Victorian Skills Gateway –
classroom lesson plan
Year 7: Discovering the Victorian Skills Gateway
www.education.vic.gov.au/victorianskillsgateway
Alignment to the Victorian Careers Curriculum Framework (VCCF)
www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/careers/carframe/Pages/framework.aspx
Stage: Career exploration
Competencies: Discover how different types of work require different combinations of skills and knowledge
Stage: Career management
Competencies: Explore the education and training requirements of various work roles. Understand the range of career
information resources through networks, the internet, television and newspapers that provide occupational and
industry information.
Learning outcomes: Students are aware of the information and resources on the Victorian Skills Gateway website.
Students can independently access the resources to seek information on occupations, education and training.
Additional resources: Youth Central www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au; Job Guide www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au;
myfuture www.myfuture.edu.au
Lesson details for teachers
Suggested length: 150 mins
The focus is on assisting students to become familiar with the Victorian Skills Gateway and the range of
information available on the website. The lesson plan is a guide and teachers/careers practitioners may need to
adapt the activities to suit the needs and experiences of their students.
1.
Explain that occupations require both skills and knowledge e.g. a nurse needs to know how to give an injection (a
skill) and know the parts of the human body (knowledge); or a plumber needs to be able to dig a trench (skill) and
to know what pipes should be used for recycled water (knowledge). Skills are developed through training;
knowledge is delivered through education.
2.
Teacher provides a quick overview to students of the Victorian Skills Gateway by using the ‘Making the most of this
website’ and ‘Useful terms’ web pages in the ‘Students’ section. This will assist students in navigating the site.
Explain that they will be using additional resources as well as the Victorian Skills Gateway in this lesson. Students
may need an introduction to the Youth Central, myfuture and Job Guide websites to help them understand the type
of occupational information each provides. The school careers practitioner can be of assistance.
3.
Students are provided with a Discovering the Victorian Skills Gateway worksheet to complete (on page 3 of this
lesson plan). Inform students that they will use the Victorian Skills Gateway to discover information on occupations,
education and training for selected occupations. Explain to students they may find that they get different outcomes
when they browse the occupation tab than when they search using keywords, and that this will assist them to
explore the website, and understand that industry and occupation are different te rms.
4.
Students share their answers with a class member who has investigated a different occupation. This activit y could
be a ‘café conversation’ where students move through a range of tables and discuss what they have discovered.
Students could also present their results using a Venn diagram, showing the similarities, differences and ov erlaps
between the occupations.
Victorian Skills Gateway – classroom lesson plan
5.
Students can download the suitable Year 7 Career Action Plan from the Victorian Careers Curriculum Framework
website http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/careers/carframe/Pages/cap.aspx or
the career action plan customised for the cohort or school. Check with the careers practitioner regarding the choice
of career action plan. Students should use the information and knowledge gained to do their career action plan.
Victorian Skills Gateway – classroom lesson plan
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Worksheet for year 7: Discovering the Victorian Skills Gateway
Chart your way through the Victorian Skills Gateway website at: www.education.vic.gov.au/victorianskillsgateway
1.
On the homepage of the Victorian Skills Gateway site click on the ‘Student’ link in the menu and then click on the
‘Search’ icon. Fill in the ‘Occupation’ search box, with one of these occupations: plumber, nurse, chef, florist,
winemaker, laboratory technician or game developer. Now press ‘Go’.
2.
Choose an occupation, and then click on the ‘Read more’ button. What information did you find? List the heading.
3.
What are the ‘Job prospects’ for the occupation in Victoria? What is the average weekly wage for this occupation?
Write this information down.
4.
Scroll up the page and click on the link under the search box called ‘Browse all occupations’.
5.
Now choose the industry tab and record three occupations found in the same industry.
6.
What qualifications are linked to one of the occupations you have selected?
Qualification level
Number of courses available (if any)
Certificate I
Certificate II
Certificate III
Certificate IV
Diploma and above
Short Courses
7.
Select one of the courses and find out the following:

Entry requirements

Two unit titles

A pathway to another course

One registered training organisation (RTO) where you can study the course.
8.
Do a little more exploration on the occupation you have selected by going to the Job Guide, Youth Central and/or
myfuture websites. What personal requirements are needed for this occupation?
9.
Does the occupation have a video or written case study story?
If yes watch the video/read the case study story and answer the following:
 Do you think the story was (circle a rating): Excellent
1
2
3
 Did the story help you understand the occupation/course? YES/NO
 Would you recommend the story to friends interested in the occupation? YES/NO
4
5
Poor
If no, the occupation doesn’t have a story, select the ‘Stories’ link at the top of the web page and choose a story to
watch or read.
 Do you think the story was (circle a rating): Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Poor
 Did the story help you understand the occupation/course? YES/NO
 Would you recommend the story to friends interested in the occupation? YES/NO
10. Now share your discoveries with a class member who investigated a different occupation.
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Use the knowledge that you have gained from using the Victorian Skills Gateway to complete your Career Action Plan.
Victorian Skills Gateway – classroom lesson plan
4