Career Resources in Abundance
It can be a scary thing - choosing a career. With your education coming to a close, you still may wonder what you are good at, what you will thrive at, and what you will work hard at. Fortunately, Australia is home to many online career resources that can guide you every step of the way.
MyFuture.com is one website many people are aware of all across the nation. Reason being, it is set up almost like a travel website, promising you a personalised tour of your future career and how to best step into your dream job. It also provides a forum for parents, teachers and career advisors to assist those coming to the website for guidance and resources. Discover new occupations using the Mini Career Explorer feature, or check out the Experience Plus section if you are starting a new career closer to retirement rather than fresh out of university.
The Commonwealth education website is also home to many career information resources. The DEEWR releases a "Job guide" booklet to each and every Year 10 student during semester one. This includes resources on how to choose a career, search for a job, and properly apply. Other resources are provided by state. In Queensland, for example, the DET Education website distributes TAFE Queensland guides, the QTAC guide for those looking into public and private universities, and a Job Outlook guide on Queensland's latest employment trends and job prospects.
However, career resources do not always come in book form. Many secondary schools provide videos, Internet tutorials and CD-ROMS for Year 10 students beginning to think about their future. Some also provide a career resource centre for those in Year 11-12 who need to make decisions soon. For Year 12 students still very uncertain about what educational or occupational road they wish to take, a special Year 12 electronic booklet is presented by the DEEWR.
Sometimes TAFE institutions and other establishments - the very ones being described to the Year 10 student - are often a great resource in and of themselves. TAFE schools specialize in accommodating a diverse population, meeting every student where they are at. They can offer you career resources in the form of advise, job promotion and even by making your career goals more attainable by allowing online/correspondence learning.
There are also for-profit organisations that can assist you when you need advise on a career change. Career-Wise.com.au is home to a "Complete Career Change Kit" that provides a career counselling service, as well as courses and A4s designed to get you motivated to work in a field you will love. However, with this or any other program, it is important to research online reviews to see feedback from those who have purchased from them in the past. Be a smart shopper, which will be a strong step toward finding career resources that will really help you along the way.
