I am a Year 11 student

You’ll hear these acronyms a lot, try and get a handle on them now.

The Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)
The TCE is the qualification you’ll get in Year 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 (although, it’s not the only way!). You should research the ATAR required for the uni courses you are interested in. Check out the ATAR explainer video. There may be other entrance requirements for certain uni courses as well.

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.

Depending on the support you need there are services designed to give a helping hand. They range from accommodation, mental health support and disability support to name a few. Visit the Communities Tasmania website to find out more.

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, etcetera. 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 apprenticeships 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.

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.

If so, that’s awesome. But don’t forget to discuss with your employer next year’s work and school schedule. The more you can plan ahead the easier it will be for you to manage. You might also want to give some thought for what life might be like once you get your qualification.

You’re going to need somewhere to put all the money you’re earning, which is why setting up a bank account is a great idea. Chat to your parents/carers about what type of bank account you should have. Research together which is the best bank for you to open an account with.

As soon as you hit 16 years 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.

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. Find out from the Fair Work website what apprenticeships and traineeships are.

Now’s a good time to be looking at what scholarships are about and the uni enrolment process. Be sure to check out the Good Universities Guide. It shows uni ratings, courses on offer, open day events, scholarship listings and much more.  

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.

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 Serving 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 how to prep to have a confident interview.

Do you like the idea of calling the shots and running your own business? Research government funding and mentor programs that are available. And check out the Business.gov.au website and read this guide to starting a business.

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.