The choice of a career pathway is more challenging than ever before due to changing job definitions and the development of new and exciting career areas. So when it comes to contemplating the future our students should start early.

All students at Salesian College are encouraged to develop a career plan in order to assist them to succeed while still at school. Those students who have a clearly defined career focus tend to do better in their studies.

This focus begins to develop during Year 9 where the students complete a Tax File Number Application. In doing this they start to think about their working future. The Year 9 students also begin preparations for Work Experience in Year 10. The Work Experience Program occurs in the middle of Year 10 and so, needs to be organised in advance. The Years 9 and 10 students are urged to focus on their interests, abilities, needs and values and put these into a work perspective.  Work Experience is a way for the students to fully encounter the world of work from an adult viewpoint and to experience first hand the work environment.

Year 9 students study a SOSE unit called Work, where they look at the whole concept of what working in Australian society is about. They begin the process of choosing where their futures may lie. After completing this unit and participating in Work Experience in Year 10 the students choose their VCE program. Students are interviewed in small groups, where the decision making process is fully discussed. They take part in a series of classroom lessons designed to explore and discover what the VCE is and what it can offer them. The students use information from our well-resourced Careers Room. These include computer programs, institution books and pamphlets and much more. Each Year 10 student receives a copy of the VICTER, which lists all prerequisite studies for university entry. All these resources provide a basis for discussion regarding suitable subject choices for their VCE years.

During Year 11 students use the Careers Room resources to refine their VCE selections for Year 12 and to further develop their career plan. They may choose to use the Course Scan program, which provides a detailed list of tertiary courses for which they are eligible.

Our Year 12 students must make some final decisions regarding their future options:
Whether to continue with study or to enter the workforce? or If I am going to study, what will that entail and where will that take place? To begin this process Year 12 students are interviewed by the Careers counsellor in this seesion they are given advice regarding the process of research that they should be embarking on through the year.

It is strongly recommended that they attend Tertiary Open Days and utilise the University and TAFE websites and handbooks, in order to gain knowledge of all courses on offer. This process culminates in September with the VTAC application procedures and is completed in December with Change of Preference counselling. A VTAC Information Evening is held for parents, which outlines the tertiary selection process.

All Years 10,11,12 classes receive a regular Careers Newsletter listing information sessions, seminars, courses, Open Days and other related careers events. Every Salesian College student is encouraged to visit the Careers Room for research and counselling at recess, lunchtime, after school or by appointment.