This is a summary of a workshop held as part of the PV/DET Parent Forum in August 2019.
Speaker – Leela Darvall, Manager, Careers and Pathways Unit
Discussion Summary
The workplace landscape is changing and parents feel schools need to educate students at a much earlier age on career pathways. Improving job readiness and building confidence resonated with parents as important areas that require greater focus in the classroom.
- Career support needs to begin much earlier, as currently students don’t begin career planning until Year 10. As many students are now entering employment between the ages of 13-15, guidance on interview techniques and self-presentation would provide valuable assistance in the early secondary schooling years.
- It would be useful for the education system to be informed and to share more information on future employment and training opportunities, so students understand the variety of future options and pathways.
- Parents discussed that being open-minded to student aspirations was important and that improvement is needed on how we keep students engaged in all career pathways. Parents responded positively to the opportunities provided by the Morrisby tool.
- Opening up this type of dialogue amongst primary school students (Years 5 – 6) with parents providing additional support and encouragement at home.
- Stronger and more positive encouragement from Career Counsellors was mentioned and parents raised the need for counsellors to be more supportive of a student’s aspirations.
Speaker summary
- The Department has revamped Career Education in Victoria’s government schools, after a review in 2017 found that we needed to do more for our students.
- The Department has strengthened connections between the employment sector, schools and TAFE so that young people have more direct pathways into work.
- The My Career Portfolio is a free online resource designed to support students with resources so they can navigate and track their career journey and understand and prepare for the world of work.
- My Career Portfolio is being progressively rolled out for use by Year 9 government school students in 2019. Student will have access to Morrisby Online, an internationally recognised career diagnostic tool, followed by a one-on-one career counselling session by a qualified external careers practitioner.
- In 2020, it will be made available to all government school students in Years 7 to 12.
