Pastoral care programs at colleges play a significant role in ensuring that personal development occurs. College teachers will support students in academic, vocational and personal growth, contributing towards individual pathways to success.
Welfare & Personal Development
Each student is assigned to a support group with a teacher who has a special responsibility to help them through their time at college. The teacher meets with them every week and monitors progress, attendance, and their curriculum package. An executive teacher heads a student services team of qualified and experienced professionals and teachers. The team advises students on course choices, career development support, provides guidance and support and liaises frequently with other staff and with parents.
Career Development Practitioners
Career development practitioners are available to high school and college students to support their career development. Career development practitioners, often called career advisers or career practitioners, hold nationally accredited career qualifications, are professionally current and members of a professional association. They are part of a team that take responsibility for the provision of relevant career and transition services and programs in schools. The services they provide to students include:
- teaching career education programs
- providing current, accessible and reliable career information, including access to the Canberra CareersXpo
- supporting career and work exploration using the ACT Education Directorate’s InPlace workplace learning website
- assisting with transitions
- providing career guidance
- ensuring every student has a career plan which is documented in the ACT Education Directorate's Pathways
website - assisting with access vocational learning opportunities
College Counsellors
College counsellors, who provide professional and confidential services to students, are qualified, experienced teachers who have completed further training in counselling. In addition, some counsellors are also registered psychologists. IA parent wishing to contact the counsellor should call the college reception.
Indigenous Education Contact Officers (IECO)
The IEOC teachers meet regularly with Indigenous students to provide educational and pastoral support and to promote the awareness of Indigenous culture in the broader community.
Workplace Learning Coordinator
The workplace learning coordinator provides information about the wide variety of work placements and the benefits of workplace learning. Workplace learning coordinators, often called work experience coordinators, use InPlace to manage student workplace learning in ACT public high schools and colleges. The coordinator also liaises with host organisations to monitor student participation in work placements. Work placements provide students with valuable experience and foster their personal career development. Students can receive points toward their ACT Senior Secondary Certificate for undertaking a work placement.
Moving Forward Officer
The Moving Forward teacher in each college assists with the achievement of the following:
- improved transitions from high school to college
- achievement of recognition for prior learning (RPL)
- expanded Innovative practices in Vocational Education and Training ( VET )
- support for Australian School Based Apprenticeships (ASBA’S) and Certificate lll Attainment
- review of A Courses
- innovative connections with Industry
- renewed pathways planning activities
- enhanced careers activities
- enhanced post school transitions, options and helps.
Student Pathways Plan
Student Pathways Planning is a process to:
- promote and strengthen pastoral care for all students in years 9 to 12 as they move through school to work and/or further study
- support students to explore and identify their individual strengths, interests and goals
- use school programs to teach students how to plan possible subject choices, personal and vocational pathways, and review their choices as they progress through secondary school.
Career Pathways - Prerequisite Subjects
As well as meeting the ATAR cut-off, some tertiary courses require students to have studied certain subjects or gained a minimum standard of attainment in years 11 and 12. This is referred to as prerequisite study or assumed knowledge. Details of courses requiring this knowledge and achievement levels are in the UAC Guide. The UAC Guide is available from college career advisors and newsagents.
Special Entrance Requirements
Some university and CIT courses such as art, drama, music and design, require students to have relevant skills, experience and folios of work in addition to obtaining a Year 12 Certificate. Students are required to attend interviews, auditions and special testing as part of the application for each course. The UAC year 10 booklet and the UAC guide contain information and details about meeting these requirements. The student services/careers advisers can provide current information for any course.
Scholarships and Cadetships
Students requiring financial assistance to undertake tertiary study should consider applying for a cadetship or scholarship. These are advertised in the major metropolitan newspapers and application is made direct to each university or industry group. An offer of assistance is based on academic achievement. Cadetship applicants are usually required to sit a test and have an interview. Details are available from the student services/careers advisers.
Application for University Entrance
Application for places in all public universities in NSW and ACT is made through the University Admission Centre (UAC). Entry to particular courses is competitive and offers of a place are made on the basis of the ATAR. When each course quota is filled and the cut-off is established, no other applications are accepted. The UAC guide contains course information cut-offs from previous years and application procedures and is issued to students in August of their final year. To help students with their applications colleges run information sessions on course selection and application procedures. For states other than NSW and ACT, students must obtain the application forms and cut-off information from the relevant admission centres. For addresses and contact numbers refer to the UAC guide or student services.
University of Canberra College
The University of Canberra (UC) College provides programs for school leavers that will assist students who do not qualify for direct entry to the University of Canberra. These programs will prepare students for study at, and qualify them for, entry to the University. UC College is located on the University of Canberra Campus and students are part of the University community, with access to all the facilities and services.
Programs are offered for Australian students (or those with permanent residence status) who wish to gain entry to the University of Canberra by studying two subjects of a degree instead of a full subject load. If both subjects are successfully completed in one term then students will be considered for admission to the University for the remainder of the degree.
There are also programs that have been developed to provide a pathway for Australian students (or those with permanent residence status). Students study three university preparation subjects for a total of 8 hours per week. These subjects focus on the development of the skills needed to successfully study at university. At the completion of the program students apply to enter the University of Canberra. The offers for courses will be based on the assessment results gained during the program.
International students and Australian students who wish to improve their English and prepare for entry to the University of Canberra may complete three terms of full time study, spread over one calendar year. On successful completion, the students will be granted direct entry into the second year of the University of Canberra degree program in their area of specialisation, therefore completing their diploma plus degree in three years.
For more information:
Telephone: (02) 6201 5709
Fax: (02) 6201 5132
Email: info@ucc.canberra.edu.au
Website: www.canberra.edu.au/college