Year 10 Work Experience

When? Wednesday 14 June to Friday 16 June

Why? Work Experience/Placement is the perfect opportunity for your daughter to:

• Gain real workplace experience
• Learn about people’s careers and pathways
• Understand workplace and employer expectations
• See how what she learns at school is useful at work
• Find out if her dream job is what she thinks it will be
• Experience the kind of work she wants/does not want to do
• Develop confidence, self-understanding, maturity, and independence

How? She should start looking now.

• Some organisations that offer formal programs will require her to apply months in advance
• If there is a specific type of work she would like to try, it can take time to secure a suitable host employer
• Your daughter should contact businesses she is interested in and ask the owner or manager
• Encourage her to use her networks (who does she know who can help her?) and to ask all adults in her life like family members, friends’ family members, teachers and those she knows through community organisations and clubs if they know of employers who may be willing to host her.

Apply:

• Many government departments, universities and local councils have programs, as do some commercial companies
• Your daughter should try looking online for formal work experience programs
• Encourage her to read her emails, as the Career Office advertises work experience opportunities which become available.

Encourage her to be persistent and resilient:

• She may need to ask a lot of employers before one says yes
• Most places would like to help students, but may not have the time or resources
• Remind her that it is not personal, so she should not be discouraged from persisting
• She should complete the work experience preparation document, provided by the career team at Wilderness. Then, if she has not been lucky enough to secure a placement, contact the career team to arrange to meet and work through options.

Your daughter must complete the official Work Placement paperwork on pathways.wilderness.com.au (all five pages) and return it to the Career Office at Wilderness before Friday 12 May 2023.

IE University, Spain

Students who are interested in studying overseas may like to read more about IE University, Spain. Courses are taught in English.

UK and US Universities Webinar

Sunday 12 March
8.00pm AEDT
Register Here

This is a free student and parent webinar led by admissions specialists from Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, UPenn, NYU and more. This will be an opportunity to speak directly with former admissions interviewers and lecturers from leading universities. Please note: This is a private organisation which is not related to Wilderness, promoting their services to families.

University of Queensland (UQ) 2023 Medicine Webinar

UQ offers a range of services and activities designed to help students in understanding their post-secondary school options, from information on admissions to the transition to university services and more. Learn more about studying Medicine at UQ. Hear from leading medical experts, UQ alumni and current students on the changing medical climate, how to apply and tips for success. This event is open to Year 12 students and their parents/guardians.

Monash University

The following resources are available:

• Why Monash?
• Monash Information Events
• Discover Monash Webinar
• Monash Prospective Students 1-2 Online Consultation

Projects Abroad – Medical Programs for Students in Years 10, 11 and 12

This program is run in the mid-year break and over the summer holidays. Projects Abroad has been running these programs for over 15 years, and some of their most popular options include their programs in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Tanzania and Kenya. Students will spend time in hospitals, community health settings and workshops with local doctors. These projects are a fantastic first step into a career in health care with a group of likeminded students. Full 24/7 supervision and care are provided by the Projects Abroad local staff. They will be running a free webinar on the evening of Tuesday 28 February. Details and registration can be found here.

Career Focus – Architecture

Careers in Architecture combine the arts, sciences and technology to shape and transform our built environment. People in these jobs plan, design and construct commercial, industrial, residential and recreational buildings and spaces. Architectural Technicians and Draftspersons and Architects have strong prospects. See this handy brochure from the Australian Institute of Architects for more detail.

UCAT 2023

If your daughter is in Year 12 and wants to apply for a medical, dental or clinical science degree, she may need to sit the UCAT. This is a two-hour computer test that helps universities to select applicants with the most appropriate abilities and professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. It is used in collaboration with other admissions process such as interviews and academic qualifications. A range of preparation courses can be found here.

Sleek Geeks Science Competition

Sponsored by the University of Sydney, the Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize encourages students to communicate a scientific concept in a way that is accessible and entertaining to the public while painlessly increasing their science knowledge—or, as prize patrons Dr Karl and Adam Spencer like to say, “Learn something without even noticing”. This year’s theme is ‘Green’ and there are no rights or wrongs to selecting a topic. Your daughter is encouraged to be creative! First place is awarded $3000 and the runner up will receive $1500, divided equally between the winning student/s and school. Representatives from the finalist teams will win a trip to Sydney for the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Award Ceremony. Finalists also receive vouchers from Abbey’s Bookshop.

Entries are now open to all high school students across Australia. Entries close at 7.00pm AEST on Friday 14 April. Find out everything you need to know here.

What is a USI?

A USI is your daughter’s individual education number for life, as it is an online record of her Australian training achievements. She needs a USI while she is at school is she:

• Does a VET subject
• Is going to do nationally recognised training, such as a First Aid certificate
• Is in Year 12 and plans to enrol at TAFE, university or a private college.

It is easy to apply for a USI, but she will need a form of identification such as her birth certificate or learner’s permit. She can also check to see if she already has one or update her details here.

Please note: Year 9 students who attend REALISE apply for a USI. Students who commence at Wilderness School after Year 9 and who have not yet applied for a USI are advised to do so using the link above.