Focus on SKILLS not just university

The Government will urge more students to undertake school based apprenticeships and move away from encouraging all high school students to aim for university.

Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley said the number of people achieving formal trade qualifications was far too low. In a speech to TAFE DIrectors on 5th March 2014, she said careers advisers should be encouraging more students to take on school based apprenticeships.

“We’ve seen a reduction in traditional occupations of manufacturing or labouring and a shift towards a more service-based economy, with a corresponding move away from trades and skills in favour of university qualifications.

The current skills shortages in industries such as construction and telecommunications make it clear this trend has gone too far.  But in the past four years, there’s also been a dramatic increase in the number of young people staying on at school until they are 17. This has significant implications for schools.

Given that 40% of 2012 school leavers went on to study at university in 2013, schools need to cater to a proportion of young people who are staying in school, but not necessarily planning a university future. 

Schools must provide a high quality vocational pathway that engages students and prepares them to take on the high-skill and high earning roles our economy demands”.

25 Hottest skills hired in 2013

HSC ATAR Forecasting

This week I will be completing the the final HSC ATAR forecasting for our Year 12 student.

These series of meetings enable students to gauge their current status in terms of their likely examination results.

It is hoped that for many, these forecasts will spring them into action and provide them with that added incentive and determination to exceed expectations. Both their teachers as well as students are asked to predict their examination results for each examination, and these figures are then used to forecast likely ATAR scores, using a detailed software package designed to be extremely accurate.

While some students leave quite shocked and upset, all definitely leave with a renewed focus.

There is plenty that needs to go right for a successful HSC campaign; health mind and body, balanced lifestyle, strong spiritual focus, etc, but the common saying; 'you get out what you put in', never seems to fail!

Keep working hard class of 2014!