Careers & Pathways

Today, a career incorporates everything we do in life – what we learn through participation in cultural activities, work experience, education, parenting, sports, hobbies, voluntary work and paid work- all these roles and activities of life and work add to a person’s career development.  Managing a career is more important than ever in these busy times.

Career development is managing life, learning and work over the lifespan.  It applies to everyone:

• Children think about what they want to do as adults and start to form ideas about work and adult life during their early childhood development.
• Adolescents make decisions about subjects and a course of study. They juggle school, part-time work, family and social interests
• adults work in the home, in paid employment, as volunteers. They work part and full-time, have casual jobs and manage family life and social interests.  They participate in a range of ongoing learning experiences throughout their adult lives.  They may change several jobs, occupations and locations across their lifetime and experience unemployment, over employment and underemployment periods.  How they respond to these life challenges is all part of their career development.

Career Development is a vital element of the lifecycle as it assists people in navigating their way through education and training into employment and fulfilling working lives.  Career development and guidance programs help people to:

• explore their career potential through self-awareness activities
• research a wide range of career options
• understand how they make decisions and how these decisions impact have on their future aspirations
• develop their career management skills to be well-prepared to face the challenges of a changing world.

Source: Australian Centre for Career Education

Cranbourne East Careers Resource Centre has many resources to help students throughout the day.

For more career information, resources and links, please visit our detailed careers and pathways website: https://www.cesccareers.com/  

At CESC, we understand students have various learning styles, dreams and ambitions.  We have many study options via our ‘Careers Action Plans’ (CAPs) interviews.  We are committed to providing all students with the necessary support, guidance, and resources to develop their chosen career pathways.

Using the most up-to-date tools available, we aim to assist students with their:

• Career choice
• Course selection
• Subject selection (including course prerequisites)
• Work Experience and Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) options and placement
• Employment/traineeships, apprenticeships
• Casual and volunteer work
• Application for courses in post-secondary school

Years 7 – 9

During these years, students develop their vocational awareness and identify their strengths, weaknesses and interests.

Years 10 – 12:

As our students approach the senior stage of their secondary schooling, they are encouraged to refine the key areas where their interests lie and begin developing their career plans.  Year 12 students will receive comprehensive information about the VTAC, SEAS and Scholarship processes.

At Cranbourne East Secondary College, there are various study options for students to consider:

Our Senior program is diverse and offers students the opportunity to complete one or more of the following: The VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education), VCE-VM (Victorian Certificate of Education – Vocational Major), VPC (Victorian Pathways Certificate) and VET (Vocational Education & Training).  The correct combination of these certificates will enable our students to proceed to either higher or further education or into employment or training.

VCE – Victorian Certificate of Education

VCE is the traditional pathway for students in years 11 and 12.  Upon completion, graduates receive an ATAR score to enter a tertiary course at university or TAFE.  For more detailed information, visit: VTAC

VCE VM – Vocational Major

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years.  The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life.

It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.

The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:

• Equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals; and
• Empowering them to make informed decisions about the following stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences.

Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC)

The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is generally completed in years 11 and 12.  Still, it is flexible so that it can be started earlier or finished over a longer period than two years.  The coursework is designed and delivered at a more accessible level than the VCE and VCE Vocational Major.  You can study the VPC at your own pace, and your teachers will assess your progress through various classroom learning activities.

VET – Vocational Education & Training

Vocational Education and Training (VET) enables students to gain a nationally recognised VET qualification while they are at school completing VCE or VCE-VM.  Undertaken at a Registered Training Organisation such as TAFE, VET can offer unique opportunities to improve a student’s skills, knowledge, employment opportunities, education pathway and financial outcomes.  For additional information, please refer to GET VET

Head Start Program is a model for apprenticeships and traineeships for school students, creating new and exciting possibilities.

Head Start students spend more time doing important, paid, on-the-job training while completing their VCE or VCE-VM at school.

The program helps students to develop skills and experiences that employers value.  Head Start allows students to get the best start in their careers.

Head Start apprentices and trainees spend significant time in the workplace.  It means students will spend more time training and on the job to apply skills and knowledge.  Students can take an extra year to complete their VCE or VCE-VM, but that is not a program requirement.

Each Head Start student has a program designed for them.  Many students in their first year will spend one or two days per week in paid employment.  This will increase to three or four days per week in paid employment in the final year, averaging full-time work during school holidays.

Depending on the requirement of the employer, it is expected that, at a minimum, students will undertake the following:

• Up to two days per week paid employment in year 11
• Up to two-three days per week paid employment in year 12 (which may be undertaken over two years if required)

Students, as they undertake Work Experience or Structured Workplace Learning, can request the Head Start team to contact their hosting employer to discuss possible ongoing apprenticeships or traineeships.

Hear from students, parents and industry professionals who have all benefitted from the Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships Program:

• Girls in Trade – Aisha (Cambridge Plumbing)
• Girls in Trade – Caitlyn (United Lifts)
• Girls in Trade – Chantelle (Agriculture – Dairy Farm)
• Girls in Trade – Holly (McCartney Electrical Solutions)
• Girls in Trade
• Compilation of Industry, students and parents
• Employer – Caroline Springs Landscaping
• Hearing from our parents
• Hearing from our students