Careers

At Catherine McAuley College, we have one of Victoria’s most comprehensive careers and vocational counselling services which provides information, advice and support for students and parents.
I encourage parents and students to take five minutes each week to read Careers News which contains information about:

• Tertiary (e.g., university) and vocational (e.g., TAFE) courses and institutions
• Apprenticeships and traineeships
• Focus articles on courses and occupations, and
• Upcoming career events

Additional careers resources and the full “Weekly Careers News” can be accessed here https://schoolbox.cmc.vic.edu.au/homepage/1747/

I also encourage senior students to focus on career development this year. By actively engaging in career development students can strengthen their academic motivation, bolster self-esteem, develop resilience and adaptability and make connections between the school experiences and future academic and career opportunities.

It’s never too early to start thinking about career ideas, researching options, developing a career action plan, or simply having a discussion with the Career Adviser.

Career development activities may include:

• Attending tertiary and vocational institution open days
• Undertaking work experience
• Volunteering for a leadership position at school or in the community
• Undertaking community service
• Playing sport or engaging in hobbies
• Reading through university and TAFE course guides, and exploring the myfuture website
• Completing a vocational assessment
• Speaking to past students of the College who are studying, training or working in an area of interest (e.g. building, law).
• Arrange a meeting for your son or daughter with Mrs Duckett or Mrs Dickson in regard to Work Experience or SWL
• Encourage your son or daughter to meet with Mrs Dickson at Coolock or St Mary’s for a career counselling interview

Students in Year 12 should discuss career options with the key people in their life as soon as possible. Those who have no idea what they would like to do when they leave school should arrange to meet with the Career Adviser as soon as possible. It is her job to guide students and open up possibilities they may not have considered before.

Class of 2018 Pathways

Last year’s 2018 cohort have gone on to pursue a range of pathways. Many VCAL and VCE students have gone on to apprenticeships and traineeships in a variety of industries including building, plumbing, automotive, business and hospitality. In addition, many students commenced TAFE training, while others have sought gap years or are working and saving in preparation for overseas travel.

Congratulations to all Year 12s of 2018 and I look forward to working with Year 12s this year as they transition into the next stage of their life.

Employment Matters

About 80% of all job vacancies are not advertised, so it is crucial that students learn to market themselves to businesses with an excellent resume and cover letter. ‘Word of mouth’ is also often a source of recruitment for positions.

For excellent job seeking tips, check out the resources at Youth Central- https://bit.ly/2RGiViP and SkillsRoad – https://www.skillsroad.com.au/

Email List
There is an email group for people who are interested in getting notifications about employment, traineeships, apprenticeships, SBATs, part time jobs. Simply email Mrs Dickson (mdickson@cmc.vic.edu.au) and request to join the list. Current vacancies are also advertised on schoolbox https://schoolbox.cmc.vic.edu.au/homepage/3837/

Mrs Mehgan Dickson, Careers Practioner