ACADEMIC How do our students make career decisions?
The Careers room, located in the Tower alongside the CCOBA and Development offices, is a busy hub for information and advice.
they have been thinking about, and gives them plenty of ideas to talk about with their parents. It can be difficult for Year 10s, deciding which four subjects to select in addition to English and Mathematics, and parents have a huge influence on their son’s choices at this stage. Chris recommends they keep their options open as much as possible, so any change of direction can be handled seamlessly. He encourages boys to keep at least one science, a preferred commerce course (if only one of Accounting or Economics can be taken), and highlights the importance of a language, particularly if this is already a strength. Increasingly, Chris also encourages boys to consider Digital Technologies. Year 11 boys have a subject options session with Chris where they receive a booklet about “Best Preparation” for tertiary courses at universities and polytechnics. This prompts further discussion and one-on-one interviews when requested. In these meetings, career education from the previous year is discussed and Chris calls the boy’s parents afterwards, to ensure communication between parent, student and school is transparent. Year 12 boys either request a careers interview or Chris will make an appointment to see each one. They discuss current
Careers Advisor Chris Sellars has accumulated a vast range of resources and material about tertiary study, apprenticeship pathways and direct entry into the workforce, to help boys make what can be one of the biggest decisions of their young lives. Although boys at any year level are welcome to seek Chris’s advice, he makes sure he sees all students in Years 11–13, speaking to each one individually and following up with a phone call to parents to provide relevant feedback. As well as individual meetings, Chris organises trips to career expos and industry visits, invites speakers from different organisations in, and arranges informal small group mentor meetings – often with Old Boys who generously give their time and share their experience – to make sure the boys are as well informed as possible as they consider their future options. So how does the Careers office really work? College offers a broad range of subjects in Years 9 and 10 – compulsory “core” subjects, plus a number of optional subjects. These “tasters” give the boys the opportunity to explore different curriculum areas, allowing them to “dip their toes” into different subjects and develop their interests and experience, and ensures they have a sound background of knowledge on which
to build in the following years. Before making any decisions about their study pathway, Year 9 boys also have an introductory careers session with Chris. With Year 9 students Chris follows psychologist John Holland’s model of career choice, which is based on areas of interest. While mindful of their age and stage, the boys are asked to rank their interest in the following areas: Realistic (Practical), Investigative, Enterprising (Business), Social, Artistic, Conventional (Structured). They then use kiwicareers.co.nz to look at industry groups, within which are lists of jobs. The database outlines skills needed, tasks required, conditions of work, personal qualities, salaries, secondary subjects required and tertiary study. They are also shown College’s Curriculum Studies Guide and made aware of subject options available in Year 10. areas of interest, values, a career investigation and skills required for the future. The John Holland model is again employed, and the boys are encouraged to consider different industry groups and many jobs, and note the recommended or required secondary education subjects. This is a good foundation from which to reinforce what In Year 10, the boys study the topic “About Me”, which includes personal qualities,
Christ’s College Canterbury
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