Background
Having attended hundreds of careers evenings, tertiary education information
events and careers expos and having often been asked for advice about
the format of such occasions, the members of the Schools Liaison Information
Committee have pooled their thoughts about careers functions. There are
some ‘recipes for disaster’ and some models that can’t
go wrong; there are some that impart high quality information but are
tricky to organise and others that guarantee a certain basic content and
let individuals add to that as they please. If you would like us to attend
your event we’d appreciate it if you would read this information
by way of introduction. We often attend the same events and frequently
operate as a panel so contacting just one of us may give you valuable
information about a date or format you wish to propose. We endeavour to
advise schools so that double bookings are avoided.
The
date for your careers event
A good time of the year to hold an event is after students have had time
to get settled into the rhythm of school in first semester, and before
they have to choose subjects for next year (or make their application
to SATAC in the case of year 12s). The fresh literature from universities
and other organisations is usually published April-June so many schools
time their events from June-September.
Please advise one of the institution
representatives if you wish to hold a careers event.
What
time is best for evening sessions?
7.30 pm gives the average family time to get home, grab some tea and get
to the venue. In the country, where travelling times are greater, 7.45
pm is a good starting time for parents evenings.
6
or 6.30 pm is straight after work for many parents and they don't last
well until 9.00 pm. A parent or an information giver on an empty stomach
is a liability rather than an asset. Some schools arrange a sausage sizzle
and a range of non-career activities which works satisfactorily but, on
the whole, schools don’t seem to be able to make this model work.
Catering always represents a risk, more outlay and more organisation.
If this model is adopted, the information givers must have a selection
of food and drinks delivered to their stands as they will always be running
against the clock to get there, arrive, set up and immediately be surrounded
by clients. They get tired and grumpy as caffeine and sugar levels fall
and may be less willing to come next time.
The
information givers presenting the early seminars at some careers events
have almost no audience because families don’t have time to eat tea
and get there by 6.30 pm
In
our experience 7.30-9.30 pm works best.
Events
during school hours
Presentations involving more than one tertiary institution do best with
two lessons allocated rather than one, especially if there is to be an
opportunity for some individual advising of students and distribution
of printed material. To drag speakers from TAFE and all three unis to
a school for one lesson is neither appreciated nor sustainable. A number
of schools use a single speaker from one of the universities to introduce
year 10s or 11s to higher education in a single lesson; this can work
well. VET sector opportunities can be handled similarly by TAFE.
Food
for presenters
Some schools turn on a meal or snacks for information givers before evening
events. This is appreciated but is by no means necessary unless you are
going for an early start. ‘Finger food and soup’ in an easy-to-find
location probably works best as people roll in at odd times and often
don’t give themselves enough time to sit down for long. Tea, coffee
and something sweet are great revivers through the event if you have someone
to walk around with a tray.
Formats
for your event
Expos (also known as ‘supermarket’ sessions)
The age-old careers evening format where information givers are arrayed
at tables with displays behind them and students circulate with their
parents, collecting information from educational or occupational areas
that interest them.
Advantages: everyone is familiar with the format, there is little
chance of a major catastrophe, large numbers can be accommodated, families
with children of various ages and with various commitments can come and
go as they please, students from year 9 upwards can all be handled appropriately.
Disadvantages: noisy and distracting, often the kids have social
agendas that have little to do with the information givers, no facility
or opportunity to make a coherent, illustrated presentation of high quality
information, information givers are constantly aware that another customer
is waiting so curtail information, the same low-grade information is repeated
throughout the event, pamphlet grabbers make-off with material which will
be of no use to them.
Tertiary
Education Information Evening (senior secondary students plus parents) or
Parents Evening (mainly parents)
Tertiary institutions provide speakers who perform as a panel, or individually
one after another, or simultaneously in different venues. In some models,
selected representatives from faculty areas also have speaking spots.
Advantages: important general information can be provided efficiently
in a good learning situation. Parents are let in on the jargon and issues
involved in tertiary education.
Disadvantages: if a speaker is poor, much damage is done. The information
from institutional speakers is usually fairly generic - not enough time/expertise
to get down to fine detail, big enough venues and equipment are needed,
timing is more critical, the audience group must be somewhat specific
as it is impossible for speakers to target everyone from year 8s to parents
in one talk.
Seminars
plus expo
This model combines the concepts of both the above models in that people
can get important general information and also seek out specific information.
Some schools get students to pre-book for sessions.
Advantages: many.
Disadvantages: high level of organisation required, many venues
functioning concurrently so more staff are needed. Putting together a
good seminar program takes experience. Information givers need more staff
if they run a stand and present a talk(s), but they are usually very happy
to do that. If quite a number of talks are to run you may need to start
at 7.00 pm.
Education
providers only (no employer representatives) with talks and displays
This has proven a successful model for schools with substantial numbers
going on to tertiary education. It is good for transferring large amounts
of high quality and strategic information to particular target groups,
eg year 11s (and their parents). If two year-groups are targeted then
the school(s) may elect to run the event biennially.
Talks
by education providers in school hours
Institutions are happy (within resource constraints) to provide speakers
for groups from year 10 upwards. We are particularly keen to speak with
year 11s and any year 12s who need further advice (this can be done in
one visit with those year 12s who wish to seek specific advice only attending
the second of the two lessons). These sessions can be done by a tertiary
panel (which gets all the institutions done in one fell swoop) or by individuals
on separate occasions. With current staff we cannot service many schools
this way, so we still encourage metro schools to promote the use of our
Open Days and Student Centres as the key ways to get course info.
Place
Best support is always on home territory. Gym halls are good for expos
but disastrous for concurrent seminar sessions. Keeping the event compact
in the school is important. Events where a number of schools combine seem
to go best on neutral territory. The big Mitsubishi Careers Expo is an
example. All schools need to be active in arranging an event. Where there
is a ‘host’ school the other schools often don’t get many
people along.
Other
hints
The success of events depends mostly on the counsellor's or other organiser’s
energy and the attitude of the school; support from the top and blanket
publicity with the school newsletter seem to be important. Some schools
find that once every two years is enough for careers/tertiary education
events. Some schools alternate a tertiary education evening with a broad-based
careers night. Combined events where a number of schools pool resources
can be effective and are appreciated by information givers as it makes
for well-attended events and reduces the number of nights they spend away
from home.
Purposes
and packages
We appreciate it when given a clear idea of the nature of the group (size,
what year groups, streams etc), the intention of the session, the backgrounding
that has been done with the group (eg the person from HECS spoke to them
for 40 mins yesterday) and any special points that you want covered, material
distributed etc. There are many reasons for inviting us into schools,
and presentations can be tailored to your needs.
Typical
packages for presentations in schools include:
*detailed information for year 12s about SATAC choices, strategic
information about admission, HECS and student accommodation and up to
date printed material;
*an introduction to the transition to tertiary education for
year 11s emphasising the SATAC preference system, prerequisites,
assumed knowledge, HESS, career research and giving a positive vision
of tertiary study to enthuse students to strive towards tertiary education
as a goal. Possibly quick introductions to the institutions and their
various campuses. Demystifying HECS and Youth Allowance can be helpful
in some schools;
*a broad introduction to tertiary study for year 10s
clarifying career destinations associated with different fields of
study, emphasising employment rewards, illuminating jobs and highlighting
some of the differences between school and tertiary institutions. Clues
about good information sources for career and course research. We can
also distribute printed material targeting year 10s;
*some schools like to hear specific comparative information
about each institution either serially or in separate venues. We
are not sure how useful this is in a group session as much of the comparative
information is specific to particular courses and prospective students.