PARENT INFORMATION EVENING

Career Development With the programmes and services we offer at school we are helping the students to develop the career competencies which are a part of the model for career education and guidance developed by the Ministry of Education. These competencies are: Developing self awareness – skills that help young people to understand themselves and what influences them Exploring opportunities – skills that help young people to look into opportunities in learning and work, and relate these to themselves Deciding and acting – skills to help young people make plans and adjust them, manage change, and choose the right things to do.

Transitioning from School Students have a wide range of choices Work – possibly an apprenticeship Gap year – travel, organised project, work Tertiary course – could be at a university polytechnic private training establishment Courses are offered at different levels – certificate, diploma and degree depending on the qualification you gain at school

Research With all the possibilities available research is very important Students need to think about their strengths and weaknesses their career interests what type of course is going to suit their requirements where they want to study or work. This maybe in NZ or another country Every tertiary provider is different and has different entry criteria for different courses.

The University of Auckland for example Now has an English Language Requirement - 17 credits at L2 or L3 English. If this is not achieved then you are required to complete an English paper in your first year of university Table A and B subjects are required for Architecture, Health Science, Nursing, Property and Commerce degrees as well as high rank scores Engineering requires Calculus and Physics with a rank score of 260 Biomedical Science has a rank score of 280

Where to research? Occupation Outlook The Occupation Outlook reports for 2014 have been designed to be one of the first places for young people to look when making a decision on career options and to determine what their chances are of getting a job once they have finished studying. The 50 key occupations were chosen for a range of factors, including their size, popularity, and potential for future growth. There are three dials for each report that indicate likely income, fees and job prospects for young people entering the occupation. The dials have three possible settings – for income and fees: low, medium and high; and for job prospects: limited, fair and good.

Manufacturing and Technology Automotive Technicians and Electricians [85 KB PDF] Engineering Professionals [82 KB PDF] ICT and Business Systems Analysts [88 KB PDF] ICT and Telecommunications Technicians [86 KB PDF] Science Technicians [79 KB PDF] Software Developers [79 KB PDF]

Vocational Pathways are a part of Youth Guarantee and can be used by students and their families to Plan a journey from learning to earning. Achieve qualifications and skills that are valued by employers. Create a learning pathway that leads to further education and work. Identify where the jobs are and plan how to get there. The Vocational Pathways provide a flexible new way to achieve NCEA qualifications and see how your achievements match up to job possibilities in 5 broad sectors of industry:

It’s not always about academic success According to Business NZ, the top 10 skills employers look for are Communication skills Customer service skills – in person and on the phone Ability to work well in a team Literacy and numeracy skills Confidence in learning about and using computers and technology Planning and organisational skills Initiative and can-do attitude Problem solving skills Good work habits and independence Understanding of health and safety

Gateway and STAR Gateway is a programme offered in the school. Students can apply or can be referred by the staff In class students work on developing their career competencies. The students go on a work placement and complete Unit Standards associated with the industry they are placed in e.g Early Childhood Education, Hospitality, Beauty Therapy, Equine studies STAR funding can be used to give students a taste of tertiary education or a work experience e.g We have offered courses for Barista training, Flight Attending, Hairdressing. We have also been able to help students take a university paper while still at school – in Music, Maths and German this year.

Keep your career options open From Careers NZ website  Most people change their minds about what they want to do in the future. Your interests and abilities will change over time, or you might find out about new careers that you had never heard of before.  So even if you're sure of what you want to do, try to study a wide range of subjects at school. This will give you more options later on. From a recent NewScientist Magazine on choosing a university course Avoid setting your sights on a specific career too early, keep as many options open for as long as you can. Starting with a vague destination and adjusting your course as your interests emerge, seems to be the smartest way to go.