This year, you’ll begin to explore

In Year 10, you’d want to have an idea about what your interests, skills and values are. So now it’s all about trying to match this knowledge about yourself to potential options by exploring courses, work experience and work opportunities. At this point, things become a little more serious, but also potentially a lot more exciting as you explore courses and career possibilities, and start to flex.

A few ‘must knows’ and ‘must dos’ for an epic year

Must Knows

Some things you must be on top of

The Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)
The TCE is the qualification you’ll get in Years 11 and 12 when you finish school in Tassie. Check out the TCE explainer video

The Tasmanian Certificate of Educational Achievement (TCEA)
The TCEA is a certificate you can achieve if you’re unable to get the TCE qualification. You’ll find heaps of useful info on the TCEA by watching the TCEA explainer video

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
This is a ranking system to help you get into uni. The better your ranking, the more uni options you’ll have. Check out the ATAR explainer video

Vocational Education and Training (VET)
This is nothing to do with being a vet! It’s a type of learning that is very much ‘hands on’ with an industry focus. Find out more with the VET explainer video

USI stands for ‘Unique Student Identifier’. It’s a reference number you’ll need if you end up doing any training courses in the future i.e. like First Aid, Responsible Service of Alcohol, Barista or any VET course. Find out how they work and how to get a USI number

If you want a casual job then you’ll need to pay tax to the government on what you earn (sorry ‘bout that). This means you’ll need your very own tax file number (TFN) which is like a reference number so they can tax you. Get some useful info on what a tax file number is.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are training opportunities with an employer. They could last between 12 months to 4 years with an employer. Apprenticeships tend to cover skilled trades i.e. plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. A traineeship can cover a broader range of occupations i.e. office administration, IT, retail. They’re run either part-time or full-time. Find out from the Fair Work website what the difference between an apprenticeship and traineeship is.

There are some apprenticeships and traineeships options where you can get paid! It’s where you spend a few days at school and a few days employed and training during the week. It might be an option for you in Years 10 or 11. Find out how Australian School based Apprenticeships are the smart way to ‘earn and learn’.

Trade Training Centres (TTC) are purpose-built facilities where accredited training takes place. Access to TTC is available to school students around Tassie. Find out more info on TTC’s.

Must Do’s

Some super important ‘must do’, no excuses, stuff to do in Year 10

This year you’ll be putting together a plan on what type of education and training you want to do in Years 11 and 12. It’s called an ‘Approved Program of Learning’ or ‘ALP’. This is called a Transition Plan and will be provided to your principal in Term 4 to give it the ok. Learn more about Transition Plans.

As soon as you hit 15 years and 11 months of age, you can apply for a learners licence in Tassie. Then you’ll need to find someone brave enough to sit in the passenger seat while you learn to drive. Find out about getting your learners license.

Did you know that enrolling in a VET course at school can often include having an interview? Have a chat with your teacher on how best to prepare for the interview.

Start Exploring

Cast the net far and wide exploring stuff. You’ll be amazed at how many courses and occupations fit your skills and passions.

Find out what apprenticeships and traineeships are. You can do them during school or after Year 12,  or it could be an option to do whilst working towards your ATAR. Read more on the Fair Work website about apprenticeships and traineeships.

Try different stuff to help discover new interests, talents and skills. It’s great for your confidence and helps you to build new skills and friendships. Plus, it goes down well with future employers too.

Attend as many ‘work exposure’ events as possible. It’ll be great for a taste of what you can expect in a chosen job, industry or course. A bit like a ‘try before you buy’, these events help you test any ideas you have, so keep an open mind. Chances are you might discover something that is bang on for you (and if not, then keep trying). Find out more on work exposure events. To see what’s coming up in the next few months in Tassie check out our calendar of events.

Try doing work experience to learn what an occupation, industry or business is like to work in. Hopefully it ticks all the right boxes, but if not, then it’s better to find out sooner rather than later. Chat to a Teacher or Career Advisor to find out how this can be arranged.

If you’re thinking about going to uni or TAFE after Year 12, check out the Open Day events they have. Informative and friendly, these days show what courses are on offer and what life is like. See TasTAFE events or UTAS events.

Shortlisting courses to study in Years 11 and 12? Don’t be shy, go to school Open / Orientation days to learn more about the courses and facilities.  

Get job ready

You can start learning a bunch of different skills that build on your ‘employability’. That’s a fancy way to impress employers that you have a stack of relevant and transferable skills. Short courses range from First Aid, White Card, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), a Barista Certificate and loads more. To see what’s on offer check out TasTAFE short courses.

Volunteering is a top way to give something positive to your local community. It’s a good opportunity for you to see what different workplaces and jobs are like. It helps you to develop new skills and meet new people. And it looks pretty impressive on your CV, just quietly. See what sort of opportunities there are at Volunteer Tasmania.

Like anything, practise makes perfect. To give yourself the best chance of landing a job, you need to nail the interview. Read about getting confident for interviews

Give a leadership role at school a go. It can be a great way to develop skills that employers value, like team work, public speaking, organisation skills and how to deal with conflict. Plus, it’ll be fun! Talk to the existing leadership team to see if it’s something for you.

Almost every job out there requires you to submit an application. See these handy guides on how to write a CV, and what to say in a cover letter.


Key Takeaway

Key takeaway

Use this year to cast the net wide and to explore who you really are. Don’t be afraid to give things a red-hot crack, whether it’s short courses, volunteering, leadership opportunities and more.

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