Career Advice Archives - In Focus Careers Resources Hub

October 25, 2020
by Bev Johnson Leave a comment

How to Blitz Your Apprenticeship Interview

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.

Give the employer the right gut feeling

Check this video.

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.
Check the Australian Apprenticeship and Traineeship Pathways site.
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.

Here are some companies that are looking for apprentices.

Check the Jobs and Skills Centre Job Board.

Check out this story from the ABC to get some background to supporting women in trades.

Australian Apprenticeship Pathways has a range of information on how to get an apprenticeship.

See the National Association of Women in Construction

In Focus Careers Newsletter

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

M: 0434 056 412

Email: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

October 20, 2020
by Bev Johnson Leave a comment

In Focus Careers Teachers’ Guide

This 2021 Teachers’ Guide provides updated links to WA policies, guidelines and services that are identified in the Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook.

They are the shortcuts professionals need to support lessons. There are additional links to lesson ideas that don’t appear in the Handbook.

It is automatically sent to schools and organisations that subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter.

I have updated the information from 2020. Sorry, I haven’t managed to make it funny or even faintly amusing in the latest issue!! You will just have to keep reading my newsletter for examples of my sparkling wit!!

If you would like a Word version just email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

I want West Australians to get the best career services in the world.

Check the In Focus Career services here.

If you would like to join the West Australian In Focus Careers network you can register here:

October 20, 2020
by Bev Johnson Leave a comment

Year 10 Magic Happens Infographic

The Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook and Teachers’ Guide are available to organisations that subscribe to the In Focus Careers newsletter.

It gives a quick guide for teachers, students and their families to visualise steps in the Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook.

You can register to join the In Focus Career Network HERE

To subscribe to the In Focus Careers newsletter go HERE.

August 22, 2020
by Bev Johnson 1 Comment

Leaving Year 12 – Do these things now

You have to leave school at the end of year 12. Hanging around would be creepy.

Create an Interview Folio

Put COPIES of your stuff in your folio and put the original in a safe place.

You folio can have:

Your resume/CV Youth Central provides tips for school students. Remember, your resume is not your life story, it is your pitch to a potential employer.
Your application for the job/scholarship/course you are going for. You can get help from a Jobs and Skills Centre to do this.
References from teachers, coaches, mentors
Photos of prizes you have won
Reports
Certificates
Creative work (photos of you working on a car, building something, doing community service, art, cooking)
Anything else you can think of that will show you in a good light.

Get Interview Skills

Go to a Jobs and Skills Centre free Interview Skills course.

Driver’s Licence

To get many jobs in Western Australia you need a driver’s licence. If you haven’t started to get one, start now. Go to this site to get started.

Tax File Number

If you want to get paid employment you will need a Tax File Number. You can apply HERE.

Bank Account

If you haven’t got a bank account, you will need one. Go to the MoneySmart site to get financial advice on how to manage money now that it is largely invisible. That site also has a budget planner.

The Barefoot Investor guy says NEVER get a credit card.

Build your online profile

If you are not visible you will not be noticed. You need to be connected, visible and credible. See It’s Who You Know That Counts.

Join online groups. Work your LinkedIn profile.

Subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter to know about careers in Western Australia

If you need help to prepare for 2021, email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au

July 12, 2020
by Bev Johnson 5 Comments

It’s Who You Know that Counts. These tips help you to network like a pro.

If there is a job going in our business, we will give it to a family member first.

If no one in our family wants it, we will check our friends or our friends’ kids.

We give jobs to people we know. It’s always been like that.

Most jobs don’t get advertised. We give jobs to family and friends, or friends of friends. If we can’t find someone through our network and have to advertise, we will try to find someone who is like us.

Five tips that will help you to network your way into a job.

1. Don’t be phony

Australians hate crawlers. We hate people who try to be your friend just for what they can get from you.

Stick to your values and be true to yourself first. If people don’t like the real you, it isn’t worth trying to be someone you are not.

Check Are You Living Your Best Possible Life to make sure you are on the right track.

2. Be Nice

Sir Richard Branson is one of the richest guys in the world and everyone loves him.

He is always smiling.

I bet he isn’t always happy, or nice, but most of us don’t see that. Everyone wants him on their team. He is fun. I want to know him.

Be nice, smile.

3. Be Seen

If people haven’t seen you for ages they are not going to think of you when a job comes up.

Sitting at home in your pyjamas, waiting for an opportunity to knock, is not going to help.

Random visits to friends, footy games, family picnics are a good step. Always let people know that you are looking for work and what sort of work you are looking for.

You can also become more targeted with your desire to be seen and noticed.

Check The Ultimate Career Beginners Guide to make sure you are following a plan.

I went to school with Greg Yurisich who became a world famous opera singer. Placido Domingo said Greg was his favourite baritone.

Greg left school and went to work in a clerical job for the ABC in Perth. It didn’t take long for him to get to know people in the orchestra, and to meetin singers visiting from all parts of the world.

Greg was seen in the ABC in Perth long before he performed in all the major opera houses and concert halls of the world. Having a magnificent voice was a good start, but there is nothing more common than wasted talent. Part of Greg’s success strategy was making sure people knew he existed.

4. Do stuff

Join a club, do volunteer work, play sport. You can’t change the world sitting at home in your pyjamas.

The more people you know, the more likely you are to find job leads. Your perfect employer isn’t going to come knocking at your door.

Find Guy Kawasaki’s tips on how to get people to like you HERE.

5. Unearth Your Own Network

Even a hermit on a deserted island probably has a friend who misses him.

It can be hard to see what is right in front of you.

Try creating a mind map of all the people who could possibly help you.

For each person put one thing that they could do to help you.

You can find a sample mind map HERE.

Get help

Ask a friend or family member to figure how each part of your network could possibly help you to find work.

Add social media connections to your mind map

Get a LinkedIn account, clean up your social media, join groups that represent your interests and start connecting.

Prioritise

Put your ideas into a list, figure out where to start and work through your list.

Good luck building your network

Get your personal online career coaching

Bev Johnson

If you are stuck, getting started is the hardest thing. I can help you to get unstuck.

I have helped hundreds of people to start on their path to freedom.

You are free when you are being your authentic self, living the life you want to live. I can help you to do that.

July 10, 2020
by Bev Johnson 2 Comments

Which Uni is Best for YOU?

Everything is different this year. TISC applications have been open since May.

Students have already received unconditional offers already.

Universities are competing for students.

You Got Lucky

If your ATAR is not strong and you got an offer because 2020 is different, you need to look for a university that has great student support services.

ECU and Notre Dame are Australian leaders on the QILT ranks for supporting students. They are the ones who offer the best student support in WA.

You may also like to check out the great information and support available at the First in Family to Go to Uni

Super Stars

If you have outstanding results you can try the UWA Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) or try the Curtin science double degree programs for outstanding science students.

The Rest of Us

Most people choose unis because:

their parents went there,
their best friend is going there,
someone they know said it was good
it has a great social life,
it is close to home.

Occasionally people may consider issues like, how many people go there or what sort of people go there, what scholarships are there or what industry links are on offer.

Notre Dame

91.1% of Notre Dame undergraduate students were satisfied with the overall quality of their learning experience according to the Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT).

EVERY UNIVERSITY WISHES THEY GOT THAT!!

Notre Dame is a Catholic University but you don’t need to be Catholic or Christian or even religious to go there, and the fees are comparable with other universities.

The point of difference is that Notre Dame does have a spiritual, values driven, caring approach to teaching and learning which underpins their interactions and decision making. That’s why they are topping the QILT ratings.

It is quite a small university with 10,000 students and the vast majority of them are domestic students.

The university is in beautiful renovated old buildings around Fremantle.

Pastoral care and support developed for international students has been made available to help regional and remote students to settle in. The only shortcoming is the lack of Notre Dame student accommodation but the student support services people will help students to find accommodation to meet their needs.

Curtin University

Curtin is by far our biggest university with over 50,000 students. It seems like a city with business centres, shops, gyms, accommodation and bands and food trucks, art galleries and theatres.

I think undergraduate students could have a ball at Curtin, but the sheer size of of the place can be daunting. You need to actively work at getting engaged with the Curtin community, both social and academic, to make the most of your Curtin experience.

Curtin knows this and has invested in providing plenty of help for new students and for students with special needs, but it is up to you to seek it out.

Because of the size of the university there are many opportunities available for students to extend their experience, in Australia and internationally.

Curtin is part of a knowledge precinct in Bently with CSIRO, Tech Park and the Pawsey supercomputer in the area. Staff and students actively seek to engage with industry to get knowledge and experience and do industry based research. It is number 2 in the world for Metals and Mining Engineering programs. This industry focus underpins the feel at Curtin.

Curtin seems exciting, dynamic and very cosmopolitan with lots of international students and with campuses in Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai as well as the one at Bentley and in Kalgoorlie.

ECU – Edith Cowan University

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching ranks ECU as the top public university in Australia for undergraduates’ student experience. You can feel the quality of the experience when you contact ECU for information. They get back to you. They try to help.

ECU started as a college for teacher training and gradually expanded its courses with WAAPA being one of the first ventures into new areas. Now WAAPA has a reputation as one of the BEST performing arts learning academies in the world.

ECU’s more recent expansion has been into engineering with significant investment into new facilities, international learning opportunities and strong demand for graduates.

ECU is pretty big but students are on the Mt Lawley and Joondalup campuses so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

The buildings are great examples of design with some of the coolest architecture in Western Australia.

ECU is manageable and there is a strong student centric management focus which means students get help to succeed. There are many alternate pathways into ECU including the UniPrep program and experienced based entry.

People who didn’t think they could get into uni and succeed can are supported to thrive at ECU.

Murdoch University

Murdoch has recognised that the world is changing and that there is a disconnect between education and where jobs are emerging. It has introduced “adaptive expertise” as a learning spine being introduced across the university.

They are focusing on adapting traditional courses with the application of technologies. So History + STEM could result in machine learning that unearths previously unknown information about cultures. Journalism + STEM, as seen in the use of drones, is revealing what is happening in emergency or war environments.

Murdoch has a strong focus on getting girls into engineering. They have engaged with schools and support in industry to lift the number of girls entering this field which delivers 25% of the world’s CEOs.

Murdoch has the biggest percentage of international students in WA.

They are teaching students to think globally, to seek ways to apply technology to their work and to work collaboratively.

UWA – University of Western Australia

This is our oldest university. Many industry, political and community leaders in Western Australia went to UWA which gives strong links between UWA and leadership across the State.

The UWA campus is beautiful with Winthrop Hall being the most recognised symbol of “a university” in WA. The gardens, theatres and art gallery and its role as the initiator of the Festival of Perth make UWA a hub of culture.

UWA has positioned itself as the university for high academic performers and many high achieving school leavers identify UWA as their first preference.

It is aware of its low QILT satisfaction results and is supporting strategies like the Fogarty Foundation Edfutures initiative and consulting with experts in an effort to become more student centric in its approach.

CQU – Central Queensland University

This is a new comer to Western Australia and it is working hard to attract students from their traditional university pathways with courses in sonography and echocardiography which are new to WA.

The main campus is located near the bottom of William Street near Elizabeth Quay and they have set up study hubs in Busselton, Broome, Geraldton and Karratha. These are often on TAFE campuses.

Many of the students are mature aged, external students who make use of online learning, occasional face to face contact and phone calls to fit their learning around their work and other demands.

Although there are 20,000 students at CQU, they are spread across Australia and numbers in WA are still quite small.

Comparison

The comparison of student experience outcomes puts Notre Dame as a clear leader with
ECU also doing well.

Each university has different features that will impact on your choices.

Still not sure what to do?

If you are uncertain about which university or which pathway to follow contact me for a free 15 minute consultation.

Bev Johnson

Director of In Focus Careers Careers Resources Hub for West Australians.

Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au M:0434056412

June 18, 2020
by Bev Johnson 2 Comments

The Ultimate Career Beginner Guide

I have transposed Derick David’s The Ultimate Startup Beginner Guide into a careers context. I have never seen careers guidance use the strategies of Uber, Tesla and Airbnb to achieve success. It is worth thinking about.

1. Imagine your future while staying in the moment

Business guru, Tom Peters created the concept Brand You. Now every person has phenomenal power to create their own Brand by going online.

Your current moment is reflected in your Brand. The seeds of your future are embedded in your Brand.

If you are not conscious of a vision for your future, find someone who does have a vision for their future and try working with them as your personal awareness grows.

Do what you like.

You can start to unearth your where you are now and what you like try by following the steps recommended HERE.

2. Find What’s Missing in the World

Look around you. What do you think the world needs?

Is it better educators? Become a teacher.

Is it beautiful gardens? Study horticulture.

Is it better alternative energy? Become an electronics engineer.

3. Play with different ideas

Imagine and write down ideas about your future.

When an idea pops up in your mind, write it down.

Compare your ideas. Check to see which ones you care about.

4. Think the guiding questions

Would this be a valuable way to spend your life? Are you going to be satisfied being a …hairdresser….builder…. accountant? Are you making a difference?

Having the answers to these questions puts you ahead of the game.

5. Create a Prototype

When you have an idea check it out. Do work experience. Volunteer. Check videos of people doing the job. Meet people who do that work.

Don’t jump directly into a career. You can waste time and money going down the wrong path.

6. Show it to 100 people

Talk to everyone about your idea. Explain it in detail. It doesn’t have to be EXACTLY 100 people but the more people you talk to about it the more you will learn about your subject. They may even offer to help you.

Collect Feedback

Be prepared to accept suggestions

Keep talking and discussing and work on keeping an open mind as you do your research.

7. Iterate Fast.

Chunk the ideas into groups:

Those that will help you to have a remarkable future/Those that will not.
Those that make sense/Those that do not.
Those in the bin/Those to follow up

If you get stuck, ask from help, either from a friend or from an expert.

You will probably change your path a million times through your life. Your values will anchor you to your best path.

8. Find Co-founders

When you decide on a career path, find 3-4 people going in the same direction. If you are lucky, you can work as a team to inspire, support and motivate each other.

If you are SUPER lucky you will find a mentor to guide you.

9. Seek Funding

You can work as you study or you can get a scholarship or a grant or government support.

The earlier you explore funding options the better.

Many scholarships don’t go to the brightest student on the block. Some industries, like agriculture, give significant industry support to those who choose to go into it.

Exploring funding opportunities needs to be part of your research.

10. Launch the product (You)

You have been launching your product your whole life. Sometimes Brand You goes into a new phase. Have a great launch.

Get the best possible referees through volunteering or work experience or even by doing assignments that solve a problem for a company. They will help you with your launch.

Go for scholarships and grants as you study. Mention them on your CV.

Go for awards. Even ones that don’t relate to your Brand.

If you get the opportunity to study overseas, take it. There are scholarships that will help you to study overseas.

Find out about cadetships in your industry.

All this will help you to create a great launch into your next phase.

11. Be Patient

Love the process. Love what you are doing as you create your ideal future.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.

12. Check if your “customers” come back

You are your #1 customer. Spoil yourself. Spend time to reflect how happy you are with your product.

Are things turning out as expected? Are you still following what you value?

You will probably adjust your course often. Your Ideal Future may change as you learn more and discover new opportunities.

Keep growing. Your next move will bring you even closer to what you value.

Conclusion

From Bev…

Doing this transposition from business startup to career development has been fun. I have written a million business plans in my life and followed various business development systems but I have never thought of applying any of those systems to careers.

Now that I have done it I don’t know why I didn’t see how we can learn from Uber, Airbnb and Tesla as we design careers.

What we usually lack is a mental framework like this that helps us to stay on track. Most career failures come from the inside. This framework will help you to build your amazing life.

I wish to acknowledge the source of the original document again:

On the 5 June Medium published a great article called The Ultimate Startup Beginner Guide by Derick David (@zealous) which he draws from 5 years researching Tesla, Uber, Airbnb and distilling a 12 step process that can be replicated.

Contact me to engage the insanely great online career counselling services of In Focus Careers:

We would like to subscribe to your insanely great newsletter designed for young West Australians.

June 12, 2020
by Bev Johnson 3 Comments

Year 12 – What to do Next Year

Parents are worried

Their kids are in year 12. They haven’t decided what to do next year.

Parents don’t want their kids to leave school and fall into a hole. The kids don’t want to talk about it.

Parents can suggest these steps as a path forward

STEP 1: Explore

Check out some aptitude tests to see what tends to come up. Find a range of different tests HERE.

Get a piece of paper or a notebook.
Pick 4 different tests to do.
After each one write down three most important things the test indicated. For example….
- I want to work outdoors
- I am creative
- I am a natural leader
When you have done a few tests you should start to see some common themes. These will help you as you explore your career options.
Some of the tests, like Job Outlook suggest career matches to match your aptitudes.

Step 2: The Shoulders of Giants

Sometimes it’s hard to see what’s around you

I once counselled a student whose mum and dad, brother and uncle were mechanics yet she hadn’t thought of being a mechanic. She ended up doing a Defence Force Gap Year where she started a mechanic apprenticeship.

It is easiest to build from what you know, yet we are often not aware of what we know.

If you are an Eskimo you might think building igloos is for you. If everyone in your family plays an instrument, being a musician could be for you.

What careers you know from your life experience? Check out your family, your family friends, school friends’ parents, sport coaches.

What work do they do?

It is easier when you build from what you know.

Step 3: What is Important?

: Discover what you want to do

Whether it’s diamonds, world peace or having fun, your values will remain fairly stable and they will ground you throughout your life.

This game helps you to clarify your values.

1. In a list, write the names of 8 people you like.

They can be family or friends, famous people or fictional people like superman.

Don’t go on until you have your list.

2. Now next to each name write three or four things you like about that person.

3. Group similar values with different colour highlighters. You might group together smart, wise, clever, leader. (CLEVER)

Try to group all of the values into three or four groups. Give each group one name.

Now you have key values that are important to you.

These values guide who you are, how you act and what you do.

They anchor your decisions.

When you are in doubt, make decisions that are consistent with your values.

Summary

Well, that’s not a bad start. From the work you have done you now know:

1. What natural abilities you have.

2. What natural careers environment you live in.

3. What values drive your decisions.

Awareness of your natural abilities, your natural careers environment and your values can drive your decisions.

ONLINE CAREER GUIDANCE

Bev Johnson

If you are a worried parent who would like career advice for your student contact me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au or phone 0434056412.

In Focus Careers Newsletter

If you are associated with a high school in Western Australia it probably subscribes to my In Focus Careers Newsletter. Career information you receive about new courses, career events and scholarships are delivered to the school each month through the newsletter.

Contact me for a complimentary copy of the newsletter:

April 15, 2020
by Bev Johnson 1 Comment

Year 12 – WHAT NEXT?

If you were hanging out for a flash of inspiration at a uni open day, careers expo or information session… WHAT DO YOU DO NOW??

Year 12s have never had it tougher when it comes to deciding what to do next.

While this is the first time year 12s will leave school, there are experts around who WANT to help you.

This simple summary of the support and main choices available to West Australian school leavers will help you to clarify your decision.

Uni or TAFE Spot the Difference

Many year 12 students don’t really understand the difference between uni and TAFE.

Guess which fashion course is at Curtin University and which is at South Metropolitan TAFE.

In this (course) you will focus on the relationship between garment and body, using a theoretical and contextual framework for understanding national and international trends and the cultural significance and practice of fashion design.

In our course you’ll learn how to produce a unique range of garments and accessories for the marketplace. You’ll gain fashion illustration and drawing skills and learn about digital design, pattern making and garment construction.

If you thought the first one was Curtin you are right. University has a more theoretical approach to learning while TAFE has a more practical focus. Pick the learning style that suits you best for next year.

Career Advice – Take action while all is quiet

The offices of university career advisors have gone quiet. The staff at Jobs and Skills Centres thought they would be run off their feet… but all is quiet there too.

If you are not clear about what to do in 2021 there has never been a better time to tap into the undivided attention of normally busy staff.

Jobs and Skills Centres aren’t just about TAFE. You can do aptitude tests to see what direction would suit you, you can get help with different uni and VET courses, they have a jobs board and you can get help with job application and interview skills. And the help is free.
Each Western Australian university free career counselling. You are under no obligation to enrol at the place where you get your counselling although your counsellor will know more about the university they are working for.
See your school career counsellor. There is no one better placed. They know you. They can talk to your teachers and your parents. They get the full picture and will be able to point you in a good direction.
You can always come to me for an online (and on phone) consultation. (Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au) I have just started to do this with students online during the lockdown and it is great fun.

Youth Allowance and Scholarships

Your decision to study may depend on finances. If you are 18 – 24 and you have supported yourself for 18 months you MAY qualify for Youth Allowance.

Check the Youth Allowance site to see if there are any benefits that you are eligible for. There is an Ask for Help button which could save you hours trying to get through on the phone. If you need to leave home to study don’t forget to ask about travel allowance.

Also check for financial assistance on the Good Universities Guide site HERE.

There are scholarships for so many purposes, not just academic excellence and they are often only available when you start university or TAFE. Search online for scholarships in your field. The Good Universities Guide tries to capture most scholarships on its site.

Ask your career advisor for help searching for scholarships.

Uni Pathway

Very few people have a clear idea of what they want to do at university. If you want to go to uni but are not exactly sure what course or subjects to take, apply the same thinking you used in Year 10 when choosing WACE subjects to keep your opportunities open.

Talk to your school career counsellor about what course to apply for and subjects to take.
Go to see a career planner at one or two universities to clarify what course and subjects you wish to take.
Decide on your top choices.
Apply to your chosen university either via TISC or via Notre Dame or your chosen university.

Unsure about Uni for Next Year

If you MIGHT want to go to uni in APPLY through TISC. If you get offered a place you can accept and DEFER for a year.

Read Is the Uni Bus Right for You?
See a career planner.
Apply for a course at your chosen university via the normal TISC or direct application process
When you get an offer contact your university to hold your offer and defer it for a year.

Alternative Pathway to Uni

If you want to go to uni but don’t get the required ATAR score there are many alternative pathways you can take.

Some universities will consider your current scores if you have a year between leaving school and starting university. They consider that the break can result in you gaining maturity that will help you to succeed at university.

Contact me and I will send the latest WA information on alternative pathways at all WA universities including TAFE colleges.
See a career planner at the university or training college of your choice.
Decide on your best option.
Apply for the alternative pathway of your choice.

TAFE Course

If you are clear about what TAFE course you want to take contact your chosen college to enrol in September.

Talk to your school career counsellor about what course to apply for and subjects to take.
Check out North Metro TAFE courses HERE and South Metro TAFE courses HERE
Go to see a career counsellor at TAFE to clarify what course and subjects you wish to take. Ask the counsellor to advise you about courses that are subsidised by government because of skills shortages. These courses are on the State Priority Occupation List (SPOL) and are cheaper than many other courses.
Decide which course to enrol in.
Apply for a place in your chosen course. Check the college website for online applications.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Getting an apprenticeship or traineeship is like getting a job.

Get the apprentice job search app here. That will help you to find your local Group Training Provider in WA.
Get help from your school career advisor to prepare your CV ready for job applications.
Get references from school before you leave and get copies of them. Get the correct title and contact details of those at school who give you a reference.
Ask your family and friends if they know of any apprentice opportunities.
Search for apprenticeship opportunities on sites like Indeed, Jora and Seek.
Ask your local TAFE if they have any pre apprenticeship programs. They can be tricky to get into as demand is always high. Employers often contact their local TAFE to find a good employee to take on as an apprentice.

Gap Year

The Victorian Government provides free unbiased advice about taking a Gap Year HERE.

Job Hunting

The Jobs and Skills Centres will help you to improve your resume and will even help you to improve your interview skills. You can find jobs there on their Jobs Board.

I found these tips on writing a job application in a crowded market.

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Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au of M: 043456412.

April 14, 2020
by Bev Johnson 4 Comments

Will you be doing exams?

Even if you get an unconditional offer for a place at a university based on your current results, there may be course prerequisites, or a better ATAR score may get you the perfect course you want, or a scholarship.

I recommend that you continue to prepare for all exams AS IF you will be doing them.

These tips will help.

GET READY

Arrive early. Avoid anxious friends. Go to the loo.
Take drinking water with you.
Know how many questions or sections you have to answer and what they are worth BEFORE you arrive.
Allocate your time according to the marks for each section or question.
Know exactly what time you should finish each section and question.

GO IN

Get seated early.
Breath steadily, get centred, sip water.
Listen to the supervisor’s instructions. Ask for clarification at any time.
Write your name and student number on the exam paper.

READING TIME

Read through all the exam paper carefully.
If there are choices, decide which questions to answer.
Make sure you are answering all questions required from each section.
Schedule what time you should answer each question
Plan to answer the easiest question first.
Leave the hardest question to last.
Know what time you should finish each question and stick to that time.

DANGER

PLEASE make sure you understand what each question is asking.

woman in gray tank top covering her face with her hand

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Circle the key words in questions.

KNOW you are stressed.

Ask WHAT is the question ACTUALLY ASKING?

Start your first answer. Quickly plan your answer picking the BEST evidence you can provide that proves you are an expert on the subject.
Don’t spend more time than planned on a section or question.
Don’t over-answer or waffle on.
Add dot points if you are running out of time. You won’t lose points and may gain some.
If you have time skim read your answer for errors or omissions. This will also give you time to rest your writing hand and stop it cramping.
Systematically work through all required answers keeping to your time allocation.
Use every minute of exam time. If you have time left, review your answers before handing in the paper.
Hand in your rough work too.

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