Shining Lights, Week 6, Term 4, 16/11/2023

Transitions 

I’ll start with the punchline – there are quite a few really good apprenticeships around at the moment that are not being filled. 

I am not the “getting a job/pathway/career” expert in the College and I defer to the wonderful work of Mrs Thompson, Mr Crawford and Mrs Woods, and I am happy to be corrected.  And I am the hugest fan of students finishing Year 12 successfully and gaining from the full College experience! Don’t get me wrong! 

But… 

It’s not for every single person. We’re all different. Equally loved and valued, but different. You see the restless kids emerge about halfway through Yr 9. Many of these kids are not in the apprenticeships that they might be (apprenticeships fulfill the ongoing education until seventeen requirement). Why? 

There still appears to remain some stigma about “dropping out” as some sort of life failure or family shame. And we’re not talking about leaving to do nothing; rather not trying to access the apprenticeship you want now and the one that may well not be there in the future. Still hear a bit the burden of, “be the first in the family to finish school.” 

Another obstacle seems to be transport. I grant you a driver’s licence probably makes life easier. But an unhappy kid dragging their sorry carcass around the College for two or three years unnecessarily is a sad thing and maybe a greater “inconvenience” (for me at least). 

There is also the “filling in time “ student. I understand entirely (even if it is not the option I would recommend) of finishing Yr 12 and “see what happens.” I much prefer “set the ambition high and drive towards it.”  I am less sympathetic, however, with the small number who tell me that school is “easier than working.”  Leaving school is “too hard.” So is study apparently. I worry, of course, for these kids because the day will come and how well equipped will they be? Forgive me; the current unemployment rate is 3.6%; back in the day, when I first was looking for work it was about 10%, I probably carry this around. I have always been deeply grateful for employment. 

Maybe you could also draw a line to about one in five uni students who do not finish their first year. I readily acknowledge that the causes of this are likely complex and would include economic pressures rather than lack of ability or growing disinterest necessarily. I am not trying to make any sort of profound statement, just suggesting that being driven on to uni by the expectations of others (if that is the case) sometimes doesn’t work out either. 

If your kid isn’t built for school or tertiary study, have a think about those apprenticeships. It’s more tailored education, with hands on, with different structures, but education it still is. 

Prepare for your next interview with

Interview Warmup

Written by: Study Work Grow

Google has released a new tool to help you practice answering job interview questions called Interview Warmup. It’s designed to help you become more comfortable with the interview process, allowing you to feel more confident going into your next big interview. Let’s take a look at how it works and how it can benefit you.

How does Interview Warmup work?

You have two options for your practice session: you can either do a practice interview with five randomly-selected questions, or you can take your time and browse through all the questions available.

To answer each question, just click “Answer” and start speaking. There’s also an option to type your answer if you don’t want to talk out loud. Don’t stress too much about your answer – just go with what feels natural, and remember you can go back and edit it later. Your response is then transcribed in real-time, giving you the chance to review and reflect on what you said. (If you’re using Chrome on iOS or Firefox, you can only participate by typing your answer.)

After each answer, you’ll then be presented with some insights. These observations can help you identify key terms and patterns in your responses. It’s important to remember that this isn’t a “grade” of your answer, or to tell you what’s right or wrong – they just help you see if you’ve covered important talking points that employers usually like to hear in real interviews.

Why is Interview Warmup useful?

We get it – interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first time. Interview Warmup provides a safe space for you to practice without the pressure of a real interview.

You’ll get valuable and instant insights into your answers, allowing you to catch any stumbling points, refine or expand your responses, and become more aware of your speaking habits. You also have the freedom to redo or edit your answers as many times as you’d like, allowing you to build confidence at your own pace.

While the tool uses AI to help detect insights and patterns in your answers, the questions in have all been carefully selected by real experts in various fields. This means you can prepare for the types of questions you’re likely to encounter in real life.

Importantly, your audio and transcript is never saved or shared with anyone while using Interview Warmup, so your data remains entirely confidential. If you really want to save your answers for future reference, you can download a copy of your transcript at the end of the interview.

Get started

If you’d like to give Interview Warmup a try, you can access it for free here. You can also brush up on some interview tips in our blog, or find lots of other job prep resources here.