Choosing senior subjects

It is important to choose senior subjects carefully as your decisions may affect not only the types of careers you can follow later, but also your success at school and feelings about school as well.  Even though there are many factors to consider, choosing your course of study can be made easier if you go about the task calmly and logically, and follow a set of planned steps.

Overall plan

As an overall plan you are advised to choose subjects:

• you enjoy
• in which you have achieved good results
• which reflect your interests and abilities
• which help you reach your career and employment goals
• which will develop skills, knowledge and attitudes useful throughout your life.

These are quite general points, so it is wise to look in more detail at the guidelines outlined below.

Pathways to education and training

Students leaving school have a number of ways in which they can move towards their career goals. Such options, known as pathways, enable students to undertake full-time study or combine work with study to help them obtain qualifications necessary for their desired occupations.

There are many ways to move up the ladder within an industry or to change jobs as a result of further education or training. This outlines some of the features of Australia’s education and training system that can help young people improve their job prospects or work satisfaction over time.

People who gain recognised qualifications have a better chance of obtaining jobs which offer the potential for more variety and, generally, higher levels of pay.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) has been developed to provide a national system of qualifications from the three education sectors in Australia – schools, vocational education and training (TAFE and private providers) and higher education (universities). The table below shows the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Competency-based training

Most vocational education and training is competency based (CBT).  CBT is all about what a person knows and what they can do, regardless of how they obtained the training. Competencies can be recorded on a training record and can lead to an AQF qualification. They can be obtained through:

• vocational education subjects
• some Authority and Authority-registered subjects
• structured work placement/industry placement
• school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
• courses at institutes of TAFE or other registered training organisations
• paid or unpaid work
• life experiences
• a combination of the above.

The process used to assess the competencies a person has gained from past experience and training is called recognition of prior learning (RPL).

Find out about occupational pathways

It is helpful if you have a few career ideas in mind before choosing subjects.  If you are uncertain about this at present seek help in selecting subjects that will keep several career options open to you. Your Guidance Officer will be able to help you get started by giving you some suggestions on how to investigate jobs and how to approach career decision-making. 

You will also need to find out about the various pathways you can take to obtain the skills, knowledge and qualifications you will need to get a job in the career areas in which you are interested. Once you know about the different pathways you can select the most appropriate one for you.

The following resources are available in schools and give information about occupations and the subjects and courses needed to gain entry to these occupations:

• Career Voyager – all Year 10s will complete this computer assisted careers program during work education.
• Australia’s National Career Information Service, called myfuture.
• Brochures from industry groups provide information on the various pathways to jobs within these industries.
• What Now? is a publication by the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) focusing on the pathways that are available for students who are completing Year 10.
• The QTAC Guide is useful for information on tertiary courses offered through QTAC.
• The Tertiary Prerequisites 2017 book, provided by QTAC to all Year 10 students, provides information on subjects required for entry to tertiary courses offered through QTAC in the year 2017.
• Pathways to Further Education and Training is a handout which provides general information about the Australian Qualifications Framework. Ask your Guidance Officer for this handout.
• Tertiary Entry:  Internal Year 12 Students without OPs is a handout that is available from the QTAC website. It explains how students who are not eligible for an Overall Position (OP) can gain entry to tertiary courses through QTAC.
• Queensland TAFE Handbook at the TAFE Queensland website
• Other career information, such as brochures from industry groups shows the various pathways to jobs within these industries.

More useful internet sites