V C A L

ictorian ertificate of pplied earning

Hands on learning.

What are employers looking for?

Employability Skills

The employability skills are the basis for all of the VCAL WRS and VCAL PD outcomes. Throughout the year (not all at the last minute!) you need to demonstrate these skills and provide evidence (Eg. Generate ideas and follow them through, provide photographs and written reflections). The employability skills are the things employers ask about when they phone to speak to a referee.

What are the employability skills?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5S0wSFKdX8

1. Communication

You have to be a good talker and maybe also a good writer (depending on the job). You have to be confident in speaking to people face-to-face or over the phone and you might also need to write well enough to be understood in emails and memos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PlWa9--gpM

2. Teamwork

You have to be good at working with people; this means both your workmates and other people that come into contact with your organisation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZeDu5aSuo

3. Problem-solving

You have to find solutions when faced with difficulties or set backs; you need to have a logical process for figuring things out even if you can’t think of a solution straight away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rw6sl08dYU

4. Initiative and enterprise

You need to think about the bigger picture and the future of the organisation you’re working for. Employers will value your ability to think creatively and make improvements to the way things are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKUzqPVh7As

5. Planning and organising

You need to be able to organise yourself, plan project timelines and meet deadlines. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpa0QlPiDgM Set goals big and small and act on them. Prioritise your tasks and follow through.

6. Self-management

You need to be able to get on with your work without someone having to check up on you every five minutes. You should also be able to stay on top of your own deadlines and be able to delegate tasks to make sure things get done on time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BveBTgw-egI

You know what to do and when. You have the control to ‘engage’ at the right times and conduct yourself in a manner that is appropriate for the setting and people around you.

7. Learning

You should want to learn new things and be able to pick them up quickly. There are likely to be some changes to your job role and to the workplace structure during most of your periods of employment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BveBTgw-egI

8. Technology

You'll need to know how to use a computer and how to touch type for most office jobs but there are other types of technology that you might need to be familiar with depending on the industry you work in. Most jobs these days require you to use some form of technology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI2W0mDU2uo

Employability Skills

Communication Team Work Problem Solving Initiative & Enterprise Planning and Organising Self Management Learning Technology Find a partner.

Which of the employability skills would you rate yourself the highest in? What does your partner think?

Which of the employability skills will you need to work hardest at this year?

What does your partner think?

2013 WSSC VCAL students are going to develop the employability skills and more!

In 2013 WSSC VCAL students are going to build an outstanding reputation. A reputation that gets talked about by teachers and students at our school and employers in the community. In 2013 VCAL teachers will be keeping track of information that gets back to us from other students, teachers and community members who have had interactions with WSSC VCAL students.

These efforts will be recognised. Everything we do reflects on one another.

This mission is known only to VCAL teachers and students and will be known as ‘Operation Reputation’. OPREP for short.

So how are we going to be successful at making the reputation of WSSC VCAL students the most positive of any group in our school?

How will we be successful with OPREP?

O P

utside our comfort zone.

eople and places – leave them better than we find them.

R

esponsibility – accept it.

E

nergy and Attitude – keep it positive.

P

erfect Shake – greet people with respect.

How will I be successful at Operation Rep?

1. Outside Your Comfort Zone – put yourself in situations that stretches you.

Improving our personal development skills is not different to an athlete training for a major event, if we don’t make ourselves uncomfortable sometimes we never get better at the task we are trying to improve. Skills like making phone calls to people we’ve never met and conveying the right message and impression is a skill. The more we practice the better it will become.

“That which we must learn to do, we must learn by doing.” Aristotle.

VCE students have to meet outcomes too, but they have far less choice and creative input as to how those outcomes will be demonstrated. They sit SACs. We build rail trail park benches, help grow and prepare food for the food bank, build team building and challenge activities outdoors, volunteer to work on projects for Wodonga Council, mentor primary school students, learn in the workplace one day per week. I wonder what opportunities you will create for yourself in 2013.

These opportunities will not come to you though. You will develop and create them.

“I get out of it what I put in.” Don’t be the last to realise this.

It’s my future. If it is to be it is up to me.

How will I be successful at Operation Rep?

2. People and Places – leave them better than we find them.

It doesn’t take much to compliment someone and encourage them with respect to their efforts.

We rely on a lot of good will from a lot of staff in the school. We share their facilities and we should never take that for granted. Be sure to thank people who have given of their time and space and leave it better than you find it. If that means sweeping up a mess that is not yours, in VCAL that’s what we will do.

How will be successful at Operation Rep?

3. Responsibility – take it.

Take responsibility for your own development. Bring your laptop charged and all your necessary equipment.

Never turn up to class and say “I was going to go on with my community project planning but Jason is away and he has all the work.”

How will be successful at Operation Rep?

4. Energy and Attitude – keep it positive.

Take an average person and give them a positive attitude and they are halfway to the top. Take an average person and give them a negative attitude and they are halfway to the bottom.

Is the glass half empty or half full.

Is it partly cloudy or partly sunny.

When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.

The things you say in your head at times might be negative – but these thoughts can be turned around with a little will. It’s a choice.

Remember we are very lucky in Australia and we have so much to be grateful for. Keep looking for the positive.

Imagine you have an opportunity to operate a forklift in a safe learning environment. Your initial thought might be – “I can’t drive a forklift, I’m bound to make a mistake.” Change this to make it more positive. Do it NOW, write it down.

How will be successful at Operation Rep?

5. Perfect Shake

When we approach someone for the first time like a staff member and we are • • • • seeking their help etc, or when we thank a guest speaker or instructor in a community for their time and effort, we will: Stand tall Shake hands with that person Eyeball them and introduce ourselves or thank them. We will make it clear what it is we are seeking, or why we appreciate their support, while using manners. Not many VCE students do this well – but when they do I can promise you staff and community members do not forget them. Such a simple action has a very positive impact on the perception people form of you. As does your neat appearance in uniform. Your body language and facial expression.

We are genuine and we are practising that skill of communicating with respect. What goes around comes around.

Find a partner and practice it now. Come up with a scenario. Eg. You’ve been sent to Jim Morris to ask about school based apprenticeships. Who are? What are you studying? What are you seeking (please and thankyou).

This is a skill – if we practice skills we improve. Practice NOW – three times each.

Other Messages

Working to the best of your ability in all of your subjects is important.

English or Literacy, Maths or Numeracy, VET subjects and others all contribute to your VCAL certificate. You can not attain the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning to present in your resume to an employer without passes in these subjects as well.

Start planning your workplacement over the holidays.

Get the paperwork and approach friends of the family etc. in areas that you are interested in working.

RESOURCES

Team Games & Challenges http://www.wilderdom.com/games/ Co-operative Problem Solving http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1192 Word Find Maker http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/index.cfm?campaign=flyout_teachers_puzzle Communication Activities http://ethemes.missouri.edu/theme_searches?theme_searches%5Bsearch%5D=communication http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1796?locale=en Values Auction http://frank.mtsu.edu/~u101irm/auction.html

http://facs4life.wikispaces.com/file/view/Student_Workbook_Complete.pdf

(Thorough resource – values and personality test also).

http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/Jobs+&+Careers/Planning+your+career/Employability+skills/