Newcastle high school graduates who missed out on final university offers on March 3 are being reminded not to worry as a range of other career options were readily available.
The Careers Department works with 600 schools across Australia, including Newcastle Grammar School and Newcastle High School, helping give better insights into various industries and different career paths.
Co-Founder Samantha Devlin said many school leavers apply for university because they think it is expected of them.
“Our research shows more than a third of students graduate high school not knowing what they want to do as a career,” Devlin said.
“Many students choose university preferences based on what they feel they should do or conversations they’ve had with their parents.”
She said figures showed one in five students dropped out of their first year of university.
“What this tells us is there needs to be a stronger focus on educating teenagers about what job opportunities exist and what career paths, scholarships, and work programs are available.”
The Careers Department provides students with insights into industries ranging from education, economics and advertising to agriculture, food and fashion.
“We provide more than 800 pieces of content including video interviews, podcasts, job finders, scholarship applications, and resume builders, and last year, 76,000 students participated in our virtual work experience programs,” Devlin said.
“We want to ensure location, network, and social demographic aren’t limiting students when they’re choosing their career.”
Devlin said students who missed out on university offers and still had their hearts set on a university degree could find alternative ways to gain entry, including internships, graduate programs, diplomas, bridging courses, and vocational studies.
“Take the opportunity to research your chosen career path, contact different universities for advice, and look at work experience options,” Devlin said.
“With borders now open again, it might even be the perfect opportunity to take a gap year and go travelling.”
Information source: The Careers Department