Victorian Skills Gateway –
classroom lesson plan
Year 9: Focussing on 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
Competency: Understand how past, present and future academic performance may impact upon the selection of future
programs and courses.
Stage: Career management
Competencies: Use career information resources to locate information on occupational and industry trends, education and
training, social and economic trends. Understand the importance of developing flexible and adaptable short -term career
action plans within the Career Exploration process.
Learning outcome: Students can locate and use a range of occupational information to assist in their career planning and
recognising that there are many pathways to achieve initial entry as well as other oppor tunities available as they travel on
their career journey.
Additional resources: Youth Central www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au; Australian Apprenticeships Pathways
www.aapathways.com.au; Job Guide www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au; National Career Development Week www.ncdw.com.au;
and myfuture www.myfuture.edu.au.
Lesson details for teachers
Suggested length: 150 mins
The focus of the lesson is to use the Victorian Skills Gateway to understand that career development is a journey
and the role that education and training has in that management of their life and work. The lesson plan is a guide
and teachers/careers practitioners may need to adapt to suit the needs and experiences of the students.
1.
Explain that career development is a journey and people travel not just one path but many throughou t their life and
work. The ‘High Five Messages of Career Development’ is a good starting point. Download the fact sheet about
this from National Career Development Week website (http://www.ncdw.com.au/index.php/the-high-five-messagesof-career-development.html) and discuss these messages with the class, particularly focusing on ‘Focus on the
Journey’ and ‘Learning is Ongoing’.
If students have not used the Victorian Skills Gateway website before, direct them to information ‘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, Australian Apprenticeships Pathways, myfuture and Job Guide
websites to help them understand the type of occupational information each provi des. The school careers
practitioner can be of assistance.
2.
The purpose of the lesson is to assist students to navigate the site and to make them aware that they need to
carefully consider the keywords when using the search functions. Remind students that information can be found in
a range of sources.
Victorian Skills Gateway – classroom lesson plan
3.
Students either select an occupation that they are considering for the future or choose from a list provided by the
teacher. The list can either be based on skill shortages, local needs, uncommon occupat ions or other relevant
criteria. The school careers practitioner can assist. Students can present their research in a variety of formats e.g.
digital presentation, brochure, performance or poster.
4.
Having selected a preferred occupation, the students consider the range of courses available for that occupation,
and the qualification level required to enter a job in the workforce. They use this information to explain the different
paths a person can take to become qualified in that occupation. For example, to become an Outdoor Adventure
Instructor, a Certificate III or IV course can be undertaken through training with a registered training provider or by
a traineeship.
5.
Students then examine the demand for the occupation and consider the challenges to gain employment using the
‘Read more’ button and finding information in the ‘Job prospects’ section. An example is that by 2018 there will be
100 more jobs for Outdoor Adventure Guides in Victoria.
6.
Pathways are complex and often relate to an individual’s experience. This activity is designed to assist students
understanding that there are multiple pathways that a person can take on their career journey and that all
experiences can contribute to this journey. Students locate and investigate the ‘Pathways’ section in the ‘Students’
menu tab of the Victorian Skills Gateway homepage, and use the information to provide a brief explanation of
each pathway.
7.
Having identified how they can gain initial qualifications and employment, students then explore some of the
possible pathways, imagining they have been working in the occupation for a few years. The Australian
Apprenticeships Pathways or Job Guide websites will be useful for this task. For example, an Outdoor Adventure
Instructor could complete a diploma and become an administrator; or undertake a university course in Bachelor of
Sport and Outdoor Recreation, and with a major in physical education, become a teacher.
8.
Students then make an oral presentation to the class on their research.
9.
Students can download the suitable Year 8 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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