Once you know what road you want to take you need to find someone who will give you a chance to get started.

Step 1 Discovery

For a copy of this Coggle Map email Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

Step 2 Develop Your Resume

If you are a school leaver you may not have much to put into your application. Google helps you to put together a resume HERE. Youth Central is a Victorian Government site that has job application writing advice for school students from Year 10.

Step 2 Resume

For a copy of this Coggle Map email Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

Step 3 Find a Job

If you haven’t been to a Jobs and Skills Centre yet, go now. They will help you to be confident about your career choice, they will check your resume and they will explain the differences between direct employment and employment by a Group Training Organisation.

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network has been set up to support apprentices and trainees and employers. Find your closest one and contact it for help.

Go to your Family and Friends

Many jobs aren’t advertised. Let your extended family know you are looking for an apprenticeship or traineeship in … whatever your choose…..and ask them to ask their friends if they know of anything. You may be lucky to find someone you know who will give you a chance.

Check Job Ads

Go online and look for jobs in the field you are interested in. Check out Seek, Jora or Indeed.

Go to a Group Training Organisation

Group Training Organisations employ apprentices and trainees and place them with one or more host employers. You can be rotated around different jobs in one big host organisation like BHP or government or you can be rotated around a number of small employers to help you to get experience across the industry.

You can find a Group Training Organisation near you by checking HERE .

Group Training Organisations have job boards where they advertise apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities.

The Group Training Organisation will:
  • Provide mentor support to job seekers.
  • Select which applicant to employ for each position.
  • Place them with host employers.
  • Pay the wages, any allowances, superannuation, holiday pay etc.
  • Make sure good quality training is happening, both on the job and off the job at TAFE.
  • Care for apprentices/trainees and host employers.
Step 3 Job Hunting

For a copy of this Coggle Map email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

Step 4 Go for Job Interviews

There is plenty of online help to improve your interview skills.

You can look for the advice on:

Stand on the Shoulders of Giants

Some industries have mentors.  They are usually leaders or experts in their industry who volunteer their time to help new people to succeed in their industry.

Your chances of getting and succeeding in an apprenticeship or traineeship can be vastly increased by getting a mentor.

You can find a list of mentors HERE.

Step 4 Job Interview

For a copy of this Coggle Map email Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

Summary

The world of apprenticeships and traineeships can be confusing. Finding your way from school through the hoops required to land an apprenticeship or traineeship can be tough.

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Keep up to date with career developments. Subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au