Premier Mark McGowan and Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery today officially launched the McGowan Government’s new career taster portal, visiting North Metropolitan TAFE’s East Perth campus to see the Year 9 Career Taster Program in action.
The $22 million Career Taster Program gives Western Australian Year 9 students opportunities to engage in interactive activities to explore a range of industries, occupations and the skills needed for them.
Following a successful pilot, the Career Taster Program is being delivered across the State this year, giving Year 9 students a taste of the world of work through practical industry experiences that are designed to spark their ‘career curiosity’.
Alongside the launch, students from La Salle College participated in practical activities in emerging technologies in the resources sector using radio equipment to control haul trucks and diggers in a simulated miniature pit.
They also performed hands-on mechanical fitting tasks that form the basis of skills required in a number of mining, mechanical engineering and maintenance trades.
The new Career Taster Portal is a one-stop resource connecting students and schools with the program’s industry taster experiences through a searchable database.
The portal also provides schools with access to resources to plan and deliver their program, and includes a function for employers to nominate to provide an experience.
With more than 100 experiences and comprehensive teaching resources already available, schools have the flexibility to design career exploration experiences that meet the needs of their students and local context.
The Career Taster Program was co-designed with industry, education experts, TAFEs and school sectors, and offers exciting opportunities for Year 9 students to extend their thinking through practical industry experiences, and learn more about the world of work and the jobs they are interested in.
Providing early access to career information and education pathways will help students to make informed decisions about future subject selections for Years 11 and 12.
More information on the Career Taster Program can be found at www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/careertaster.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“My Government is committed to improving education and training opportunities for Western Australians.
“The recent State Budget included almost $6 billion to improve outcomes for WA school students and $76.5 million for training initiatives to give Western Australians both younger and older the opportunity to pursue quality local jobs.
“The Career Taster Program has been specifically designed to give Year 9 students a taste of the world of work.
“By providing early access to career information and education pathways, this program arms young people with the tools they need to make informed decisions about their future.
“This program is new and innovative, and the portal makes it easy for students to see all of the experiences and interactive activities on offer to them.”
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
“Typically, secondary students’ first exposure to the range of post-secondary training options doesn’t occur until Year 10, when students are just about to make important decisions on which subjects they will study in Years 11 and 12.
“Providing Year 9 students with real world experiences, and showing them the many exciting opportunities and careers available, helps them to make connections between training and education pathways and occupations.
“Exposing high school students to post-school opportunities that they find meaningful early can also help to keep them engaged and ensure they stay at school and go into training or higher education.”
