Thinking About Your Future
Start thinking big. It's never too early to look into your future.
You might think things like university or apprenticeships or careers are a long way off. Hey, you might think next week is a long way off.
But the fact is that the sooner you start thinking about what you want to do when you leave school, the more chance you have of making the right moves to get into something you really like doing and make good money doing it.
Getting a good enough score in the Tertiary Entrance Exam does not mean you will necessary get into the university course you really want to do.
There is a connection between what you choose to study at school and what courses this would allow you to study at Uni or do as a job.
For example if you decide not to study chemistry at school but think later that maybe you would like to be pharmacist then you may just have made the wrong decision about dumping chemistry!
So have a good think about what you might like to do as a career and what subjects at school will help you get there.
As one older Uni student told us: “If I had thought more about what I liked when I was in year 8 and 9 and what I might want to do in the future I would have choosen different HSC subjects and been able to go straight to study what would help me get the qualifications I wanted. “
Picks the right subjects
But before you even think career the first thing you should think about is what subjects at school you actually like doing and why.
If for instance you just love your biology class but fall asleep in English, it might be that you’re headed for a career in Environmental Science but can forget about writing the great Australian novel. You can make a living out of doing what you love, so choose your subjects carefully.
Don’t get stuck in subjects that bore you. At the same time you have to realise that what you do at school goes a long way to determining what you can study at Uni or what sort of jobs you want to go for when you leave school.
“I loved art at school but everyone told me I couldn’t do it for a job. But I talked to people and looked on-line and I know there are lots of jobs for people who are good at art, so I’m going for it,” Becky Hanson, Year 8.
There is something for you
The amazing thing about the world is that there is a job for everyone. Everyone has a skill or interest that they can turn into a career even if at this stage you don’t know it.
Do you like getting out in the garden with your Mum or Dad? Do you just love watching a travel show on TV and dream of going too far away places? Are you fascinated by ancient cultures?
Are you better at chemistry than sport or the other way around? Do you dream about finding gold in the outback?
Have a good think about what you really like doing or what you like reading about or watching on TV or something you already know you’re good at, it can lead you to amazing places.
Talk to someone
Most schools have someone called a career advisor. This person will look at your school results, talk to you about what you like doing or what interests you have and then suggest a range of careers you might like to consider.
If you school doesn’t have a careers advisor then one of the senior teachers will do the same thing. You don’t have to go along with everything they say but they can give you good ideas on the sorts of things you might like to choose as a career.
If you really don’t want to talk to your teachers you can go to a Training Organisation or University open day just to look around and see if you spot anything that appeals to you.
And if you know someone older who has a job that you would really, really like to do yourself one day, then go and ask them what they did to get that job.
And remember keep an open mind. There is something for everyone, even you.
Don't be put off by negativity
One thing we really hate is when someone says “I’d really like to do that or be this but I’m not smart enough.”
Nonsense, universities aren't full of the smartest people, they’re full of people who want to be something and someone. That’s all.
And don’t let anyone tell you that what you love “won’t make you any money”. Imagine if Pink had listened when her friends said her singing would never take her anywhere!
The things you love doing can turn into real jobs. You will be amazed at the career choices you will find at a Training Organisation or Uni open day.
Find out more
You might think things like university or apprenticeships or careers are a long way off. Hey, you might think next week is a long way off.
But the fact is that the sooner you start thinking about what you want to do when you leave school, the more chance you have of making the right moves to get into something you really like doing and make good money doing it.
Getting a good enough score in the Tertiary Entrance Exam does not mean you will necessary get into the university course you really want to do.
There is a connection between what you choose to study at school and what courses this would allow you to study at Uni or do as a job.
For example if you decide not to study chemistry at school but think later that maybe you would like to be pharmacist then you may just have made the wrong decision about dumping chemistry!
So have a good think about what you might like to do as a career and what subjects at school will help you get there.
As one older Uni student told us: “If I had thought more about what I liked when I was in year 8 and 9 and what I might want to do in the future I would have choosen different HSC subjects and been able to go straight to study what would help me get the qualifications I wanted. “
Picks the right subjects
But before you even think career the first thing you should think about is what subjects at school you actually like doing and why.
If for instance you just love your biology class but fall asleep in English, it might be that you’re headed for a career in Environmental Science but can forget about writing the great Australian novel. You can make a living out of doing what you love, so choose your subjects carefully.
Don’t get stuck in subjects that bore you. At the same time you have to realise that what you do at school goes a long way to determining what you can study at Uni or what sort of jobs you want to go for when you leave school.
“I loved art at school but everyone told me I couldn’t do it for a job. But I talked to people and looked on-line and I know there are lots of jobs for people who are good at art, so I’m going for it,” Becky Hanson, Year 8.
There is something for you
The amazing thing about the world is that there is a job for everyone. Everyone has a skill or interest that they can turn into a career even if at this stage you don’t know it.
Do you like getting out in the garden with your Mum or Dad? Do you just love watching a travel show on TV and dream of going too far away places? Are you fascinated by ancient cultures?
Are you better at chemistry than sport or the other way around? Do you dream about finding gold in the outback?
Have a good think about what you really like doing or what you like reading about or watching on TV or something you already know you’re good at, it can lead you to amazing places.
Talk to someone
Most schools have someone called a career advisor. This person will look at your school results, talk to you about what you like doing or what interests you have and then suggest a range of careers you might like to consider.
If you school doesn’t have a careers advisor then one of the senior teachers will do the same thing. You don’t have to go along with everything they say but they can give you good ideas on the sorts of things you might like to choose as a career.
If you really don’t want to talk to your teachers you can go to a Training Organisation or University open day just to look around and see if you spot anything that appeals to you.
And if you know someone older who has a job that you would really, really like to do yourself one day, then go and ask them what they did to get that job.
And remember keep an open mind. There is something for everyone, even you.
Don't be put off by negativity
One thing we really hate is when someone says “I’d really like to do that or be this but I’m not smart enough.”
Nonsense, universities aren't full of the smartest people, they’re full of people who want to be something and someone. That’s all.
And don’t let anyone tell you that what you love “won’t make you any money”. Imagine if Pink had listened when her friends said her singing would never take her anywhere!
The things you love doing can turn into real jobs. You will be amazed at the career choices you will find at a Training Organisation or Uni open day.
Find out more
- hotcourses.com.au - Providing access to study options across the country as well as everything study related. It provides information on universities and courses, scholarships, events running and reviews from students on a variety of study related aspects.
- myfuture.edu.au - A service provided by the Australian government to help with all things career related. With thousands of resources available it’s a really easy way assist in career planning.
- uac.edu.au - A document provided by the Universities Admissions Centre which helps answer frequently asked questions students have in relation to the ATAR, courses and subjects, scaling as well as calculating your final results.
- jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au - The Job Guide offers a detailed look into a range of occupations, and their education and training pathways. As well as this it provides valuable information about how to work out which occupations best suits you, based on your interests and skills.
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