Careers News (Tuesday 16 June)

Posted on June 16, 2020

(L to R) Bernadette Cagney (CCUSA), Karen Bailey (Director of Teaching & Learning), Chloe Phyland, Melissa Cagney (CCUSA), Chris Cagney

To our Sacred Heart Community

Daniel Cagney – CCUSA Camp Counselors USA – Award


Every year, from June graduating Year 12 students from Sacred Heart College will be eligible to win this Award by applying and being accepted to the CCUSA Camp Counselors USA program for the following year.

All students who apply and are successfully accepted to the program by January 31st will be eligible for the Award.

The winner will receive a $250 reimbursement from the CCUSA Camp Counselors USA program and the honour of continuing Daniel’s legacy of his commitment to children at summer camps in the USA.

This year the award went to Chloe Phyland and Chloe spoke to us about the COVID interruption and her future plans.


As the recipient of the CCUSA Daniel Cagney Award for 2020 what were your plans for this year prior to COVID-19?

Prior to COVID-19, my plans for 2020 were to attend Texas Lions Camp (TLC), as one of the activity counsellors. I was going to be living and working on camp for three months, then travel for a month around America, once camp finished. Unfortunately TLC had to cancel this year, due to the global circumstance at hand.


Can you tell us a little about the camp that you were assigned to?

TLC is a camp for children with disabilities, ranging from Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, Diabetes, Amputees etc. The camp inspires these children to achieve tasks beyond their disabilities, as they grow confidence in themselves and through working together as one team. TLC is like a family, as so much support and care is valued throughout the community.


Do you intend to go to the camp next year?

I do intend to go to camp next year, more specifically I hope to attend TLC. It would for sure be a missed opportunity if I didn’t go, because working with those kids is an eye opening experience and inspires the staff to go beyond in their lives, even after camp!


What do you hope to do into the future?

In the future I hope to attend camp in 2021 and hopefully find a career path to pursue, as I’m still figuring out what I’d like to do.


What is one word of advice that you would give to current students?

Keep pushing forward to do your best in your studies and keep pushing forward for good mental health. I can imagine this crisis is very stressful still being in school, so keep pushing forward to work extra hard on achieving the results you want and to also have control over your mental health, as it is extremely important to look out for yourself and your friends.

Key Dates


Tertiary Updates


Open Days in 2020

With the effects of COVID-19, many universities are changing the way they are running their Open Days this year. Now, many of them will be held online instead of on campus. Below is a list of some of the unis that have changed their Open Days so far.

Spotlight on Careers


A Day in the Life of your Dream Career

There are so many different jobs out there it can be hard to choose which one might be right for you. Below are some video resources you can use to see what life is like in different careers, and help you decide whether or not it could be the job for you.

Biomedical Research ScientistBricklayer
Cabin CrewChef
Disability Support WorkerFirefighter
HairdresserHeart Surgeon
LawyerMedical Laboratory Technologist
NursePhotographer
PlumberPolice Officer

Does your ATAR expire?


This is to debunk a popular urban myth that does the rounds every so often…

“There is no expiry on your ATAR – it is valid until you have attempted more than two years of full-time equivalent higher education study (e.g. bachelor level study)” 

– Taken from the Flinders University website

General Bits ‘n Pieces


  • Australian Government Digital Apprenticeship Program

    The Digital Apprenticeship Program is for Australian citizens who are passionate about digital technology.

    You don’t need a degree or any prior study for the program. You just need to be interested in digital tech and solving problems. So if you’re looking for a career change or finishing Year 12, this program is for you.

    If you enjoy pulling apart or building PCs, setting up home networks, building apps, finding trends in data or simply problem solving and making things simple, then you should consider applying.

    Positions are available across the Australian Public Service in locations around the country.

    Applications for the program are open now and close on Monday 29th June.

    Find out more and apply here.

  • Australian Informatics Olympiad

    The Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO) is an open national computer programming competition held annually.

    Find out more here.

  • Australian Space Design Competition

    The Australian Space Design Competition (ASDC) is designed for secondary school students with a passion for space, or are considering a future in STEM fields.

    Find out more here.

  • The Gap Year Guide

    Considering taking a gap year after school is finished, but have a few questions?

    The University of Sydney, the University of Canberra, the University of Wollongong and the Country Education Foundation have teamed up to create a series of free online resources giving you all of the information you need about gap years, and the transition to uni after taking one.

    They have videos, quizzes, PDF resources, and a whole lot more for you to check out.

    Find out more here.

    N.B. References to NSW but general information about gap very relevant.

  • The Top Paying Trades in Australia

    Learning a trade is a great way to learn skills and earn a qualification that can be used to work around the country. Canstar has written an article about the top 20 highest-paying trades in Australia.

    Take a look and see if any of them might interest you.

  • Seven Brain Boosting Snack Foods

    Feeling hungry can really impact on your ability to concentrate and stay on task.

    It’s so tempting to reach for easy and delicious packaged snacks that might not be doing us any favours. So, if you’d like to be a bit more health conscious and feel better that your snack habits are actually boosting your brain power, here’s a few options you could try.

    Berries
    Containing flavonoid antioxidants and vitamin C berries could help to improve communication between brain cells, reduce inflammation in your body and help you feel better, increase brain cell plasticity, helping to form new connections, boost learning and memory and manage stress and anxiety. Try snacking on blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and mulberries, if you don’t want them on their own you could add them to cereals, yoghurt, cakes and slices, or turn them into smoothies. They’re just as good in dried or frozen form which could save a few dollars.

    Nuts and seeds
    Containing omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, Vitamin E, Zinc, Magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan, these foods could help boost cognition (includes memory and thinking skills), fight stress and improve your mood. You could substitute less healthy snacks with Trail mix, Roasted pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Peanut butter (delicious on apples as well as bread and crackers… whole grain of course), Mixed roasted nuts, Coconut chips.

    Whole grains
    Whole grain foods have a low GI meaning they release energy slowly into your body and keep your energy and mental alertness going for longer and helping you feel full for longer too (so you might not want to snack as often), they’re also a good source of Vitamin E. Why not try snacking on Whole grain breads or wraps, Oats in the form of cereals, porridge or muesli bars, Whole grain crackers and chips.

    Avocados
    Full of monounsaturated fats, avocados help promote blood flow, which boosts oxygen delivery to your brain improving its ability to work better. They also contain folate, vitamins B, C, and E, and potassium which provide lots of benefits and can may help reduce your blood pressure – I think we could all do with some of that right now. Incorporating avocados into any part of your diet is beneficial so how about mashed on toast, try adding a quarter to your smoothies (I promise you won’t even know it’s there), or even a cheeky guacamole on your wholegrain nacho chips.

    Dark chocolate
    Bet you find this one easy to jump on board with. Studies have shown that “moderate” intake of dark chocolate containing flavanols (a plant-based antioxidant), along with magnesium and zinc, could not only boost blood flow to your brain but also help you to combat stress.

    Tomatoes
    Brimming with lycopene a powerful antioxidant which could boost your brain power, you could snack on cherry tomatoes or indulge yourself with some chips and salsa (cooked tomatoes are even better for optimising your bodies absorption).

    Bananas
    Bananas are high in potassium and magnesium said to provide brains with energy which in turn could help increase focus, and the ability to pay attention and to learn, they could also improve and help better regulate moods. Quick and easy to eat on their own, you could also add them to Smoothies, Cereal, Toast, Yoghurt, or ice cream for a deliciously rewarding banana split treat

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).