Preparing for the workforce of the future can be daunting. We know that technology will continue to shape jobs in the future and that workers will need to have a range of skills that are transferable between different professions.
We also know that matching a student’s strengths and passions to their preferred future is important if they are to thrive in their career and in life.
From as early as Year 10, students are making decisions through subject selection that begin to pave their future educational and vocational pathways.
Â鶹ÉçÇø School has a comprehensive three-year support program that helps students to make choices about their future that are founded on genuine strengths, relevant skills and realistic personal preferences.
The office of Student Futures is an unrivaled resource in the region, available to all students on a formal and informal basis, helping students every step of the way from subject selection in Year 10, right through to job or tertiary placement after graduation.
The Student Futures office is located in The Naunton Family building on the corner of Vine and Wattle Streets. There is a huge range of up to date information available for students to browse at any time and appointments can be made for one-on-one consultations about anything to do with subject selection, university and life after school.
Student Futures Resources
The Student Futures office acts as a careers advisory consultancy for students at Â鶹ÉçÇø. The school has dedicated offices, staff and a resource centre that students can access at any time and by appointment when required.
The three main resources that are offered from Year 10 to Year 12 are:
- Weekly Careers bulletin: A very detailed electronic newsletter, sent to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 every week, providing the most up to date information about new University courses, job opportunities, changes in University course requirements, volunteer opportunities, subject prerequisites for a range of courses, alternative pathways to courses of choice, and more.
- Student Futures on Astra: Vital information from the Student Futures office is updated regularly on the school’s intranet portal, Astra. The Student Futures page on Astra includes the latest information about a range of relevant topics including; University and other accommodation; Money management; useful Government Information via Youth Central; and Workforce Resources such as acquiring a Tax File Number.
- Resource Centre: The Careers Resource Centre library can be accessed by students at any time and contains literature and promotional material from Universities all over Australia, Australian Government information, Scholarship information, etc.
Student Futures Services
A range of services provided by Student Futures are dedicated to specific year levels and the following is a summary of the services offered through the Student Futures office to all Â鶹ÉçÇø students from Years 10 to 12.
Year 10 Student Futures
Careers classes: Year 10 students spend one class period per fortnight for the entire year, focussing on careers. These classes help students to investigate their skills and interests in a range of ways and include school visits by industry specialists. Sessions also focus on practical skills like resume writing and how to apply for jobs.
Subject advice: Because Year 10 is a pre-cursor to VCE, subject selection is important. Students need to know whether there might be subject prerequisites for any tertiary study that they might be contemplating. When students are considering subject changes, they are encouraged to first discuss this with the Student Futures office.
Differential Aptitude Testing (DAT): This is a series of tests conducted over 4 hours, designed to measure abilities in different fields, such as verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, mechanical reasoning, and space relations. These tests are analysed to assess competencies in a range of different industries and occupations so that students can begin to make logical career assessments for themselves.
Subject selection and DAT interview: In Term 3, Year 10 students attend a subject selection interview with their parents, conducted by the Student Futures staff. The interview discusses the DAT test results that provides a solid basis on which further consideration of future career options can be considered by the student and his/her family. This then leads to developing a plan for identifying the VCE subjects that the student will undertake to enable them to reach these career options.
Work experience: In Year 10, students spend one week during the school term on work experience. With assistance from Student Futures, students target an industry of interest and spend one week learning on-job skills in that industry.
Year 11 Student Futures
Subject advice: subject advice continues in Year 11, especially when a subject change is being considered, with Student Futures acting as a free consultancy service.
VCE Gen: One general class period per week, known as ‘VCE Gen’, is dedicated to providing Year 11 and 12 students with a range of useful information, including careers advice. Guest speakers are invited to provide the latest information about their industry, and training for specific subjects is also offered.
Year 12 Student Futures
VCE Conference: Year 12 at Â鶹ÉçÇø starts before the official school year begins with a one night, two-day exploration of a range of universities in Melbourne. The VCE Conference has become a keenly anticipated event for Girton year 12 cohorts, setting the scene for a productive final year of study at school. Students stay at a residential college at Melbourne University and visit other universities and experience lectures from a range of faculties. A formal dinner with guest speakers gives students another point of focus in terms of their vocational future and an opportunity to bond as a group and support one another through Year 12.
Year 12 information evening: An information evening for parents and students is conducted, covering all the ins and outs of Year 12 and important information about University courses.
VCE Gen: The VCE Gen’s continue in Year 12 with many sessions focussed on careers and University requirements.
Scholarships: Year 12 students are introduced to the range of Scholarships that are available to support them in their next steps after school. The range of Scholarships on offer varies enormously and can be based on anything from academic merit to financial need. Students are well informed of the options available and are supported in their applications.
OGA Careers event: an annual Careers event hosted by the Old Girtonians’ Association exposes students to three industry guest speakers who share their story about their own Year 12 experience and the career path that they have taken since leaving school.
University applications: In August, students apply for the University course of their choice and for relevant Scholarships. Student Futures acts as a free consultancy to support students in their choices and in navigating the University application process. Staff are also available in the school holidays to assist students as needed, with changing their University preferences, immediately following the VCE final exams.
For more information:
Contact the office of Student Futures: (03) 5441 3114 or email: studentfutures@girton.vic.edu.au