Career Planning

HSC Course Selection - Relevance to Career Planning

Students need to choose combinations of courses, which will best prepare them for entry to their preferred pathways after Year 12.

The main pathways after Year 12 are shown in the diagram below.

A student’s future pathway depends largely on his/her interests, abilities, and career aspirations. This should be reflected in his/her choice of subjects.

Going to a University

Students who intend to pursue this option need to be fully aware of university course entrance requirements. The following information needs to be researched:

the broad range of courses offered at university.

what the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is and how it is calculated.

specific information regarding pre-requisites, assumed knowledge and recommended. studies for courses.

additional selection criteria for certain courses e.g. audition, portfolio, supporting statements, questionnaires, tests and interviews.

Sources of information on university requirements:

The Steps to Uni for Year 10 Students booklet

www.myfuture.edu.au

NSW UAC Guide and QLD QTAC Guide.

Job Guide www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au

Resources in careers office

University web sites

Year 10 Students | QTAC

Year 10 students - UAC

Going to a TAFE College

TAFE offers vocational (job skills training) courses at Certificate I, II, III, & IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels.

Diploma, Advanced Diploma and some Certificate courses require the HSC and, in some cases, have specified pre-requisites.

For a number of Certificate courses, the minimum level of school education required is the Year 10 Record of School Achievement. However, many HSC students apply for these courses and often have a competitive edge in gaining entry if particular HSC courses have been studied. So, make your HSC count by planning a HSC pattern of study around your preferred TAFE area of study.

Undertaking a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship will greatly enhance your TAFE studies and employment opportunities after leaving school.

HSC/TAFE recognition & credit transfer

Students may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer at TAFE NSW. Credit transfer is credit given towards a qualification for a unit of competency completed from another nationally accredited course. This may have been completed through TAFE NSW or another formal vocational education and training organisation.

For further information about TAFE recognition or Credit Transfer generally, students should contact TAFE NSW https://www.tafensw.edu.au/study/enrol-apply/recognition-and-credit-transfer

Going to TAFE then a university

Students should also know that on successfully completing a TAFE qualification they can progress to higher level courses at TAFE and ultimately into a university course if they so desire. At each new level of study, Advanced Standing can be granted on the basis of courses already completed e.g. The TAFE Diploma in Child Studies is usually an acceptable qualification for entry to a Bachelor of Education course at university with advanced standing given in some subjects. This pathway of progression to higher levels of qualification is useful for students who miss out on getting into a higher-level course directly from school, yet wish to improve their career prospects with higher levels of study.

Sources of information on the TAFE requirements:

TAFE Handbooks provide information on all courses offered at TAFE together with admission requirements. Provided online at TAFE NSW www.tafensw.edu.au

Recognition and Credit Transfer from TAFE to Higher Education gives possibilities from TAFE Associate Diplomas to university courses see https://www.tafensw.edu.au/study/enrol-apply/recognition-and-credit-transfer

Going to study with Private Providers

Students who complete their HSC studies can elect to undertake vocational training in courses offered by private providers. It is important for students to check directly with these institutions for entrance requirements.

Information on local private providers including TURSA Employment & Training Inc, On Q Group Training, Tweed Recruitment and Mission Employment is available online or from the Careers Adviser.

Going to Direct Employment

Some students return to school with the intention of gaining employment on completion of their HSC or possibly before they complete their HSC. Certain employers such as the Australian Armed Forces have HSC requirements.

Other forms of employment may not require specific HSC subjects or even the HSC itself (e.g. Apprenticeships, Traineeships). However, a student’s chance of gaining employment in many fields will be considerably enhanced if they perform well in related courses at HSC level.

Sources of Information:

The Job Guide or https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/careers-guide is an excellent initial source of information for researching specific forms of employment and related HSC requirements.