SNFEATURE
SHEPPARTON NEWS, FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015
21
Careers, Courses and Open Days A guide to higher education in 2016
Careers staff an important resource By Sharon Wright
Career advisers are valuable resources for secondary school students sourcing information about pathways for their future.
CRICOS: 00116K
Notre Dame College careers counsellor Meredith Lia said with a plethora of options available it was important for students to start planning early. Mrs Lia said individual career action plans encouraged students to identify their interests and strengths and how they could translate into career opportunities. “Careers counsellors are available to help but students need to be active participants too; they can research and investigate options and then come to us for help refining their choices or we can direct them to new opportunities which may have arisen,” Mrs Lia said. A mixture of electronic and hard copy resources can guide students in course requirements for further study as well as apprenticeships, traineeships and employment opportunities. Mrs Lia said attending vocational and tertiary institution open days was vital to learn about accommodation facilities, courses and scholarship opportunities. “I would suggest accessing the open day programs online to plan the sessions you want to attend so you don’t miss anything important,” Mrs Lia said. “About 90 per cent of our students would live on campus in their first year so information about accommodation is a must, as are sessions about the affordability of going to university and meeting those expenses and specific course information.” Mrs Lia said students needed to be mindful that acceptance into some courses had requirements in addition to an ATAR score, such as an interview, audition or folio. “Ideally students will have identified their preferred course and have a back-up plan, bearing in mind they should have met the prerequisites for that as well,” Mrs Lia said. After Year 12 students received their results in December there is an opportunity to refine their course selections.
Picture: Julie Mercer
Studying in home town has many benefits In August vocational and tertiary institutions throw open their doors for prospective students to tour the facilities and learn about course and career opportunities. Studying at La Trobe University’s Shepparton
campus has allowed Jordan Jondahl (above) to continue to live in her home town, maintain social networks and secure work in the field she wishes to pursue. Read about Miss Jondahl’s experiences on page 25.
WHERE IDEAS COL L IDE OPEN DAY
Parkville & Southbank campuses 16 August 2015 Immerse yourself in a different way of thinking with the Curriculum. openday.unimelb.edu.au h Melbourne M lb C i l d i lb d