LOCATED in the centre of the Swan Hill College campus is the career department.
From the moment the Year 7 students arrive, they are exposed to early career education and complete a career action plan at each year level.
These plans are varied for each year level to accommodate the different levels of career education and develop in detail as the years go by.
Junior school students plans are more focused around what interests them, who they admire and why.
They learn to identify their own values and how they may connect to future outcomes.
Towards the higher levels, the Year 11-12 student plans are more around pathways after school, whether that be further education or employment.
The careers team is focused on every single student in the college and which pathways interest them so that they depart the college a happy and valued member of society, and in a career or further education of their choosing.
Currently the Year 9 students are in the midst of completing their Morrisby testing and analysis.
The Morrisby testing is funded by the Department of Education and an external agency provides an online toolto identify each student’s individual interests, likes and dislikes, personality types, and the abilities and ambitions.
At the end of the process, each student is provided with a personalised booklet featuring an analysis of their answers.
They are then offered a one-on-one onsite interview with an external professional to go through the results and provide insight into potential pathways.
Each year, the feedback from students, parents and staff is incredibly positive, and helps students and families select subjects in senior school that are engaging and will allow them to attain their future goals.
From Years 9-12, the careers team are responsible for co-ordinating the subject selection.
They pride themselves on always trying to ensure each student is offered the subject/s of their choice and that parents and guardians are consulted, too.
If programs and individual needs are complex, they take the time to ensure a mutually satisfying solution is found, with one-on-one meetings.
The Year 12 students have the assurance that the friendly careers team will provide accurate, up-to-date and consistent advice around university pathways, VTAC registrations, ATAR advice, TAFEs, apprenticeships and further education information.
They are also proficient in connecting students to external agencies, if needed, and providing extra support after school.
Scholarships are also sourced by this team and put out to all students to apply, along with other admission tests students may need to do to gain entry into universities.
An important part of career education locally is to liaise with industry partners and continue to build networks with local businesses.
They aim to provide opportunities in efforts to raise student exposure to explore alternative pathways in further education or employment, such as industry tours and excursions into business.
By doing this, they are able to offer work experience to any student over the age of 15.
The team is very adaptable and will allow students and families to seek out their own work experience or they will go out into the field and find students work experience that may interest them.
Career staff will then complete the official paperwork and visit students in the workplace.
At times, this work experience can lead to full time jobs or school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, and the team is more than happy to work with families to complete any documentation needed.
With an open door policy, the careers team at Swan Hill College also provide general career advice for all year levels, including assistance with resume writing, job interview preparation and gaining a part-time job.
With a newsletter published on Facebook each week and emailed out to students, they are forever communicating what they know in the careers area both locally and statewide.
The team of Lee, Di, Kathy, Sabrina, Sharee and Leigh really are the heartbeat of the school as they know all the students and the pathways they wish to endeavour after their journey here is complete, so make sure you get to know them during your child’s time at the college.
