Careers Teachers in Industry
The Industry Placement Program (IPP) is an initiative of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development which aims to further develop the capacity of careers coordinators. The program provides a unique opportunity for selected careers coordinators to spend 3 weeks with an employer or group training provider, exploring industry pathways. The teachers each use the insights gained to develop a school-industry link project to benefit young people at their school, and often beyond. Some have even used the experience to establish the foundations for ongoing school-industry partnerships.
The inspiring stories below might stimulate you to consider the possibilities for engaging local industry in a dialogue with your school. Careers coordinators are encouraged to look for opportunities to attend industry workplaces to get a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at an industry organisation in action, which can foster valuable relationships into the future.
Teachers value…
…learning about industry careers from within the workplace. It enables you to offer more informed advice on the opportunities available. Getting to know people in local industry organisations also opens up possibilities for industry visits, careers forums with industry representatives, work experience opportunities and much more!
Workplaces value…
…the chance to link more closely with schools in an effort to address local skills needs and for involvement in the education and development of young people.
Use these case studies as a source of ideas for enhancing your school’s links with industry.
You will also find links to resources, created by the program participants, which could be used or adapted for your own school setting.
Careers Teachers in Industry - 2008 Case Studies
Careers Teachers in Industry 2009 Case Studies
Elisa Ryan – VCAL Building, Plumbing and Catering & Hospitality
Elisa’s placement encompassed three industry areas which are very popular with students at Wantirna College in the VCAL courses: Building, Plumbing and Catering & Hospitality. The majority of Elisa’s placement was spent in building and plumbing industry, and she spent two days at the RACV Club and Langham Hotels. Elisa also spent some time with Hands on Training Group, who deliver job skills training to secondary schools.
Elisa concentrated on developing links in industry and producing a unit of work which would give students information on understanding industry requirements and thus, increase their chances of gaining appropriate employment in their chosen industry.
During her placement Elisa discovered a need for VCAL teachers to inform students of what is required of them in their chosen industry and how they could prepare themselves for finding the most suitable trade/career.
The skills Elisa developed in providing more work place oriented assignments in the class room was of great benefit to her students. She developed time sheets and job contracts so that students could start working in a more professional way.
Elisa’s experience changed her perspective and afforded her the opportunity to really understand what her students do during their work placements.
Julie Holahan – Group Training Experience
Julie spent her Industry Placement at Ballarat Group Training (BGT). BGT is a successful community based business that has been servicing the Ballarat region for the last 25 years and more recently extended operations into Melton.
Julie’s time was spent shadowing a number of key employees at BGT and gained valuable experience especially in further understanding apprenticeships and school based apprenticeships.
Julie began her placement focusing on creating a data base of business in the local area in the hope of VET and Year 10 students from Bacchus Marsh College being able to engage in work placements. As a result of her time at BGT Julie gained a first hand understanding of the needs of the struggling labour market. Julie wanted to look at ways her school could better engage with the labour market in her local area.
Julie is a member of the Bacchus Marsh Industry Engagement Group (BMEG) and used her Industry Placement experience to help begin further thinking into how schools can better engage with the labour market in Bacchus Marsh. As a result the BMEG initiated a breakfast with members of the business community and schools (including students) to begin a dialogue.
Resources created from the Industry Placement include:
- Work experience flyer
- Work placement flyer
- School Based Apprenticeship flyer
Janagi Brightling – Challenges facing VCAL, VET and VCE students
Janagi embarked on placements at Inner Eastern Group Training and Toll Holdings. Both experiences were aimed at gaining a ‘hands on’ insight into some of the opportunities and challenges facing VCAL, VET and VCE students who seek further training opportunities in the hope of long-term employment after leaving school.
Janagi’s placement provided her with an understanding of how group training organisations operate and their role in securing traineeships and apprenticeships. She also gained an insight into the relationship that these organisations have with welfare groups such as The Salvation Army.
Janagi’s time at Toll Holdings resulted in an invitation to participate in the Careers and Recruitment Partner Reference Group meeting. In addition Janagi helped to initiate youth focused training initiatives at a management level in the logistics industry.
These experiences have given Janagi a greater level of understanding of the complexities involved in seeking training opportunities after secondary school and has allowed her to provide a greater level of support and practical advice to students from Mooroolbark College contemplating their future.
Josephine Butera - Victorian Institute of Sport
Josephine’s Industry Placement provided her an opportunity to work at the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) with the Athletes Career and Education (ACE) Services. This service ensures VIS school-aged athletes are receiving excellent personal development support, educational advice and career counselling. This service prepares students for the many cycles of transition they will experience throughout their sporting life.
Josephine, from Maribynong College, wanted to capture the spirit of these young people by providing a forum for them to describe the challenges they grapple with in the pursuit of their dream.
Some of the key discoveries in Josephine’s report include:
- School-aged athletes find themselves time poor, combining educational programs with sporting commitments during the school week.
- Teachers play a vital role in assisting young athletes to remain engaged in their learning and through flexible/alternate curriculum.
- Remaining at school is usually the first choice for young school-aged athletes since school provides new experiences and interactions outside of the sport environment.
Josephine’s report presents ideas on what schools can do to further prepare and support young school-aged athletes in their efforts to succeed in life, learning and sport.
Kaye Liedtke - Group Training Experience
Kaye gained experience in a number of different areas in the careers and pathways field by working with Southern Suburbs Group Training (SSGT) in the hope of enhancing her role as an Industry Placement Co-ordinator. Kaye’s time with SSGT helped to clarify her understanding of the role of group training companies as well as discovering some of the things schools can do to prepare students for apprenticeships and traineeships.
To further develop Kaye’s knowledge surrounding the job market she attended Everybody’s Career Company (ECC) which focuses on assisting major organisations attract and retain the best personnel. Kaye’s time at ECC opened her eyes to different employment environments, including statistical information and generational attitudes to work and life.
Kaye’s primary aim in undertaking the IPP was to gain a clear industry perspective on employment and to the ‘world of work’. In taking this ‘world of work’ one step further Kaye spent time at Calvary Health Care, Bethlehem which provided an insight to the importance of OH&S policy and procedural processes in a large organisation.
As a result of her placement Kaye introduced a number of different programs into her school, Keysborough College, including:
- Mock Interviews for the VCE students
- Mini expo for year 10 students
- A Pod cast on Employability Skills Framework
Professionally, this experience extended Kaye’s knowledge and understanding of career opportunities for her students.
Kristen Cook – Geelong Regional Vocational Council
Kristen, from North Geelong Secondary College, took the opportunity in her industry placement to develop her professional knowledge in the area of career pathway opportunities for students by engaging with the Geelong Regional Vocational Education Council (GRVEC) over a three week period.
GRVEC works with schools, parents, local businesses and community organisations in the greater Geelong region to help young people gain the experience they need to make a successful transition from school onto further education, training and employment.
One of the highlights from Kristen’s time at GREVC was the ‘Y’ Chef Culinary Challenge. The challenge involved teams of two students from four Registered Training Organisations competing in a ‘cook off’. Top chefs from award winning Geelong restaurants were teamed up with each RTO to mentor and assist students to prepare, cook and present a three-course meal.
In reflecting on her experience at ‘Y’ Chef Challenge Kristen used her experience as a Visual Communication and Design teacher to produce a DVD about her time featuring footage taken throughout the program. The DVD includes interviews from chefs, trainers and students talking about their career pathways and aspirations.
Copies of the DVD were distributed to schools to promote the competition to prospective hospitality students as a strategy to help address the chef skill shortage in the Geelong region.