Choosing School Subjects
Prepare yourself for choosing school subjects by finding out
about the information that you need to make informed
decisions:
Whether you live in the city, the country or a more remote
place in Australia the school subjects you choose in year 11
and year 12 are a part of the ongoing career choices you will
make.
The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) that can
be attained in each of the states and territories in
Australia prepares you to enter university, TAFE institutions
and other formal training programs, the workplace and other
life roles. The SSCE is titled differently in each of the
states and territories.
Opportunities with Australian Apprenticeships is something
you could be interested in investigating while you are still
at school.
When you move into the final two years of formal schooling it
is important to choose subjects that:
- enable you to work from your strengths
- challenge you to make the most of your capabilities
- provide you with the qualification that you need to
pursue you career and ambitions after you leave school
- you enjoy studying
- offer a range of study that is manageable (ie think about
choosing a balance between theoretical and practical
subjects)
- provide life skills
- are your choice and not the choices of others.
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The course counsellor at your school will be able to give you
career advice and advice about the subjects that you select
in years 11 and 12. When you choose your subjects you will
need to make sure that your choices match the ongoing career
choices that you want to make. The course counsellor will be
able to help you with information related to:
- subjects required for entry to university
- subjects related to careers/occupations
- relevant subjects for post secondary courses at
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), for example TAFE
and private providers.
There are other people apart from the course counsellor who
you can use as resources to assist you to make informed
decisions. They could include:
- subject teachers
- Indigenous education workers
- parents
- friends
- lecturers/instructors at TAFE and universities
- community agencies (eg job placement organisations,
training providers)
- students who are currently studying the subjects you are
interested in
- employers or people within an industry or organisation
that interests you
- role models or successful people in the career of your
choice.
It will be important for you to think about your achievements
and the choices you would like to make.
Look back at your achievements and analyse:
- the subjects you have done well in, or not so well in
- what your achievements tell you about your abilities (ie
mechanical aptitude, verbal ability, numerical ability,
commitment, enthusiasm).
Build a picture of yourself to help in your decision-making
process by:
- developing a profile of important strengths, abilities,
skills, knowledge and interests that you have
- looking at how your family and other people in your life
are influencing your decisions
- knowing the career field you are suited to and interested
in.
My Guide will help you identify career fields by guiding you
through activities to assist you explore your career
direction.
When you visit My Guide it will be important to work through
the My Profile, Exploring Career Ideas and Help Me Decide
activities in order so that you can:
- generate career ideas
- explore the ideas that suit you
- select and decide on the ideas that suit you.
If you already have a clear idea about the career direction
you want to take then visiting The Facts section will provide
you with information to explore the subjects associated with
the occupations and career fields of interest to you.
You can locate occupations by searching for a specific
occupation or by browsing through the list. Then click on:
- Quick Facts
- then go to Learning Areas
- by clicking on the suggested Learning Areas you will be
provided with information about the subjects related to the
occupation.
When you have completed your exploration look again at the
subject choices you have made.
Look at the connections between choices in school subjects
and career choices:
- Identify and investigate areas of interest for possible
work experience.
- Investigate vocational options that can lead to choosing
vocational pathways in upper/secondary school. Talk to the
career counsellor or the vocational education and training
(VET) coordinator in your school about undertaking VET
certificates and enquire as to whether they are credited
towards the Certificate of Education in your state or
territory.
Don't forget that as you mature and find out more information
it is likely that you will change your understanding about
the choices you want to make. Your subject choices should be
able to deliver you the broadest range of choices for further
education and training and for meeting employer expectations.
You might also want to browse through the
"Do you enjoy or are you good at..." bullseye posters
from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Relations (DEEWR).
Once you have made your decision look at actions that will
support you to succeed in the subjects you have decided to
study:
- identify good study habits, environments and skills
- investigate subjects available for the following school
year
- analyse your school reports so that you can monitor your
progress.
Remember to talk to as many people as possible so that the
decision you make about the subjects that you choose is one
that you feel most comfortable about.
The SSCE title in each of the states and territories is:
- New South Wales - Higher Education Certificate (HSC)
- Victoria - Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
- Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)
- Queensland - Senior Certificate
- South Australia - South Australian Certificate of
Education (SACE)
- Western Australia - WA Certificate of Education
- Tasmania - Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)
- Northern Territory - Northern Territory Certificate of
Education (NTCE)
- Australian Capital Territory - ACT Year 12 Certificate.
In some states and territories Australian Apprenticeships are
known only as apprenticeships and traineeships.
The title course counsellor might be different depending on
the state or territory that you live in; for example, careers
counsellor, guidance officer and guidance counsellor.