Participating Schools in the Quality LinCS Region

On Tuesday August 5th and Wednesday August 6th, Southern Futures and Quality LinCS LCP’s hosted a student mining trip to Olympic Dam. 31 students from the southern region participated in the tour and an information session at BHP Billiton Olympic Dam. The purpose of the trip was to allow students to see first hand South Australia’s mining boom and the thousands of jobs that have been and will be created in mining and related areas.

From the Quality LinCS region there were students from the following schools; Blackwood High School, Seaview High School, Urrbrae Agricultural High School, Scotch College and Westminster School. Early on the morning of the 5th August, 15 students from across the region were joined by 2 teachers (Rob Smallacombe from Seaview High School and Richard Hague from Urrbrae Agricultural High School) and the Quality LinCS Project Officer for the trip to Woomera.

Once at Woomera students and staff booked into the Eldo Hotel and had a few spare minutes to relax and unwind. We then had an enjoyable evening including Bowling, Pizza and a visit to the Heritage Centre. Early the next morning the bus departed for Olympic Dam. All the students were extremely impressed by what they saw at the mine site. The enormity of Olympic Dam, the incredible processing plants and machinery all impressed the students and accompanying adults.

After an hour bus trip through Olympic Dam students made their way to a lecture theatre and were provided with information on recruitment processes, job opportunities, a presentation on the proposed BHP expansion and more!

Staff at the Olympic Dam site were fantastic. A big thank you to Deb Ainslie, Amanda Hudson and Roscoe Sewell. They all provided valuable information to the students and it was great to see so many students ask really good questions. All then boarded the bus and drove for approximately 20 minutes to Olympic Village. After a tour of all the facilities, students and staff enjoyed a great lunch. Many students commented afterwards on how well the miners are fed!

Overall the trip was a success with a great deal of positive feedback from Students and Staff. For further information on the trip contact Nicole at Quality LinCS on 8372 6951.

Careers Websites

Two new websites have been launched in recent months, both provide career advice via easy access to resources and the make it site utilises fantastic career mapping software.

www.makeit.net.au - This website has several great tools, first of which is an interactive career builder called a ’Pathways Simulator’, which is fantastic to use. It also has a range of careers info sheets as well as information for adults and young people interested in the sector.

This site compliments the zoom websites, which profile careers in the manufacturing sector. The zoom sites have information on careers and training, short video interviews, and more just check out the following sites for more info.

The other website is www.careersconnected.com.au which was launched by the Australian Industry Group in July and has information and resources in the following industry areas:

If you look online under any of the main three headings, then press the career resources / more career stuff tab you’ll see that you can download resources by sector. Each sector has the following information available as well as a resource directory: Employer success stories, samples of successful school industry partnerships, Youth at work sheets, industry updates, sector snapshots, and careers corner info sheets.

For more information contact:

In 2007 work began on a new resource for teachers to use in preparing students before commencing Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). A great deal of work has gone into the resource and Quality LinCS is pleased to announce it is near completion!

The Quality LinCS Project Officer, DECS Inner South Transition Broker, a SafeWork SA representative and 4 VET Coordinators from the Quality LinCS region met on the 17th September for the final consultation. It is hoped that following this consultation that SafeWork SA’s Communication people will finalise the product.

This resource will provide teachers with a complete pack which includes presentations, teacher notes, activities and additional information. It will be recommended that teachers go through the resources with students over a 4-5 hour process. The expectation will be that students will be better prepared for SWL and that schools have a better understanding of the requirements in preparing students for SWL.

Peter Leolkes and Nicole Theodorou would like to thank those that have provided input in the development of the product including Rod Dyson (Scotch College), Richard Whaites (Unley High School), Rob Smallacombe (Seaview High School) and Peter Smith (Urrbrae Agricultural High School). For further information please contact Peter on 8372 6950 or Nicole on 8372 6951.

A successful transition for individuals with disabilities from school to work often requires collaboration. All of us want to work on solutions and ensure the transition students experience is the best outcome for the commencement of their working life. In this regard I have suggested some tips which may assist parents and teachers during the transition from school to work.

Tip 1
Seeking the most appropriate Disability Employment Network (DEN) provider. Take time to obtain information on DEN providers by attending parent nights, expos and other opportunities. Go and meet with as many providers which match your students requirements. All DEN providers offer a quality service. A generalist provider assists all disability types and specialist providers focus on a particular disability type, for example intellectual or vision impaired. Parents and teachers know the student’s strengths and barriers which will then determine the most appropriate DEN provider.

Tip 2
Be realistic. DEN providers programs offer up to 2 years to find and keep work for a job seeker. Once placed into work, ongoing support is discussed and arranged. Some students obtain a job more quickly than others. This can lead to expectations or perceptions which vary between parents, teachers and students. Determine what is an acceptable first start into paid work. Most people who enter the workforce may need to try out different industries and work out what would be a “best fit”. This aspect requires dialogue and clear understanding on the expectations of all parties concerned. When discussing career options with a DEN provider be guided by their recommendations. We are all here working together to help the student transition into work as smoothly as possible.

Tip 3
Remember the journey. Often it is the journey of discovery and growth that enables the student to realise their career goals or first job. Letting go means encouraging the young adult to become independent as they are able to. Continue to give your young adult choice, responsibilities and permission to make mistakes.

Tip 4
Legal status. Parents need to start thinking about the legal status before he or she turns 18. Many parents should consider the rights that will transfer to the student upon reaching the age of majority (becoming the legal adult in this state). These rights include being responsible for planning and agreeing or disagreeing with the disability employment services. If a young person is not able to make informed decisions the family will need to take a longer view and learn as much as possible what this means for them and their role in planning.

I wish everyone success in their transition from school to work.

Olivia Sorre
Manager
MJP Employment Services

Two Parents as Career Partners (PACP) events have been held recently. One at Unley High School for parents of Yr. 9 and 10 students and one at the Marion Cultural Centre as part of the Marion Learning Festival with parents attending primarily from Urrbrae Agricultural High School, Seaview High School and Blackwood High School.

Over 160 parents attended both events representing 16 school sites from the Quality LinCS region. Danny Slater from tafe SA’s Leadership, Organisational Renewal and Career Development Team asked parents to reflect on their own careers as well as discussing and examining how they can support their children in planning their future. He also distributed some very useful resources and painted a very clear picture of the future world of work.

Thank you to the Marion Council for the financial and in kind support to support the event held at the Marion Cultural Centre. We also need to acknowledge the work of a small team including Liz Burbrook (Blackwood High School), Rod Dyson (Scotch College), Michael Huggett (Seaview High School) and Peter Smith (Urrbrae Agricultural High School).

If you would like to organise a PACP event please contact either Lori on 8372 6945 or Peter on 8372 6950.

Students have found that, too often, they are excluded from career options such as apprenticeships because they cannot successfully complete the maths component of the selection tests. Industry, on the other hand is missing out on potentially suitable trades people and apprentices.

The professional development program which commenced with a workshop on Wednesday 6th August was an attempt to start addressing this situation at a local level. The workshop was delivered by and from the perspective of Bill Bonney, an experienced and successful Trade Maths teacher. At the workshop he demonstrated methodology which he used to improve students’ success rate and assist them in gaining entrance into apprenticeships. 22 Maths teachers from 10 schools attended as well as representatives from Mathematics professional associations.

It is obvious that many other teachers have developed effective methodologies and the intention is to follow this workshop with further workshops at which those teachers can share, compare and discuss effective practice which can “turn students around”. The intention is to also to provide opportunities for industry to have input into the content of maths courses. This is especially timely given the new SACE.

Bill is currently following up with a number of the teachers so he can visit them in their schools and support them in their particular context. The next workshop is being planned for early November.

Please contact Peter Leolkes on 0448 889 257 if you would like to attend.

In a review of the literature on disability and Vocational Education and Training (VET) from over the past decade, the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) found a lot of discussion and research, but still a need for further action.

NCVER undertook the review on behalf of the National VET Disability Advisory Taskforce as a first step towards developing a research strategy aimed at ensuring a cohesive approach to understanding how best to engage people with a disability in training and employment.

The review found that the barriers faced by people with a disability are well described and future research should focus on the practicalities of achieving better VET and employment outcomes for these individuals. The review found that useful findings, especially case studies illustrating good practice, are often buried in reports. For future research to be effective, more effort should be put into presenting findings in a way that enables them to be easily put into practice.

How to tell people about what works in a way that encourages replication may well be one research activity in the strategy. In another piece of NCVER research, Tom Karmel and Nhi Nguyen reiterate the point that students with a disability shouldn’t be considered as a single group and suggest that future research should examine the needs and potential of specific disability groups.

They find that, for those with hearing / deaf, intellectual, learning, acquired brain impairment and vision disabilities, relatively poor completion rates are largely determined by characteristics other than the disability. By contrast, both student characteristics and the disability itself are important for the low completion rates of those with a physical or mental illness, or a medical condition.

To be alerted when ‘VET and people with a disability: A review of the research’ is available, subscribe to NCVER News at http://www.ncver.edu.au/newsevents/subscribe.html

The full report entitled ‘Disability and learning outcomes: How much does the disability really matter?’ is available at http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2017.html

The Australian Government is investing $62.5 million over three years in the Local Schools Working Together (LSWT) pilot program (the Program). The aim of the Program is to fund approximately 25 projects displaying innovative collaborations between schools and other partners to address shared infrastructure needs that are not met by existing facilities.

It is envisaged that both government and non-government schools working in partnership could be the recipients of funding under this Program. Other partners with which schools could engage include local government authorities, businesses and community organisations. Projects may include, but need not be limited to, infrastructure facilities such as gymnasiums, performing arts centres, libraries, and facilities for teaching language, science or music.

As a pilot program, LSWT will be subject to formal review and monitoring. The focus of the review will be to identify key lessons that can shape the future policy direction on infrastructure funding. With this in mind, the Government welcomes suggestions for projects that may not have been considered in the past.

Applications for the first funding round will opened on 1st September and close on 21st October 2008.

What is special or different about this program?

The Local Schools Working Together (LSWT) Pilot Program (the Program) encourages schools, councils and/or local businesses to work together to develop first class facilities that will enhance opportunities for Australian school children and may also provide broader community benefit. The Program aims to maximise the benefit of Australian Government infrastructure spending and to promote and encourage facilities to be used to their full capacity at all times.

Would you like to know more?

Before deciding whether to proceed with application planning, prospective applicants should read and understand the program guidelines which are available at www.localschoolsworkingtogether.deewr.gov.au or contact the relevant Liaison Officer in SA. Details for the Liaison Officer for each sector are:

Decs Sites

Catholic Sites

Independent Sites

Mr James Mulraney, the current Educational Co Chair of Quality LinCS Incorporated is resigning after four years on the Quality LinCS Board. James has been Co Chair of the Board of the past three years and has been instrumental in the success of the organisation.

When James first took the position as a Secondary Principal Representative on the Board there was significant work for the Board to undertake due to changes in funding structures and changes in regional boundaries. James has always been committed to working closely with his colleagues by keeping them informed of changes in policy direction and what these changes mean for the young people in the region.

James has won a position as a Regional Team Leader in the Loddon Mallee District in Victoria which he begins on October 13th. We wish him well and would like to thank him for his time, support and energy in leading the Quality LinCS Board.

We welcome Mr Peter Mader (Principal – Hamilton Secondary College) to the Board as James’s replacement.

Innovations & Partnerships Action Team (IPAT) Meeting

Targeted Intervention Action Team (TIAT) Meeting

Career and Transition Action Team (CTAT) Meeting

Combined Action Team Drinks

Quality LinCS Board

Youth Engagement Network (YEN) Meeting