INFORMATION BULLETIN - EDITION 15
Queensland
08/09/2014 to 19/09/2014
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Apprenticeships and Employment ........................................................................................... 4
Generation Success – Five ways to market yourself ........................................................... 4
Going for a job interview? .................................................................................................... 4
Career Exploration .................................................................................................................... 6
How do I start my career exploration? ................................................................................ 6
Competitions ............................................................................................................................ 7
Live outdoors 2015 - short film competition ....................................................................... 7
Course and Institution Updates ............................................................................................... 8
Auditions open for 2015 entry to jazz courses .................................................................... 8
Bond University’s Court Discovery program........................................................................ 8
Charlton Brown school holiday course ................................................................................ 8
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) news and reminders .................................... 8
Selected course event and due dates for September and October 2014 ........................... 9
Selected school holiday workshops ................................................................................... 11
Snippets from James Cook University (JCU) ...................................................................... 11
Sport Development course at Griffith University .............................................................. 12
Thinking of studying architecture? .................................................................................... 12
University school holiday tours.......................................................................................... 12
Updates from the University of Queensland (UQ) ............................................................ 13
Financial Assistance and Scholarships ................................................................................... 15
APPEA Oil and Gas Industry Engineering Scholarships ..................................................... 15
Application due dates for selected university scholarships .............................................. 15
Le Cordon Bleu (Adelaide) Hospitality Entrepreneur Scholarships .................................. 16
QIEU Teacher Education Bursaries ..................................................................................... 16
Gap Year Program News ........................................................................................................ 17
Gap Year program information events in September 2014 .............................................. 17
Young Endeavour voyage around the world – a gap year to remember.......................... 17
Occupational Information ...................................................................................................... 18
Becoming a registered psychologist .................................................................................. 18
Radiation Oncology ............................................................................................................ 19
Open Days, Expos and Career Markets .................................................................................. 20
CQUniversity (CQU) Events ................................................................................................ 20
Endeavour College of Natural Health Open Day ............................................................... 20
Mater Education Health Service Assistance Open Day ..................................................... 20
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QTAC and Tertiary Entry ......................................................................................................... 21
OP information from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA)... 21
QTAC application checklist ................................................................................................. 21
QTAC’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS) ......................................................................... 22
University early entry schemes .......................................................................................... 23
Study Skills .............................................................................................................................. 24
Helpful study skills websites .............................................................................................. 24
Year 12 Questions ................................................................................................................... 25
More questions from Year 12 students ............................................................................. 25
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Appre ntice shi ps and Empl oyment
Generation Success – Five ways to market yourself
As part of the Generation Success initiative (see
http://employment.gov.au/generation-success-resources-young-workers), a group of
young people offered advice to young job seekers about finding their first job. One of
their tips was ‘Communication is king’. This involves highlighting your strengths to
potential employers by marketing yourself well. The myfuture website supports this
tip by listing five strategies you can use to market yourself during your job search. The
following description of these strategies is from the latest myfuture newsletter.
Highlight your selling points - A selling point is a statement about a skill or quality
you have that directly meets an employer's need.
Phone an employer - ‘Cold-calling’ is when you contact someone who is not
expecting your call. You can cold-call employers to ask about an advertised position
or to ask about upcoming jobs. For each of these types of calls, you need to clearly
explain the reason for your call.
Meet with employers - You may be meeting with an employer about future job
opportunities, or interviewing someone who works in a similar job to the one that
you are thinking about. Information interviews like this are great ways to explore
the requirements of jobs before you make decisions about your career.
Your career portfolio - A career portfolio is a personal collection of materials that
document the events and achievements of your life. It helps you organise
information so that you can apply for jobs, scholarships and courses.
Manage your reputation - The things you share online, and what others write
about you, contribute to your online reputation. Many employers research
candidates through Google search, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and
other social networking services.
Visit the myfuture website at http://www.myfuture.edu.au/getting-started/prepareto-apply-for-jobs/how-to-market-yourself for more information about these five
marketing strategies.
Going for a job interview?
It is wise to prepare for a job interview whether the interview is for a cadetship with a
large corporation, an apprenticeship with a local builder or a checkout job at
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Woolworth’s. Your preparation should include thinking up job interview questions and
how you might answer them. A really good resource to help you with this can be
found at http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/careers/interview-questions-and-tips/howto-answer-interview-questions/.
Jazz Institute
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Career Expl oration
How do I start my career exploration?
Deciding on your next step is a daunting task. However, there are many resources
available to get you started. These include questionnaires to help you learn more
about yourself and to come up with job ideas. The following links are for popular
career questionnaires.
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Job Outlook – career quiz http://joboutlook.gov.au/careerquiz.aspx
Myfuture – My Career Profile http://www.myfuture.edu.au/mycareerprofile
Myfuture – Mini career explorer
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/MiniCareerExplorer/index.html
Career Quest http://www.careers.govt.nz/tools/
Once you have a job ideas list, use the myfuture website to find out about the
jobs. This will help you prioritise your list and decide what you most want to pursue
after you finish Year 12. Talking to someone already in the job and/or doing work
experience are excellent ways of testing if the job is really what you want to do for
your first step.
Jazz Institute
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Competiti ons
Live outdoors 2015 - short film competition
This film competition asks you to create a vision of outdoor activity and nature that is
inspiring and creative. For more information, see
http://www.visioningtheoutdoors.com/film-competition. The competition closes on
31 January 2015.
Jazz Institute
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Cour se and Institution Update s
Auditions open for 2015 entry to jazz courses
The Jazz Music Institute (JMI) invites students to audition for entry to its specialised
jazz courses, including B Music in Jazz Performance and D Music (Jazz
Performance). Auditions are by appointment and are open until the end of January
2015. Visit http://www.jazz.qld.edu.au/ for details.
Bond University’s Court Discovery program
Through this program students learn about what happens in a courtroom
environment. Participants will watch a mock trial unfold, with commentary, and help
determine who is innocent or guilty. The program will be offered in two sessions on
Thursday 16 October 2014. See http://bond.edu.au/about-bond/news-andevents/events/BD3_024411for more information.
Charlton Brown school holiday course
Charlton Brown will be offering a Junior Nanny Award course at its Brisbane and Gold
Coast campuses during the coming school holidays. The course is appropriate for
students interested in a childcare career or those wanting to improve their baby-sitting
skills. It will provide hands-on and interactive learning in areas such as children’s play
and learning, child development, baby care and safety in the home, nappy changing,
bottle making, bath time, painting and game development. The Gold Coast campus
course will run from 29 September – 1 October 2014. Dates for the Brisbane campus
course will be available shortly. For more information and to obtain an application,
ring 1300 626 643. Find out about other courses offered at Charlton Brown at
http://www.charltonbrown.com.au/.
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) news and reminders
Fashion illustration short course - This course will provide you with the
foundations for creating a fashion portfolio. It will be held from 10 am – 3 pm on
Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 November 2014 at the Kelvin Grove
Campus. Registrations for this course close on 20 October 2014. See
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/short-courses-and-professionaldevelopment/short-courses/fashion-illustration-for-beginners for details.
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Academic Scholarship Preparation seminar - QUT invites high-achieving Year 12
students and their parents to this seminar to learn about how to prepare a strong
application for QUT’s academic scholarships. The seminar will be held from 5.30 –
7 pm on Thursday 2 October 2014. For more information and to register to attend,
visit https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/academic-scholarships-seminar.
Discover QUT – If you missed open day and want to find out about QUT courses
and campuses, this is the event for you. It will be held during the school holidays at
the Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses on 24 September 2014 and at the
Caboolture campus on 25 September 2014. You can register for this event at the
Discover QUT website at https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/discover-qut.
Equity scholarships at QUT – If you are worried about making ends meet while
studying next year, visit https://www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-andscholarships/scholarships-and-prizes/equity-scholarships-scheme to explore the
range of Equity Scholarships available at QUT.
QUT Engineering course changes – These changes include:
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Honours-level content throughout all engineering courses
Students complete common units in the first year. Students can choose their
major in the first year or they can delay it until second year
From 2015, the engineering double degrees with business, mathematics and
information technology are available with all engineering majors
In 2015, a new B Engineering (Honours)/B Science will be offered, with all
engineering majors available.
Find out more at https://www.qut.edu.au/study/study-areas/study-engineering.
How can I improve my chances of gaining entry to my preferred courses at QUT?
– You can find a summary of QUT admissions schemes and entry programs at
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/undergraduate-study/do-you-advise-schoolstudents/news-and-events/news?news-id=76898.
How to apply for QUT courses – This section of the QUT website at
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/applying/undergraduate-applications has a six step
process for applying for courses.
Selected course event and due dates for September and October 2014
September
10 - University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Campus Headstart Program
Information Evening http://www.usc.edu.au/study/study-at-usc/open-day-andinformation-events/2014/september/headstart-program-information-evening
11 - TAFE Gold Coast Information Session - Creative Industries at the Coomera campus
http://tafegoldcoast.edu.au/
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11 - Griffith Criminology and Criminal Justice careers information evening
http://www.griffith.edu.au/criminology-law/school-criminology-criminaljustice/programs-courses/high-school-and-community-programs
12 - Queensland University of Technology’s B Music, B Fine Arts (Dance Performance)
and B Fine Arts (Dance) online registration due date
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/applying/undergraduate-applications/additional-entryrequirements
15 - National Institute of Circus Arts applications for auditions close
http://www.nica.com.au/
16 - QUT Return to Study Seminar at The Space, North Lakes
http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
17 – QUT Return to Study Seminar at Gardens Point Campus
http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
18 – QUT Return to Study Seminar at Caboolture Campus
http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
20 - Griffith University Engineering Assessment (AEA) examination in Brisbane and the
Gold Coast http://www.griffith.edu.au/engineering-information-technology/griffithschool-engineering/future-students/aptitude-engineering-assessment
24 - Discover QUT Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove Campuses
http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
25 - Discover QUT Caboolture Campus http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
25 - Bond University Medicine and Biomedical Information Evening at the Gold Coast
campus http://bond.edu.au/about-bond/news-and-events/events/BD3_025969
30 - National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) application due date
http://www.nida.edu.au/
30 - Fixed closing date for applying through QTAC for James Cook University's B Dental
Surgery, B Medicine/B Surgery, B Physiotherapy and B Veterinary Science. Applicants
must also lodge the JCU Application Form to JCU by this date
http://www.jcu.edu.au/fmhms/forms/domestic/index.htm
30 - QTAC on-time application due date http://www.qtac.edu.au
30 - Griffith University Admission to the B Aviation cover sheet due
http://www.qtac.edu.au/
October
2 - Queensland University of Technology Academic Scholarships Seminar
http://www.qut.edu.au/study/events
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3 - University of Melbourne Interstate Student and Family Information Day
http://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/explore/events
10 - Queensland University of Technology’s B Design (Honours) (Fashion), B Fine Arts
(Acting), B Fine Arts (Technical Production) and B Fine Arts (Visual Arts) online
registration due date https://www.qut.edu.au/study/applying/undergraduateapplications/additional-entry-requirements
17 - Indigenous Australian Engineering Summer School applications close
http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/iaess/
20 - Bond University Year 10 Headstart day http://bond.edu.au/about-bond/news-andevents/events/index.htm
20 - Australian Catholic University’s Early Achievers’ Program application due date
http://www.acu.edu/eap
Selected school holiday workshops
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Charlton Brown Junior Nanny Award program at the Gold Coast (29 September
– 1 October 2014) and Brisbane (dates available shortly) campuses. For more
information and to obtain an application, ring 1300 626 643.
CATC Design School Day in the life of a designer workshop on 20 September
2014. See http://www.catc.edu.au/events.
APM College of Business and Communication Day in the Life workshop on 25
September 2014. See http://www.apm.edu.au/about-apm/upcoming-events.
JMC Academy Music, Audio and Entertainment Workshop on 24 September
2014; Animation and Game Design Workshop on 25 September 2014; Film and
Television Production Workshop on 26 September 2014. See
http://www.jmcacademy.edu.au/News/2014-04-08/BRISBANEWORKSHOPS.cfm.
BubbleDome school holiday workshops in Minecraft inventions and challenges;
Minecraft tekkit; Minecraft advanced: Computer Craft, Science and
Technology. See http://bubbledome.com/.
Design College Australia Photography Workshop on 30 September - 1 October
2014 and Graphic Design Workshop on 2 – 3 October 2014. See
http://www.designcollege.com.au/content/school_holiday_workshops.html.
Billy Blue College of Design, Brisbane Campus Day in the Life of a Designer
Workshop on 20 September 2014. See http://www.billyblue.edu.au/newsevents/upcoming-events.
Snippets from James Cook University (JCU)
Accommodation - JCU has an Accommodation Service that can assist with on and
off campus accommodation options. Find out more at
http://www.jcu.edu.au/accommodation/.
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Important due dates – the following are fixed dates.
30 September 2014 - the last date for Medicine/Surgery, Dental Surgery,
Veterinary Science and Physiotherapy online applications to QTAC.
30 September 2014 - the final date to submit the JCU written application to JCU for
Medicine/Surgery, Dental Surgery, Veterinary Science and Physiotherapy. Late
applications will not be considered. Visit
http://www.jcu.edu.au/fmhms/forms/index.htm to access the application form.
24 October 2014 - the last date for predictions of academic achievement for
Medicine/Surgery applicants to be faxed to JCU. Applicants will be selected for
interview based on their JCU written application and their prediction of
academic achievement.
Get ready for uni - This JCU web page at http://www.jcu.edu.au/getready4uni/ has
all the information you need to help you settle in to university study and living.
Sport Development course at Griffith University
Commencing in 2015, Griffith will offer the B Sport Development course at its Gold
Coast campus. Sport development combines the study of four main areas – sport and
exercise science, sport coaching, health promotion and sport management and
marketing. Prerequisites for the course are English (4,SA), and one of Biology,
Chemistry, Physics or Maths B (4,SA). Visit
http://www.griffith.edu.au/health/physiotherapy-exercise-science-sport/what-can-istudy/sport-development for information about this course.
Thinking of studying architecture?
Brisbane Open House, the Australian Institute of Architects Qld Chapter Education
Committee and the Queensland University of Technology invite interested secondary
school students, between the ages of 14 and 18 years, to join them to find out about
what it’s like to be involved in architecture. This event will be held from 10 am – 12
noon on Sunday 12 October 2014 in Room GP-D214, D Block, QUT Gardens Point
Campus, George Street, Brisbane. Email qld@architecture.com.au to RSVP.
University school holiday tours
Explore your university options during the school holidays by taking a tour of the
campus in which you are interested.
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Australian Catholic University http://www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/future_students/undergraduate/experie
nce_uni_before_you_start/events/campus_tours/campus_tour.
CQUniversity – contact each campus directly; see http://www.cqu.edu.au/ for
contact information (go to the bottom of the home page).
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Griffith University – http://www.griffith.edu.au/ (click on ‘Ask Us’ and search
for ‘campus tours’).
James Cook University – http://www.jcu.edu.au/highschools/tours/index.htm
Queensland University of Technology – tours will be conducted during the
Discover QUT event on the 24 and 25 September, see
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/discover-qut.
Southern Cross University - http://scu.edu.au/futurestudents/index.php/14/.
The University of Queensland - http://www.uq.edu.au/study/?page=26065.
University of New England http://study.une.edu.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/999.
University of Southern Queensland – do a search about campus tours on the
website at http://www.usq.edu.au/
Updates from the University of Queensland (UQ)
Maths B, Biology and Chemistry intensive mode courses – Successful completion
of these courses will meet prerequisites in these subjects for UQ degree
programs. The courses will run from 25 November - 20 December 2014. Results
will be available for the QTAC January 2015 offer round. See
http://www.uqcollege.edu.au/ for details.
Architectural Design Workshop – This design workshop will be held from 2 – 3
October 2014. Participants will be introduced to the learning environment they
will encounter in the architectural design course at UQ. Visit
http://www.studiomitt.com.au/upcoming-events/ for more information.
WE Explore Engineering Day – This event, to be held on 16 September 2014, is
designed to inspire Year 11 and 12 female students to consider a career in
engineering. Visit http://www.eait.uq.edu.au/we-explore-engineering-day for
details on registration and the workshops available.
Nursing and Midwifery – UQ nursing and midwifery students do most of their
learning at clinical schools. When you apply through QTAC, you will be able to
nominate your preferred clinical schools. Access the clinical schools and QTAC
codes at http://www.nursing-midwifery.uq.edu.au/clinical-schools.
New majors in B Science at the Gatton campus – The new majors are Animal and
Veterinary Bioscience and Soil and Plant Biosciences. The B Science prerequisites
of English, Maths B plus one of Physics or Chemistry will apply. Do a search for B
Science (Gatton) at http://www.uq.edu.au/study/ to read about these new majors.
B Advanced Science – This new program is designed for high achieving science
students. It is a 4-year program that differs from the B Science by offering courses
at an advanced level and incorporating an honours year during which students will
undertake a research project. Prerequisites are English, Maths B plus two of
Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Maths C or Physics. An OP
level of 1 – 3 is anticipated. Do a search for this course at
http://www.uq.edu.au/study/.
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Enhanced Studies Program (ESP) applications close soon – High achieving Year 11
students are invited to apply for this program during which they undertake a
university subject. Applications close on 31 October 2014. Find out more at
http://www.uq.edu.au/esp/.
UQ Academic Scholarships are open for applications – These scholarships consist
of the UQ Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, the UQ Excellence Scholarship and the UQ
Merit Scholarship. Visit http://scholarships.uq.edu.au/program/uq-academicscholarship-program for selection criteria and the application process. The
application due date is 31 October 2014.
UQ B Arts advantage – UQ offers a flexible Arts program, which has enabled its
graduates to find careers in a wide range of fields. Read about the careers of some
of these graduates at http://www.hass.uq.edu.au/ba-advantage.
Jazz Institute
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Financi al Assi stance and Scholars hips
APPEA Oil and Gas Industry Engineering Scholarships
Two scholarships are available each year to encourage engineering students looking to
enter the oil and gas industry. One scholarship is specifically for Aboriginal
Australians. The second scholarship is open to all Australian residents who are
undertaking an engineering degree in Australia that is relevant to the oil and gas
industry. Applications for these scholarships close on 10 October 2014. Visit
http://www.appea.com.au/industry-in-depth/policy/skills/appea-scholarships/ for
details.
Application due dates for selected university scholarships
University of Southern Queensland - 31 October 2014
http://www.usq.edu.au/scholarships
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Chancellor’s Scholarship
Elite Athlete Bursary
USQ KickStart Bursaries - Fraser Coast campus
USQ KickStart Bursaries - Springfield campus
USQ KickStart Bursaries - Toowoomba campus
The University of Queensland - 31 October 2014
http://scholarships.uq.edu.au/
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Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships
Excellence Scholarships
Merit Scholarships
UQ Sports Achievement Scholarships
University of the Sunshine Coast - 31 October 2014
http://www.usc.edu.au/study/scholarships
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USC Chancellor’s Scholarship
Vice-Chancellor’s Merit Scholarships
Griffith University – 12 December 2014
http://www.griffith.edu.au/scholarships
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Deans Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship
Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship
Queensland University of Technology - 21 November 2014
https://www.qut.edu.au/study/undergraduate-study/undergraduate-scholarships
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Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships - Academic
Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships – Elite Athlete
James Cook University
http://www.jcu.edu.au/scholarships/
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Faculty of Law, Business and the Creative Arts Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s
Scholarships - 31 January 2015
Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship in Arts, Education and Social Sciences – 31
December 2014
Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship in Science and Engineering – 31 January 2015
Le Cordon Bleu (Adelaide) Hospitality Entrepreneur Scholarships
Twelve of these scholarships will be offered in 2015 to students applying to study B
Business (Food Entrepreneurship), B Business (Wine Entrepreneurship), B Business
(International Hotel Management0 and B Business (International Restaurant
Management). Applications close on 6 October 2014. Find out more at
http://www.lecordonbleu.com.au/adelaide/australian-scholarships/en.
QIEU Teacher Education Bursaries
The Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU) will award education bursaries
of $1,000 to four pre-service education students. A fifth bursary, the John Nash
Bursary, of $2,000 will be awarded to an outstanding applicant. Nominations close on
10 October 2014. See http://www.qieu.asn.au/files/8314/0893/4689/IEUAQNT_Bursary_2014_Guideline_and_Application_FORM.pdf for details.
Jazz Institute
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Gap Year Program News
Gap Year program information events in September 2014
13 – Cultural Care Au Pair information meeting at 10 am at EF International Language
School, 164 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane http://www.culturalcare.com.au/joininfo-meeting/
13 - Cultural Care Au Pair information meeting at 1.30 pm at Cooroy on the Sunshine
Coast http://www.culturalcare.com.au/join-info-meeting/
17 – Antipodeans Abroad Gap Break information night from 6.30 pm at the Watermark
Hotel, Spring Hill, Brisbane http://www.antipodeans.com.au/info-nights.htm
20 - Cultural Care Au Pair information meeting at 9.30 am at Oxenford on the Gold
Coast http://www.culturalcare.com.au/join-info-meeting/
Young Endeavour voyage around the world – a gap year to remember
In 2015 this national sail training ship will sail around the world across the Atlantic
Ocean, through the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel, and into the North
Sea, returning via the Cape of Good Hope and the Indian Ocean. A national ballot for
berths on this voyage is now open and will close on 30 September 2014. Visit
http://www.youngendeavour.gov.au/site/ for details.
Jazz Institute
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Occupational Informati on
Becoming a registered psychologist
To practice as a psychologist in Australia you must be registered with the Psychology
Board of Australia (http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/). To be eligible for
registration you are required to complete six years of education and training. This can
be achieved via a number of pathways, each of which requires as the first step:
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a three-year accredited undergraduate degree in psychology plus an accredited
fourth (honours) year, or
a four year accredited undergraduate degree in psychology.
Courses are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council and
approved by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). You can find a list of
accredited courses at http://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/.
The second step is to complete one of the following:
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an accredited masters or doctoral degree
an accredited graduate diploma in professional psychology plus one year of a
PsyBA-approved supervised experience
a two-year PsyBA-approved internship.
In addition to the completion of one of these pathways, the Board may require the
passing of the National Psychology Examination prior to accepting an application for
general registration. Sitting for this test will support applications for general
registration (see http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Registration/Nationalpsychology-exam.aspx). A helpful diagram and explanation of the study pathways can
be found at http://www.psychology.org.au/studentHQ/studying/studypathways/. There are many specialties in psychology, including:
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Clinical Neuropsychology
Clinical Psychology
Community Psychology
Counselling Psychology
Educational and Developmental Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Health Psychology
Organisational Psychology
Sport and Exercise Psychology
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Read about these specialist areas at
http://www.psychology.org.au/studentHQ/careers-in-psychology/.
Radiation Oncology
The following information on Radiation Oncology is adapted from Radiation oncology:
your choice saves lives, by Mel Grand. It was accessed from
http://www.acareerinradiationoncology.com.au/.
Radiation Oncology involves three unique medical specialties (Radiation Oncologist,
Radiation Therapist and Radiation Oncology Medical Physicist) working together to
focus on the treatment of cancer patients with radiotherapy (also known as radiation
therapy). Radiotherapy is a proven, effective way to treat cancer and can be used
alone or together with other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy (anti-cancer
drugs).
Radiation Oncology uses rapidly changing technology to improve the accuracy and
effectiveness of radiotherapy, including better control and cure of tumours, as well as
reducing side effects. It is an exciting and changing field of medicine. Working in
radiation oncology requires excellent communication and teamwork skills and the
ability to form respectful and trusting relationships with patients and their families.
If you have an interest in mathematics and science (particularly physics and biology) as
well as a desire to use state-of-the-art technology, this could be the career for
you. This profession is expected to grow over the next decade. For more information
about this emerging occupation, visit
http://www.acareerinradiationoncology.com.au/.
Jazz Institute
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Ope n Days, Ex pos and Career Mark ets
CQUniversity (CQU) Events
Virtual Open Day - This event will be held between 10 am and 7 pm on 10
September 2014. Highlights of the day include watching a program information
session, learning about CQU’s flexible study options, chatting online with CQU staff
and having your questions answered. Visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/calendar/eventitems/open-day/virtual-open-day2 to find out how to be part of this event.
Online Information Session – This session will be held from 4 – 7 pm on 1 October
2014. Visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/calendar/event-items/informationsession/online-information-session9?SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2014-10-01 for details.
Endeavour College of Natural Health Open Day
Endeavour offers six B Health Science degrees in Acupuncture, Musculoskeletal
Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutritional Medicine, Western Herbal Medicine and
Homeopathy. The college will hold its open day from 10 am – 12.30 pm on Saturday
11 October 2014. Visit http://www.endeavour.edu.au/events/ for more information
and to register to attend.
Mater Education Health Service Assistance Open Day
This event will be held from 2 – 4 pm on 22 September 2014. It will provide a sample
of the skills learned in the Certificate III Health Service Assistance. Find out more at
http://www.matereducation.qld.edu.au/.
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QTAC a nd Tertiary E ntry
OP information from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment
Authority (QCAA)
The QCAA has a number of helpful resources on its website that can help you
understant Overall Positions (OPs). These include:
OP Fast Facts – find answers for questions such as: How is my OP calculated?; Are
some subjects worth more than others?; If I do badly on the QCS Test, how will this
affect my OP?. Access all the questions and answers at
http://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/te_op_fast_facts.pdf.
Calculation OPs: The basic principles – for those who want to know the details
about OPs. Download this resource at
http://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/te_op_basics.pdf.
OP Myths – many misunderstandings surround OPs. This resource has a look at
some common myths and provides information to dispel them. See
http://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/641.html.
QTAC application checklist
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Have you submitted your QTAC application? The on-time due date is 30
September 2014 (during the school holidays). Applications made after this date
incur a late fee of $130. Applications received after 15 December 2014 may
not be assessed in time for the 15 January 2015 major offer round. Note that it
is not possible to apply for courses with fixed closing dates that have passed
(see QTAC Guide p. 5). You will need your LUI to start your QTAC application.
Have you included six course preferences? It is not mandatory to have six
preferences. However, it is recommended that you use all six preferences if
possible.
Are your preferences listed in strict order of what you want? The QTAC
computer is programmed to assume this is the case. It goes to your first
preference and if you meet all the requirements (e.g. prerequisite subjects and
OP/Rank) you are offered this course. It does not look at any of your other
preferences. If you do not meet the requirements, the computer goes to your
second preference and so on until it finds a course where you meet all the
requirements or exhausts the list and you miss out on a course altogether.
Did you use the ‘recipe’ when organising your preferences? The ‘recipe’ is a
strategy to ensure you get a course. It consists of ideal courses (courses you
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would love to gain entry to but may not have the required OP/Rank), realistic
courses (courses that have previous OP/Rank cut-offs that are less competitive)
and foot-in-the-door courses (courses that are much less competitive and will
provide an upgrade pathway to your preferred course if needed). Read the
‘How to order your preferences’ section on p. 56 of the QTAC Guide
Do you meet the entry requirements for all the courses you have
listed? Course entry requirements include subject prerequisites, folio,
audition, etc. If you do not meet these requirements, you will not gain entry to
the course regardless of your OP/Rank.
Are your preferences listed in chronological order according to the QTAC offer
rounds? QTAC has several offer rounds between November 2014 and mid
2015. If you put a semester two course as your first preference, the QTAC
computer will not assess your application until mid 2015 and you will miss out
on semester one courses. Read the ‘How to order your preferences’ section on
p. 56 of the QTAC Guide.
Have you deleted all wasted courses? Wasted courses include those that:
-you would not do if you were offered them
- are full fee or located in regional centres that you have not consulted your
parents/guardian about
- are too difficult or impossible to commute to given where you live
- are very competitive and you list them below much less competitive courses.
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Are you applying for QTAC’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS)? If so, you
need to submit to QTAC the cover sheet and supporting documents for all the
categories for which you are applying. It is a good idea to do this before you
leave school in November.
Have you put important dates in your phone or diary? Important QTAC
application and offer round dates are listed on page 4 of the QTAC Guide. For
example, it is important to know when Year 12 results are released so you can
review your QTAC preferences before 7 January 2015 (the last date to make
changes for the major offer round on 15 January 2015).
Do you have all QTAC documents and numbers in a safe place? Put your QTAC
Guide, QTAC application, QTAC application number, QTAC PIN, LUI, and
Learning Account PIN together in a place where you can find them. If you are
going overseas during the Christmas holidays, you should take all of these items
with you.
Do you have a Tax File Number? You will need this to apply for
Commonwealth Government HELP loans when you enrol at a university or
college after you receive an offer of a course place.
QTAC’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
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All universities using QTAC use this scheme. EAS helps applicants who have been
disadvantaged in some way beyond their control during their preparation for tertiary
study. The EAS categories of disadvantage are:
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Financial hardship
Home environment and responsibilities
English language difficulty
Personal illness and disability
Educational Disruption
Applicants indicate on their QTAC application their intention to apply for EAS by
selecting the categories that relate to them. Cover sheets for the categories selected
are downloaded at the completion of the QTAC application. Each cover sheet details
exactly what documents are to be sent to QTAC to support the EAS application. Year
12 applicants applying for the last three categories listed above also download an
Educational Support Statement, which is to be completed and sent separately by their
school.
Documentation must be sent to QTAC in time to be processed for each offer
round. For example, 15 December 2014 is the final date to submit documentation for
the major offer round on 15 January 2015. It is recommended, however, that Year 12
applicants submit their documentation to QTAC before they leave school in
November. For more information about EAS, visit http://www.qtac.edu.au/ApplyingSAS/EduAccess.html and read p. 35 of the QTAC Guide.
University early entry schemes
Early entry schemes recognise applicants’ commitment and contribution to their
school and community rather than academic results alone. They often require a
school/principal recommendation. Successful applicants to these schemes are
normally informed of a place in a course before the QTAC offer rounds.
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Australian Catholic University’s Early Achievers Program. Applications close
on 20 October 2014 and applicants are notified of the outcome of their
application by the end of November. See
http://www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/alternate_entry/early_entry.
University of New England’s UNE Early Entry program. Applications close on
30 September 2014. A school principal recommendation is required. See
http://www.une.edu.au/study/study-on-campus/get-early-entry.
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Study Skills
Helpful study skills websites
Reachout http://au.reachout.com/How-to-study - lists simple study tips and has a link
to a goal setting fact sheet.
Youth Central
http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/Studying+%26+Training/Studying+tips+%26+reso
urces/Top+ten+study+tips/#.UjUkwX-RYzc - top ten study tips.
Test Taking Tips http://www.testtakingtips.com/ - focus is on the knowledge and skills
you need to be a successful test taker.
How to avoid Hubert face
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4IHCwY838s&feature=youtu.be - a light-hearted
three-minute video on de-stressing produced by Bond University students.
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Year 12 Que stions
More questions from Year 12 students
Q.
I have successfully completed two uni subjects through START QUT this
year. How do I let QTAC know about this?
A.
You need to put the subjects you are doing through START QUT in the
‘Qualifications’ section of your QTAC online application. QUT will provide your
results to QTAC.
Q.
What is the use of studying an Arts degree?
A.
Visit the ‘What degree? Which university?’ website at
http://www.whatdegreewhichuniversity.com/Survival-Guide/Smartmoney/Why-study-and-Arts-degree.aspx for a current university student’s
perspective on this question.
Q.
I am an international student completing Year 12 in Queensland. Should I
apply for university courses through QTAC?
A.
If you are currently completing Year 12 in Queensland or another
Australian state, you can apply through QTAC for tertiary courses managed by
QTAC. QTAC will provide your application information to the institutions to
which you have applied. These institutions will make course offers directly to
you. Because of this, you can receive more than one offer, usually earlier than
offers given to domestic students. Most universities provide specific web pages
for international students. See the QTAC website at
http://www.qtac.edu.au/Applying-International/Introduction.html for
information about applying and links to the institution websites.
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'The above information has been gathered from a range of sources including publicly available
websites, institutional and organisational newsletters, student and career advisers and guidance
officers. Every effort has been made to ensure the information provided is accurate and up-todate at the time of publication.'
'The Career Information Bulletin can only be distributed and used by members of the school
community of the school that has purchased membership to Options Career Information.
Options Career Information does not give permission for any member to pass on its resources
to any other organisation.'
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