Winter 2007

Careers and transition

Delivering quality career education

Since 2006, Career Advice Australia has assisted all young Australians in their transitions and career development with many benefits for schools, teachers and career advisers.

Career Advice Australia is an Australian Government initiative bringing together young people, business and the community to assist all young Australians in their transitions and career development. Through real-life case studies there is an opportunity to celebrate the results that are currently being achieved across the country.

Career Advice Australia was established in 2006 to provide a comprehensive career development and transition support system for all Australians aged 13 to 19 years.

With the economy growing and businesses expanding, there is currently a huge demand for skilled workers. For today’s young people, this means more jobs and more choices. Career Advice Australia’s programs and services are designed to help young Australians get the skills, training and advice they need to make the most of these opportunities.

Career Advice Australia providers are located right across the country. They work with schools, career advisers, teachers, community groups, businesses and industry at a local, regional and national level to help meet the career development needs of young people and their future employers.

In particular, the Career Advice Australia providers strive to help students make a smooth transition from school to further study, training or work. They do this by helping them to gain employability and life skills, maturity, confidence, experience, a sense of pride and improved self-esteem.

Because providers involve businesses and industry in broader vocational education activities, they are able to arrange hands-on learning and work placements for students.

Providing opportunities for students

Under Career Advice Australia, Local Community Partnerships work with schools in 213 regions across Australia to deliver three key programs:

1. Structured Workplace Learning
2. Adopt a School
3. Career and Transition Support.

Through these partnerships, national networks of Regional Industry Career Advisers and National Industry Career Specialists also help to ensure that young people, parents, schools and businesses receive relevant localised industry career information and resources.

Another Career Advice Australia program—Youth Pathways—helps to manage and support young people who are having trouble staying at school.

For young people who are disconnected from mainstream schooling, the Partnership Outreach Education Model offers another chance to engage with education through flexible and accredited learning options.

Of course, Career Advice Australia’s efforts are not confined to students. Many of the programs and activities are specially geared to support teachers and career advisers, and focus on improving the quality of career education.

Improving career education

Career Advice Australia is working to improve the standard of career development services—including career education in schools—and the standing of career advisers and teachers.

For career advisers and teachers

National Standards for Career Development Practitioners have been developed by the Career Industry Council of Australia. These are being phased-in over six years and will become mandatory in 2012. Practitioners therefore have time to acquire qualifications or to have their experience recognised as prior learning.

The Australian Career Development Studies package helps to enhance the skills of career practitioners and others (teachers and parents) who want to know more about career development. A new Certificate IV for career development practitioners is also on the way.

School career advisers can apply for scholarships to help them gain skills, knowledge and experience through further study or industry placements. There are 54 scholarships available each year.

For schools

School and Industry Leaders’ Forums bring together key people at a local level to share ideas and plan ways to work together to develop local career education programs in schools.

Career Education Lighthouse Schools promote good practice in career education, and trial new and innovative ways of implementing career education in schools. They show other secondary, primary, government and non-government schools how to make career education an integral part of school activities.

Enterprise Learning for the 21st Century funds businesses, industry, schools and community organisations to undertake innovative projects that encourage young people to build enterprise skills, and make stronger connections between what they learn at school and the real world.

Career Development initiatives

The first National Career Development Week was held from 4–10 June 2007. The week promoted awareness of career development, and encouraged Australians to Get the Life They Love. Visit: www.nationalcareerdevelopmentweek.com.au

A draft Australian Blueprint for Career Development that specifies the skills individuals need to manage their careers, has been developed. It is currently being trialled nationally.

Career Advice Australia website

Visit the Career Advice Australia website to find out more about what Career Advice Australia can do for schools (including professional development opportunitites). On the website you can search for the contact details for your local Career Advice Australia providers and access relevant career development resources. Visit: www.australia.gov.au/careeradviceaustralia

The author owns the copyright in this article. For information related to the reuse of this work in any form please contact the publisher denise.quinn@curriculum.edu.au