Careers News (Friday 8 April)

Photo of Riley taken from Master Plumbers Instagram

To our Sacred Heart Community

School Based Apprenticeships

An increasingly popular option with both employers and students are school based apprenticeships.

We have a number of students who are undertaking school based apprenticeships but in the past at SHC school has commanded a larger number of hours than work or training.

I recently sat down with Riley Brigmanis and Jack Bartlett who are both undertaking school based apprenticeships whilst completing the compulsory Research Project and using the competencies from their apprenticeship to contribute to SACE completion. Riley and Jack are “test pilots” for a new arrangement which allows them to be in work or industry training four days per week and attend school each Wednesday. They are both very aware of the special arrangement that has been offered to them and the importance of their commitment to school work and training. Their school based apprenticeships will roll over into full time apprenticeships once they complete the requirements at school.

Following is a Q & A with both boys.

What made you decide that you wanted to do a school based apprenticeship instead of a full time apprenticeship?

Riley: I was never keen on sitting in class and was always more of a hands-on learner. I preferred subjects with different technologies and things like furniture construction where you learn by doing. From Year 11 VET really showed me the outside world and what was possible which led me to the decision that I was ready to leave school. This was at the start of this year but then I realised that I also wanted to finish off school with all of my friends and so it was a big thing to leave school. Having Wednesday at school is a good thing to break up the week and still be a part of school.

Jack: I have always wanted to be a carpenter, it’s something that has always interested me. I still wanted to be a part of the school and be a part of Year 12 but I also wanted to work because I was ready for it.

Both students undertook a Certificate 11 course through the Year 11 VET pathway. Riley did plumbing which he really enjoyed and did very well in his work placements. This year he has worked with a Field Officer from Master Plumbers Association to find an employer. This was a very successful pathway for Riley and he has now signed with Jordan Plumbing. As Jack mentioned his interest was in carpentry and through his positive work placements and reaching out to his personal network he was able to find an employer, Inca Constructions, who were very keen to sign him up.

Do you think this pathway would be for everyone?

Riley: I feel that if you can see yourself being successful outside of the classroom then take that leap. If you don’t want to go to Uni or would prefer to be in the workplace then this could be for you. VET courses are a great way to find out if this is the right path for you and if you get the chance to do some work placement that is your chance to impress employers and maybe get your foot in the door.

Jack felt the same way.

What are you hoping to achieve from doing a school based apprenticeship?

Riley: Within school, I am hoping to stay connected with friends and finish up schooling life because I have heard that it is the best time of your life. If you feel that you are ready for work this allows you to do both. I want to complete my SACE and start my apprenticeship which I think will give me a head start in later life.

Jack: I want to finish Year 12 and get my SACE and still hang out with my friends at different school events. I still want to play school footy and be included in what is going on for the Year 12 group, there are great things like retreat, graduation and formal.

Student Story

Our congratulations to Ahsan Iqbal who was recognised by The SA Branch of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) for his outstanding performance in the SACE Board Chemistry Stage 2 examination in 2021.  In recognition of this Ahsan will be presented with a medallion of merit later in the year. Ahsan’s outstanding ATAR also saw him awarded the Proxime Accessit for 2021.

Work Experience for 2022

BEFORE CONSIDERING WORK EXPERIENCE PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING:

It is a legal requirement that prior to commencing Work Experience students are inducted in the following areas:   Work Health and Safety Act 2012 SA, Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 SA, Sex Discrimination Act 1984 SA, Equal Opportunity Act 1984 SA and Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 SA.  Adequate time (approximately 5 hours) should be allocated to cover these topics effectively and students need to demonstrate their understanding.   This induction is done by the school and is consistent with our Duty of Care to ensure that no student is placed where they may not be safe physically or psychologically.

In addition to this, the Work Experience form must be signed by the student, work placement provider, parent/guardian (all arranged by the student) and finally the principal or delegate (arranged by the school).   The original Work Experience Agreement form then becomes a legal contract which sets the school insurance cover in place and must be retained by the school.

The school must also provide a contact person who is responsible for each student for the duration of their placement.

Work Experience is a very valuable opportunity for most students however, it does take time to ensure that the above expectations are met.   We are happy to accommodate students in the times allocated.  Please do not cause yourself or the College embarrassment by making other arrangements and then asking for exceptions to be made.

Students who wish to do Work Experience during 2022 are advised that the dates are:

Unpaid work trials should only occur if it’s necessary to evaluate a worker’s suitability for a job.  They should only consist of the worker demonstrating their skills relevant to the job’s required tasks or observation of others performing the work.

Please note this is general Work Experience only.   Students undertaking a VET program will need to organise their VET work placement with the VET Office.

Key Dates

Adelaide Tuition Centre

Brochures for upcoming April holiday tuition seminars are available at the careers office.

Vocational Education and Training

This term I’ve had the opportunity to visit a few of our VET students on location at their different training organisations.

For our Rural Operations – Animal Care & Husbandry students, it was BOYD (Bring Your Own Dog) day for Pet First Aid, which was a fun, hands-on way of learning for the students.

Automotive students were busy working on engine parts in the workshop and Plumbing students were finishing up their theory in the classroom and are now very keen to be moving onto practical work.

Early Childhood Education and Care students brought in their favourite childhood books to practice reading in an engaging way for their upcoming work placements.

If you have any questions regarding VET, please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Benedictson, VET Coordiantor via vet@shc.sa.edu.

Tertiary Updates

New Bachelor of Medical Science (Laboratory Medicine) at Flinders University

Medical Science at Flinders University has built a strong reputation in industry throughout its 25 year history. Now students have the opportunity to gain credentials and expand their career horizons into Laboratory Medicine via the Bachelor of Medical Science (Laboratory Medicine).

The new specialisation has been designed with support from SA Pathology’s Chief Scientist and offers students unique placement opportunities across two 13-week placements in metropolitan and regional areas, including the blood bank laboratory at the Flinders Medical Centre.

Find out more about this new course here.

Introduction to Actuarial Science with ANU

For students interested in Mathematics

You may have heard of actuarial science, or you might even know an actuary, but do you know what an actuary does? The actuarial profession is a very attractive option for students with a strong mathematical background, being both well remunerated and having an abundance of career path options.

During this online course, created by Associate Professor Adam Butt, you’ll learn how actuaries use mathematical, statistical, economic and business knowledge to understand, quantify and manage financial risks. You’ll experience ‘hands-on’ learning using Excel (or an equivalent spreadsheet tool) to project and investigate the financial condition of a company, choosing appropriate strategies for the company through the use of simulations. You’ll also hear from a wide variety of actuaries about their careers.

The course is suitable for students in Years 11 and 12, is run completely online, and is totally free.

Find out more here.

Torrens University Australia – Sport for Good

Get in on the action with Sport for Good. Developed in collaboration with human rights activist Craig Foster, this suite of free online short courses explores sport’s growing responsibility to promote positive change.

You’ll investigate gender equality, climate action, anti-racism, refugee rights and religious freedom through the lens of sport – and through the eyes of athletes who are using their voices to create a brighter future.

Find out more here.

What is Course Seeker?

Course Seeker is a comprehensive database of tertiary courses on offer from universities and private providers across the country.

It makes it easy to find your dream course. You can filter your search by subject area, location, duration, qualification level, institution type, and more.

You can also see the entry requirements for each course, so you can work out your eligibility for courses.

You also get other handy info, like the course duration, whether you can study part-time, and the campuses where the course is offered.

You can also add courses to your shortlist, which lets you easily compare them when you’re trying to make a decision. In your shortlist, you can also compare indicative course fees, whether or not Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are available, and if there are any prerequisites, plus more.

Course Seeker – If you click on a course, you can see all the information you’ll need, including majors, extended admissions criteria, the date the course will start next, and more.

Looking for something similar for VET courses? Try MySkills

Training and Work

Farming Gap Years

Want to spend your gap year travelling around the country, experiencing life in the country, and gaining valuable work experience? You might like to consider taking a farming gap year.

There are opportunities available all around Australia in all kinds of roles – whether you’d like to work with animals, spend time picking fruit, or growing crops, there’s something for everyone.

Take a look at some of the options.

WWOOF

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) has been offering unique gap year experiences to people from all around Australia for 40 years. It’s a great way to travel cheaply, learn about organic farming, gain some independence and a host of other skills.

They have tons of unique experiences on offer, from viticulture to butterfly farming.

Click here to find out more.

AgCAREERSTART

AgCAREERSTART provide gap year opportunities to young people aged 18-25. AgCAREERSTART is a structured 12-month program where participants are matched with a paid on-farm job, given training, development and access to industry events and experiences. AgCAREERSTART is an Australian Government initiative, delivered by the National Farmers’ Federation in collaboration with leading industry bodies

For more information click here.

GAPYear

GAPYear is a new initiative from Growcom, the peak body for horticulture in Queensland. They want to give young Aussies the chance to explore regional Queensland, meet like-minded people, and partner with ethical employers for a year like no other. Travel as far north as Cairns for mangoes and reef tours, or as far south as Stanthorpe for apples and national park treks.

Click here to find out more.

Overseas Opportunities

You don’t need to stay in Australia to enjoy an awesome gap year in agriculture. Here are some overseas opportunities you might like to explore:

• International Rural Exchange Canada
• Dairy Gap Year in New Zealand
• Communicating for Agriculture Education Programs (CAEP)

Spotlight on Careers

Defence Jobs

Interested in finding out what it’s like to be an engineer submariner in the Navy?

Explore Careers recently chatted with Officer Isabella Yan and discovered life as a submariner, the role as a Mechanical Engineer Submariner, the equipment they maintain and the variety of engineering challenges they solve while at sea and ashore.

If you are after a role that involves helping to solve a variety of complex engineering challenges, working with advanced technology and maintaining a ship or submarine’s capabilities, then this could be the role for you.

Find out more about engineering roles at the Defence Jobs Website.

Interesting Stuff

Breathing Exercises to Reduce Anxiety

Feeling anxious is unproductive and let’s face it pretty unpleasant.

Taking a few minutes out when you start to feel anxious and following the breathing tips in the article below, could help you to overcome the feelings you experience when anxiety starts to build.

Simple abdominal breathing exercise for relaxation.

If breathing exercises aren’t enough, then you might need more help with your anxiety. There are some useful websites and contacts listed at Beyond Blue.

Disclaimer: Statements on careers and courses included in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Sacred Heart College. i.e. The text of notices on courses and industry prospects may be taken directly from their correspondence/publicity material. Some material taken from Study Work Grow (South Australia Careers News).