1. CAREERS EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL? Presentation for parents
Discuss
Why do we need to think about Career Education in Primary School?
This presentation will address:
The importance of learning about the world of work from an early age as part of a learning continuum
The National Framework and Employment Related Skills
Practical ways of learning about and implementing Career Education
What is a Career?
The following definitions are important to an understanding of 'career' as a concept.
A JOB is a paid position requiring a group of specific attributes and skills that enable a person to perform tasks in an organisation either part-time or full-time for a short or long duration.
An OCCUPATION is defined as a group of similar jobs found in different industries or organisations.
A CAREER is the sequence and variety of occupations (paid and unpaid) which one undertakes throughout a lifetime. More broadly, 'career ' includes life roles, leisure activities, learning and work.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT is the process of managing life, learning and work over the lifespan.

2. Challenging outmoded career strategies
Developing a strong career development culture in schools we need to consider the following ideas
Traditional
Contemporary
Just-in-time career information
Acquisition of skills that support lifelong learning and continuous career development supported through a range of school programs
Career decisions made at crunch points
Experiential activity, personal career planning and skills development nurtured throughout the schooling process
Career knowledge is provided explicitly towards the end of the secondary school experience
Career development is a process that is life-long and is explicit throughout schooling. Emphasis is on planning, possibility thinking, transforming information, focussing on the journey yet keeping options open.
Career outcomes are exhibited in a successful transition from school to further education, training or work.
Career outcomes are explicit and articulated throughout students experience at school, building their resilience and aspirations that endure after exiting school to a successful life/work choice
Discuss
Kurri Kurri Local Management Group has recognised the need to move towards a contemporary model of career development.
It is now recognised and acknowledged through research that young people’s career development starts early. Even before children begin school, they have begun to form ideas and attitudes about how the world functions.
Kurri Kurri LMG believes that a K - 12 career education curriculum will build a strong foundation for young people to make informed decisions about their learning and career transitions. It also places the young people in a stronger position to embrace opportunities offered in the High School context. This is a time when they can begin to experience uncertainty and confusion about how they will play their role as a citizen in their community and the world.

3. Did you know?
5 year olds can talk about the job they want when they grow up.
6 - 8 year olds have already begun to narrow down the number of occupations they are prepared to consider in the future.
Discuss
Without consciously promoting the career development of their students, good teachers have always fostered strong intrinsic work habits, an appreciation of the value that current school work will contribute to their future lives, a broad understanding of the nature and societal role of many occupations, a valuing of the contribution of workers in the community and a belief that gender and other limitations should not be placed on career aspirations.
These concepts are empowering!
This is all part of career education which fits naturally into the primary school curriculum. Integration of the concepts can be a seamless process enhancing what is already occurring.

4. Did you know?
Students from preschool to Year 12 have the capacity to understand career development?
(Miles Morgan Australia (2003). Australian Blueprint for Career Development: Draft prototype, P. 87.)
These research findings suggest we are missing a valuable opportunity to influence and enhance the career development of our students if we do not begin career education early.
It is important that primary school teachers recognise the career related learning they are already providing unintentionally, and consciously put into place planned programs of career education integrated into the curriculum. It is in the recognition and naming of career development concepts that are already embedded in the curriculum, in making them explicit and acknowledging their importance, that teachers will identify the contribution they are making in this aspect of the development of their students.
The career development of our students will have an impact on the choices they make in life, the success they enjoy and their resilience through the inevitable changes of their life and work roles. In primary schools we are in the privileged position of being able to integrate the concepts of career development into the curriculum of our students, enhancing their understanding of the world and giving further depth and richness to the teaching and learning already occurring.
In accepting the challenge of integrating career related learning into our curriculum we will lead our students towards gaining the necessary knowledge, understanding, skills and values for a productive and rewarding life.
Jenni Proctor

5. Why is it important to start early?
Children may engage more deeply in learning if they …
can see how education is connected to a successful future
connect what they are learning in school to real-world situations
discover the variety of jobs available to him or her and are able to imagine themselves in an occupation
develop work-readiness skills
Explore careers and occupations and specifically link school learning to the requirements of the job. Students can identify areas of learning that particularly interests them and explore careers in that area
eg.
A veterinarian uses math skills to calculate the amount of medicine a cat will need;
A reporter needs writing skills to compose newspaper articles
A marine biologist needs to learn science to study aquatic life.

6. SCHOOL TO WORK: 2006-2010 LOOKING FORWARD
This is the Developmental model Outlined from the School to Work website in the Vocational Education In Schools Directorate.
A Developmental Model

7. BUILDING CAREER FOUNDATIONS
… In the Early Years by
encouraging the use
of age-appropriate
activities and play to
explore the structure
and function of the
working world.
This is the first formal stage - Kindergarten to Year 4: Exploring the world of work
Focus on using play, dress-ups, curiosity, unplanned events, routines and responsibility to develop young learners’ resilience, positive self-image and ideas and understandings about future work / life opportunities.
Provide learning opportunities which nurture young learners’ creativity, curiosity and confidence in real life contexts.

8. DEVELOPING CAREER PERCEPTIONS
… in the Middle Years by building solid foundations for good career decision making by…
Exploring the range of opportunities in the world of work – online and face to face!
Engaging in authentic learning eg Enterprise learning, Real Game simulations
Reflecting on personal interests, attributes, values and abilities to develop personal learning goals and aspirations
The Middle Years from Year 5 to Year 8
An important time to experience and research work and career perceptions through diverse learning experiences and environments.
This involves providing age-appropriate opportunities to explore and test career perceptions and encourage student participation in enterprising projects that involve real connections with business and the wider community to engage students through vocational and enterprise learning, including the use of employment related skills.
Discuss all of the situations you find yourself in with children to help them make sense of their world and the possible roles they may have in the future.
Schools will use curriculum areas to embed career knowledge and understandings.

9. EMPLOYMENT RELATED SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
Self-management
Ability to take the responsibility for setting and achieving personal goals
Initiative and enterprise
Ability to seek/take advantage of opportunities
Learning
Ability to achieve new skills and/or knowledge
Communication
Ability to express and understand information
Team work
Ability to work effectively with others to get things done
Planning and organising
Ability to coordinate and prioritise tasks and resources
Problem solving
Ability to identify problems and develop solutions
Technology
Ability to use appropriate technologies to complete tasks
Cross-cultural understanding
Ability to respect diversity and act without discrimination
Employers consider that employment related skills are just as important as job-specific or technical skills. Students gain a variety of employment related skills in every subject they study at school. Therefore, it is important for students to record all the skills they develop so they can prepare a résumé and be better prepared to select courses and careers in the future.
Employment Related Skills – You don’t just get them in Year 12!!
A key function of schooling is to provide young people with skills and attributes for work and life beyond school.
MCEETYA has endorsed the eight employability skills and the 9th (cross-cultural understanding was added by DET – to form the Employment Related Skills)
Ref: The Australian Blueprint for Career Development

10. Personal Attributes – Attitude!
Loyalty
Commitment
Honesty and integrity
Empathy
Assertiveness
Trust
Enthusiasm
Reliability
Personal presentation
Common sense
Positive self-esteem
A sense of humour
A balanced attitude to work and home life
An ability to deal with pressure
Motivation
Adaptability
Flexibility
Resilience
Determination
Self-reliance
Engagement
Connectedness
Discuss the importance of a “good attitude” – employers expect employees to have a good attitude when they start work – which includes all of the dot points on the slide
Each one of these desirable personal attributes can be aligned with the employability skills on the previous slide.
Why are they important in the work place / in life?
Think about how these can be supported and developed at home and at school.

11. Career Education K-12 continuum What Kurri Kurri Learning Community has to offer:
Student Wellbeing
Values Education – Respect, Responsibility, Care, Honesty, Fairness, Doing Your Best
Cooling Conflicts and Word of the Week
The Keys to Success and the You Can Do It program
This slide should be modified to showcase the career focus programs within your school

12. Curriculum Initiatives
The Real Game Series for Stages 3 and 4
Career Perspectives written into COGs units to support sustainability and consistency
Goal setting for all students K-6 followed by 3-way conferences to support learning discussions, Authentic Assessment in Stage 5
Thinking Careers 5 – 8 a reflective journal
This slide should be modified to showcase the career focus programs within your school

13. TAFE Worldskills excursion for Stage 3
Excursions
TAFE Worldskills excursion for Stage 3
University orientation and information day for Year 6
Careers Quest for Year 9,
Careers Fun Day K-6
Stage 2 Community Walk
….and many more
This slide should be modified to showcase the career focussed programs within your school

14. The Keys
Through our You Can Do It program which is run K-12, we teach the children the 5 Keys to Success.
This program gives students the tools to help them to manage and excel in all aspects of life.
This is also linked to the Thinking Careers Program, to be trialed 2009, implemented 2010.
(These keys are going to be made into badges to become part of the KKLC’s Awards system

15. The Real Game
Play is the operative word for this program.  The Play Real Game is activity-orientated, experiential, exploratory and just plain fun.  To gain a realistic understanding of adult life, education and work, students embark on a journey into the adult world.
In simulation, participants take on adult work roles, earn and spend money, choose a home and create a town - all right in the classroom!  Parents, families and communities play a central part in the program.
Supporting students to develop confidence in self-managing their career and transition planning
Assisting students to process information about work, education and training options
Supporting teachers to make explicit links to vocational learning across a range of curriculum areas
Taken from Bill Barry’s Real Game Series. The series has been adapted for Australian schools, with NSW DET developing training manuals and power points for four of the five games.
The first game is aimed at middle primary, the second at upper primary
Discuss how you are implementing this ‘game’ at your school. Include your expectations for parents for the final session.
Parents can access information on the Real Game at
– enter through Parents and Community
Further information on the Real Game Series can be found through the following websites:
Vocational Education in School (VEiS)
The Real Game Series and online career games

16. The High Five Principles … from the Real Game Series
CHANGE IS CONSTANT
LEARNING IS ONGOING
FOCUS ON THE JOURNEY
FOLLOW YOUR HEART
HELPING HANDS
Taken from Bill Barry’s Real Game Series.
CHANGE IS CONSTANT We change all the time, and so does the world around us. Growing up means changing. Think of all the changes you've gone through since you started school and how you learned to deal with these changes.
LEARNING IS ONGOING We never stop learning. We can learn everywhere--in school, from television, computer games, books and even our friends and family.
FOCUS ON THE JOURNEY Travelling through life is like travelling down a road. It's good to have a destination, but we still must take one step at a time.
FOLLOW YOUR HEART Your dreams can lead to an understanding of what you really want. Dreams may be difficult to attain, but you should never be afraid to pursue them.
HELPING HANDS Life is like a team sport. Your members are your friends, family, teachers and neighbours. Any of them can be willing and helpful team mates when it comes to deciding what steps to take on life's path.

17. Career Discovery Explore Learn Experience Achieve Succeed
It is suggested that the new careers will require you to be "learning a living" rather than simply earning a living.
Mary McMahon
Steps involved in all aspects of learning, including career discovery.
Setting goals and reflecting on achievements is integral to student self improvement. Developing these skills is an integral part of Career Education and Quality Teaching.
Discuss the fact that young people today will have many careers in their life and will need resilience to cope with changes and a love of learning to re-establish themselves in a new career.
Dr Mary McMahon is a leading academic in Career Education from Queensland University
The “Did You Know” Youtube video could be shown here.

18. Reality Check! School and Work How similar are they? School Work
I have to wear a uniform.
I am expected to be punctual.
I am expected to have a positive attitude.
I am expected to treat my supervisor with respect at all times.
I am expected to follow instructions.
I have set tasks I am expected to complete.
I have deadlines to meet.
I am expected to treat my co-workers with respect.
I have set times for lunch breaks.
I am expected to attend each day for a set time.
Ask these questions of the parents. Discuss – True or False?
Can you see the similarities between school rules and the expectations your child’s teachers have, compared to the rules and expectations of the workplace?
Discuss the connection and how building positive habits, attitudes and personal skills at school will enhance children’s future working life.

19. To think about………
Today, employers expect young people to have a positive attitude and to be “work ready”.
This means they want young people to have learnt specific skills (eg. being on time, following instructions, showing respect etc) before they come to work for them.
The above information supports the previous slide.

20. How can you help?
Listen to your children about what interests them and where they see themselves in the future
Discuss your work experiences with them
Explore all the opportunities for future learning. ie. Year 12, University, TAFE, apprentice positions etc
Ask them about what they are doing in their classroom and include a link to a career question
Be open minded
Remember the High Five Principles
Provide opportunities to develop responsibility
Refer to
KEEP THE DISCUSSION GOING!
Ask if parents have any other ideas for ways they can help at home.
Encourage discussion between all parties.
Acknowledge the important role of significant others in the lives of children
Explain and demonstrate how to ask “open ended” questions so that parents can actively engage their children in meaningful conversations.
Give examples of discussion starters eg “Show me” instead of “tell me”
Discuss 3 way conferencing – what it looks like- how children prepare for it, what is discussed, the purpose of the conference and how parents can make the most of it!

21. Encourage your children to dream and believe in themselves
Support your child to develop their self confidence, self awareness so that they will become resilient – prepared to have a go!
Inspirational Quotes – these could be handed out on paper (or lucky dip) and used as part of the session for discussion or taken home as a “prize”
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall. Confucius
Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow. Doug Firebaugh
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Francis Bacon
Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau
To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. - Anatole France
Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more wisely.- Anonymous
The only job where you start at the top, is digging a hole Anonymous
What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog. Eisenhower
Aim for the moon! If you miss you‘ll land in the stars. Anonymous
Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right.        - Henry Ford
The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.  - Lao Tzu
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius.
Life isn’t what you want it to be, it’s what you make it become. Anthony Ryan
If you can dream it, you can do it Walt Disney
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Joan Collins