AIS Pathways

Our Career Pathways Program exists to assist our students to develop career competencies that will enable them to successfully manage their own career transitions throughout their lifetime in the workplace of the future.

BDC’s Career Pathways Program is designed around current Career Education Theory and Research and embraces findings and recommendations from:

2019 National Career Education Strategy
National VET Reform Roadmap (draft)
Australian Blueprint for Career Education in schools
Career Ready How Schools can better prepare students for working in the Era of Covid 19

RMIT Careers Research - Pathways or Goat Tracks Non-ATAR University Entrance 2022 

Professional Accreditation

Gina Driscoll
Dip Human Resource Management
Grad Cert Career Development Practice
Career Pathways Coach

T: (02) 6651 5644 ex 248   M: 0419 544 396
E: gdriscoll@bdc.nsw.edu.au     CRICOS Code 02333G
A: 111 North Boambee Road, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450





BDC Career Practice adheres to CICA’s Professional Standards for Career Practitioners. 

The Core Competencies are:

  •  Career development theory 
  •  Labour market information 
  •  Communication and interpersonal skills 
  •  Ethical practice 
  •  Diversity and inclusion 
  •  Technology, information and resources 
  •  Professional practice application 
  • The Specialised Competencies are:
  •  Career assessment 
  •  Career counselling
  •  Program delivery 
  • Working with diverse clients 
  • Project management 
  • Employer liaison 
  • Research skills
Resources used to support BDC Career Pathways Program

BDC Careers 
Myfuture 
National Careers Institute 
The Careers Department 
Job Outlook 
Training NSW 
Australian Apprenticeships 
Career Advisors’ Association of NSW & ACT 
Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA)

BDC Career Pathway Program Components

Face to Face Career sessions
Content: Career Activities build 11 career management competencies required for the workplace of the future year by year.
Target Cohort: Each Year group from 5-12.
Table of Career Management competencies 
Scope and sequence of BDC Career Pathways Program for 2022  

National Careers Week activities and displays
Content: Each weekday, hands-on/interactive displays are happening at recess/tutor times.  
2021 - Essential Services theme - Ambos, Fire N Rescue, Nurse Educators, Police and SES
2022 - STEM careers theme 

Careers@Lunchtime
Content: Professionals (including from parent body and alumni) from a range of industries do career talks twice per term at Lunchtimes
Careers@Lunchtime flyer 

Year 10 Internship Program
Year 10 students are invited to apply for a 20-week unpaid internship with a local business to try a range of careers within the business. Interns complete an Industry project on their host business.

  • Successful Internships may lead to SBAT/cadetship/employment opportunities
  • Recruitment pipeline for local employers - address skills shortages
  • Industry networks /referees for student and assists students with informed choices about career pathways

Internship flyer 

Year 10 Work Experience
Compulsory attendance for all students in Year 10. During Covid restrictions, students were given the opportunity to undertake a virtual work experience project through BDC subscription to The Careers Department.

Individual Career Counselling 
Year 13 - for a period of 12 months after graduation
Year 12 - Term 1 compulsory
Year 10 - Compulsory - subject selection

Focus on University pathways

  • On campus presentations from unis
  • Field trips to university campuses
  • Faculty immersions e.g. medicine, engineering
  • University application workshops
  • Early Entry/SRS assistance 
  • Scholarship workshops
  • eMentoring with Macquarie University (trial for Year 10 class)
  • Support Headstart and early entry programs

Focus on VET Years 9-12

  • Promote TAFE YES program for Stage 5
  • Promote school based apprenticeships/traineeships
  • Nominations to NSW Training Awards
  • Promote Industry Training Hub participation - Creative Industries and Agrifood Master Classes

Focus on Partnerships

  • Careers work across faculty and campus to promote opportunities for students
  • Strong partnerships with uni’s both local and metropolitan
  • Strong partnerships with TAFE and other RTO’s to promote opportunities
  • Strong partnerships with careers network across sectors, public, catholic, independent to share knowledge and promote opportunities
  • Developed partnerships with industry/government bodies to promote opportunities - research and case studies
  • Partnerships with local businesses and industries to promote opportunities for students 
  • Business Register/Directory 
  • Strong partnerships with college parents / allumni
  • Strong partnerships with students, Student voice encouraged curriculum innovation linked directly to real-world careers e.g. Kaizen, World Options

Referrals
Students from diverse backgrounds are referred where required to third party providers.

Continuous Improvement
Students/parents/staff are surveyed annually to the effectiveness of the Career Pathways Program, to ensure continuous improvement.

Statistics 2021 2020 2019
% Year 12 cohort early entry offers
90%
60%
22%
Number of Year 12 going into apprenticeships/traineeships
6%
4.5%
4%
Number of TVET students Year 11 and 12
12%
10%
1%
Number of SBATS
9.5%
7%
3.5%