Engaging Parents in Career Conversations

Presenter:

School:

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Acknowledgements and researchThe following have contributed to the development of this resource:• Gray Poehnell • Canadian Career Development

Foundation• Career Education Association of

Victoria

Source Materials• “Guiding Circles” - R. McCormick, N.

Amundson, & G. Poehnell• “Hope-Filled Engagement” - G.

Poehnell & N. E. Amundson• “Lasting Gifts” - Canadian Career

Development Foundation and Career Education Association Victoria

• www.myfuture.edu.au• www.education.gov.au• www.employment.gov.au

The following research was used when developing this resource:

• CICA • Face to Face• On Track• Lost Talent

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Have a conversation

Step in Step Out:

• Select one person who stepped in with you and have a conversation about:

• the experience you have in common• what interested you about attending this workshop

Workshop Aims

By the end of this workshop you will:

• Understand what a career is

• Feel more confident about supporting your young person on their career journey

• Have a greater knowledge of services available to support them and you

• Know and understand the High 5 messages

• Have some useful career resources; and

• Be a career ally!

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What is a career?

A career is all of the paid and unpaid work, learning and life roles you do throughout your life

Jobs and training

Sport

Clubs and community

Education

Volunteering

Hobbies

Cultural activities

Life roles

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The Changing World-of-Work

What will work be like for young people in Australia today?• Minimum of 7 careers in a

lifetime• Follow your heart

• Focus on the journey

• Use your networks

• Lifelong learning

What was work like for you growing up?

• Could you expect to stay in the one job?

• Were you able to choose the job you did?

• Were you able to change jobs easily

• Were you able to ask for help and advice?

• Did you have to study, and keep learning?

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Concerns About the Future

What concerns do you have about your young person’s future?

What concerns does your young person have about their future?

Source: National Career Development Week

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Do you both have the same concerns or are they different?

Your Future: How many of you…

… knew at 16 years of age what you wanted to pursue?

… are doing now what you thought you wanted to do when you were 16?

… made important career decisions based on research and labour market information?

… are where you are now, at least in part, because of a chance encounter or unplanned event?

Source: “Lasting Gifts”Canadian Career Development Foundation

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Positive Uncertainty

H.B. Gelatt describes ‘positive uncertainty’ as:

• the ability to recognise and accept that the future is uncertain; and

• at the same time, be positive about it

Sources: Gelatt & Gelatt and “Hope-Filled Engagement”, Poehnell & Amundson

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Attributes that young people need…

Persistence

Resilience

Enterprise

Drive

Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. ~ William Eardley IV

When one door of happiness closes another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. ~ Helen Keller

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. ~ Bill Cosby

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It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. ~ William Shakespeare

Preferred Future

Source: “Lasting Gifts”Canadian Career Development Foundation

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How do students learn about careers?• Self Development

– Understand yourself: your interests, skills and values

• Career Exploration

– Explore and experience different types of options and opportunities

• Career Management

– Learn how to make a Career Action Plan and work towards it

www.education.vic.gov.au/careersframework

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High 5 Career Development Messages

The High 5 Career Development messages* are:

1. Change is Constant

2. Learning is Ongoing

3. Focus on the Journey

4. Follow your Heart

5. Access your Allies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNHcXl4IbZQ&lr=1

Source: Career Industry Council of Australia

* Developed in 1995 by Canadian career development leaders

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Change is Constant

Did You Know…?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmwwrGV_aiE

Source: Karl Fisch

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Change is constant

– The pace of change is getting faster

– The nature of careers is changing

– Be open to change and remain alert to new opportunities

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Learning is Ongoing

• Where do you learn?

– Home? School? Play? Events? Other?

• How do you learn?

– By: Doing? Reading? Hearing? Singing? Watching?

• What about informal learning?

• What is lifelong learning?

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7m4e1DhiOw&lr=1

Learning is Ongoing

Source: VCAA

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Senior Secondary School Pathways:

Learning is Ongoing• Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS)

– Expand opportunities and pathways in senior secondary– Vocational focus– Can contribute towards completion of VCE or VCAL– Can combine with a School-Based Apprenticeship or

Traineeship

www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/index.aspx

Source: VCAA

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Learning is Ongoing• School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

– Vocational training that contributes towards a senior secondary qualification

– Involves work, vocational training and school studies

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vet/programs/sbat.aspx

Source: VCAA

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Learning is Ongoing

Qualification Duration ProviderCertificates I-IV 0.5 – 4 years FT Schools, TAFE institutes, RTOs, other registered

higher education providers and universities

Diploma / Advanced Diploma 1 – 2 years FT TAFE institutes, RTOs, other registered higher education training providers and universities

Associate Degree 2 years FT Universities mostly, but also by some other registered higher education providers, TAFE institutes and RTOs

Bachelor Degree 3 – 5 years FT Universities mostly, but also by some other registered higher education providers, some TAFE institutes and RTOs

Graduate Certificate / Graduate Diploma 0.5 – 2 years FT Universities mostly, but also by some other registered higher education providers

Vocational Graduate Certificate / Vocational Graduate Diploma

0.5 – 2 years FT TAFE institutes, RTOs and private providers

Masters Degree / Doctoral Degree 1 – 4 years FT Universities

Source: Job Guide

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Learning is Ongoing

Post School Options to continue learning

Source: DHS SMR School Leavers Guide 2012-2013

Learning is Ongoing

Source: Department of Education

http://education.gov.au/career-bullseye-postershttp://www.myfuture.edu.au/Assist%20Others/Activities/Bullseye%20posters.aspx

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Learning is Ongoing• Victorian Skills Gateway:

– Information about Certificate and Diploma courses

– Explains terms about careers and courses

– Fees and financial support– Occupation search– Answers to questions

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/victorianskillsgateway/Pages/home.aspx

Focus on the Journey

• Don’t focus on one destination only

• Know what you want, but don’t be too sure

• Be open to changing your mind

• Recognise that your career journey will be throughout your lifetime

• Appreciate and value each experience along the way

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dupKoaFgqGY&lr=1

Focus on the Journey

Skills and industries

Source: “Hope-Filled Engagement”Poehnell & Amundson

Follow your Heart

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Ring 1:What are three things you like to do

Ring 2: How long is it since you did each thing

Ring 3: Does it cost ($) or is it free(F)

Ring 4: Is it planned (P) or spontaneous (S)

Ring 5: Do you do it alone (A) or with someone else (SE)

Ring 6: Does it involve your mind (M), body (B), spirit (S) or emotions (E) or a combination

Adapted from “Guiding Circles”, McCormick, Amundson & Poehnell

Access your Allies

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Adapted from “Lasting Gifts”Canadian Career Development Foundation

How do you identify where young people are most engaged in life?

By noticing:

• what they enjoy doing

• what can’t they stop doing

• what they are complimented on

• where they are engaged

• what motivates them

• their favourite things

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What drives them?

Broaden ideas for work and career paths

Encourage:• open-mindedness• and discuss their passions and where they could

lead• learning, we are always learning• the possibilities and be positive• flexibility• exploring (research information)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9KawhtfORI

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Source: “School A to Z”NSW GovernmentEducation & Communities

Where is the young person at in their career journey?

Don’t knowDoes know, but I don’t think it is possible!

Does know, but needs considerable pathways planning

Won’t commit

Won’t engage or talk

Is…………..

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Being a Good Listener

• Give your full attention– Stop what you are doing

• Don’t interrupt– Let your teenager speak

• Stay as calm as you can– If you’re caught off-guard by what they are saying,

breathe deeply• Listen for emotions

– Hear what they are saying beneath the words• Give it time

– Don’t rush in with your response

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Helping to Set Goals and PlansCareer Action Plans:• use the three stages of

career development:– self-development;– career exploration; and– career management.

• help young people to:– set their goals;– clarify the actions needed to

achieve these goals; and– commit to participating in the

planned activities.

SAMPLE

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myfuture

The Facts• Careers• Work and Employment• Education and Training• Assist Others (section

for parents and carers)• Funding• Contacts• Skills

My Guide• Build your career profile• Explore career ideas• Consider career options• Develop your career plan

www.myfuture.edu.au

myQuiz• 5 activities

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myfuture Mini Career Explorer

Source: myfuture

http://myfuture.edu.au/MiniCareerExplorer/index.html

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Other Important Information

Source: VTAC

Special Entrance Access Scheme (SEAS) Categories:

1. Personal information and location

2. Non-English speaking background

3. Difficult circumstances

4. Disadvantaged financial background

5. Disability of medical condition

6. SALT, REEP and PPP

www.vtac.edu.au/applying/seas.html

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Key Workshop Messages

• The crucial role of parents and others play in the career development of young people

• That career development is a lifelong journey

• The value of career conversations

• Engage young people where they are engaged in life

• Information and resources are available

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Next Steps

Discuss change

• Discuss the changes that are happening in the community and in their world.

• What opportunities does change present?

Spend time with your young person

• Help them find out who they are, what drives them, what interests them.

• Help them to explore their “preferred future” and how they may work towards it.

• Help them articulate how they want to contribute to their world.

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Next Steps

Network• Use your networks to give your child opportunities to experience

and explore different things and explore all appropriate options available to you.

Communicate • With your young person, Career Practitioner and teachers about

any small concerns you may have to prevent them from becoming big issues.

Be an ally and keep calm• Support your young person on their journey and remind them,

and yourself, that is it okay to be uncertain. Enjoy the journey and be confident that it will all work out.

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Published by Higher Education and Skills GroupDepartment of Education and Early Childhood DevelopmentEast MelbourneJanuary 2014

© State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) 2014

The copyright in this document is owned by the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development), or in the case of some materials, by third parties (third party materials). No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS) (see below) or with permission.

An educational institution situated in Australia which is not conducted for profit, or a body responsible for administering such an institution, may copy and communicate materials, other than third party materials, for the educational purposes of the institution.

Authorised by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002.

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