Careers & Planning for the Future
A career includes all the roles you undertake throughout your life - education, training, paid and unpaid work, family, volunteer work, leisure activities and more.
Young people are likely to make five to eight major career changes in their lives and it is important that they are prepared for these transitions and have the skills to access services and information to assist them to reach their full potential in the world of work.
Career education programs are offered in primary and secondary schools in Victoria, to assist young people to develop:
- understandings of themselves - what they like, what they are good at, what is important to them – and their relationships with others
- knowledge about the world of work
- skills to make informed decisions to achieve their objectives throughout their lives.
For more information, see: Career Education in Schools
Parent and carers help with careers and planning for the future
Parents have a key role to play in their child’s career planning, and can have a powerful impact on their child’s career development.
To help provide the best possible support and guidance to their child, parents need current information on the options and pathways that are available to young people.
Some online resources about careers and planning for the future include:
- Careers and transitions – information on the range of programs and tools available to schools to assist them to support students in their transitions. It also includes information for parents and students to support them in navigating pathways through school to further study and work
- myfuture website (http://www.myfuture.edu.au) – a free online career exploration and information service useful for all students and parents, including details of hundreds of jobs available in Australia and the education and training options that lead to those jobs
- Youthcentral (http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/) – Victorian Government website providing information about jobs and careers to young Victorians
- Job Guide (http://www.jobguide.dest.gov.au) - Describes about 600 occupations with their training and education pathways, as well as career planning and job seeking information for young people, and information to help parents support young people
Career coordinators and support in schools
Careers coordinators in schools support students by providing advice on all career related issues. They also deliver career education programs in classes.
In career programs conducted at schools, young people will learn about themselves (their interest, abilities and values), the world of work, decision making and the skills they need in seeking work such as:
- applying for jobs
- writing resumes
- interview skills
- presentation skills.
Career education programs and information available to students in government schools vary according to the school. For example, students may complete one or two weeks of work experience, usually in Years 9 and 10, but sometimes in other years.
Schools also develop individual programs for career education.
Contact the school for further information, or see Schools Online (http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/schoolsonline) or Region
More information
The Department has introduced a range of initiatives to improve outcomes for students, including student pathways and transitions. For more information about government initiatives, see:
- Careers and transitions under Senior Secondary Transitions on this website
- Managed Individual Pathways (MIPs) program - introduced to help all students 15 years and over through the final years of schooling and into further education, training or secure employment. Each student has individual pathway plans and support to help them achieve their goals, and each school has a MIPs coordinator.
- Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLEN) (http://www.llen.vic.gov.au) - initiative that brings together education providers, industry, community organisations, individual and government organisations to improve education, training and employment outcomes for young people in communities across Victoria
- On Track and On Track Connect - supports the successful transition of young people from school to further education, training and employment. School leavers are followed up six months after they leave school, and provided with assistance through the On Track Connect program if their career planning is not working for them. Those not studying or in full time work who request additional pathway advice and support are referred to the Local Learning and Employment Networks.