Career education and school outcomes

An effective career education program enables school leadership by creating a shared story and mission of student self-reflection, exploration, goal-setting and successful pathways during and after school.

School leaders can support their career practitioner or career education team by building a school-wide understanding that career education is a school priority and shared responsibility. This can be achieved though resourcing, clear communication and prominence of career education at meetings with staff, families and carers.

An effective program enables teaching and learning by linking curriculum to students’ interests and goals.

Encourage teaching staff to embed career education in teaching and learning with cross-curricular resources, and check that your career education staff have the support they need to lead delivery of key activities.

Career education activities help schools understand student strengths, interests and goals, which helps with planning and prioritisation. For example, Morrisby data can help your school forecast interest in VCE subjects, including VET options.

It’s important to set dedicated time aside for career education activities, so that students’ self-assessments (such as career action planning) and diagnostic testing (through Morrisby) is effective.

An effective career education program is relational, building students’ sense of connection, purpose and agency and supporting their engagement and motivation.

Use career education activities as an opportunity to partner with families (for example, through including parents and carers in career counselling discussions) and your local community (for example, through work-based learning). 

There are numerous forms of resources available to help with effective career education at your school.

Make sure your school maximises the benefit of its career education funding by using programs, professional learning, resources and guidance from the department, community organisations, and other government agencies.