Announced by the Premier of NSW in March 2021, Careers NSW was established to provide lifelong careers information, advice and professional guidance to NSW residents seeking to enter the labour market, upgrade skills or change careers.

A pilot program offering career guidance services to adult residents of NSW (aged 18 years+) was launched in November 2021. The pilot phase concluded in 2022 with services expanding and the introduction for Careers Practitioner appointments to be conducted in-person To learn more visit Careers NSW.

61 NSW Department of Education secondary schools will participate in the Careers NSW school trial during Terms 2 to 3 2023.

Careers NSW conducted an expression of interest (EOI) process from which schools were selected to participate in the Careers NSW school trial.

The schools participating in the Careers NSW school trial include co-educational schools, single-sex schools, schools with culturally and linguistically diverse students, schools with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and schools with various Family Occupation and Education Index (FOEI) ranges.

Careers NSW school trial schools include metropolitan, regional, rural, and remote locations.

To see the schools involved in the trial check the list of participating schools.

Yes. Careers NSW have regional and remote schools participating in the trial. To see which schools are involved in the trial check the list of participating schools.

No. The work that careers advisers do in their schools is critical to the long-term career development of secondary school students. Schools have established vital relationships with students, local industry, and employers, and understand the unique makeup and challenges of their communities. Careers advisers have local knowledge of their school communities and are the career development experts for their schools. Careers NSW is seeking to co-design services with schools and careers advisers to complement the great work already being done in schools.

All Careers NSW careers practitioners involved in delivering the Careers NSW school trial hold a minimum Graduate Certificate qualification in Career Development as per guidelines of the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA).

Careers NSW careers practitioners have completed all Department of Education required probity checks including a National Criminal History Check and a Working with Children Check.

Careers NSW careers practitioners will encourage students to continue career conversations with their school’s careers advisers.

Students who attend an appointment with a Careers NSW careers practitioner will be asked for permission to share appointment information with their school’s careers advisers. Careers NSW are working with the NSW Department of Education legal team to ensure we meet all privacy requirements.

The NSW Department of Education legal team has advised it is not a requirement to have an adult supervise a student’s Careers NSW appointment provided risk mitigation strategies are in place as per Department protocols.

Appropriate risk processes and mitigation strategies will be implemented and tailored to individual school needs to ensure safety measures are met.

Careers NSW careers practitioners are required to abide by the NSW Department of Education Code of Conduct and must complete all mandatory training.

• Careers NSW undertook initial stakeholder consultations in December 2021 and conducted two ‘Have Your Say’ surveys (one in January and one in May 2022).
• In June 2022, Careers NSW held a total of 3 Town Halls (2 virtual and one in-person) to engage with key stakeholders as well as the community at large.
• In June and July 2022, Careers NSW undertook a series of discussions with a wide range of stakeholders to gather their thoughts and input on a proposed trial of career guidance services for high school students that would complement existing services already happening in NSW high schools.
• In Term 3 2022 the first Careers NSW school trial was conducted. This initial trial allowed opportunity for consultation and feedback which has been incorporated into the current trial.
• In December 2022 a Careers NSW Schools Reference Group was formed with representation from a variety of school community stakeholders in NSW. This group meets monthly to consult and inform on the Careers NSW school trials.

The Careers NSW Terms 2 to 3 school trial is the second trial taking place. The learnings gained from each trial will help inform the potential development of a full-service model for high school students and their parents and carers across NSW. An independent evaluation of the trials will be conducted in Term 4, 2023 to inform the development of a Careers NSW school model.

Careers Practitioners can help students to start thinking about where you are at in your career development journey, including:

• exploring what your interests, skills and values are
• helping identify job opportunities and industries
• providing links to courses, education, and career pathways
• help with career decision making and setting career goals
• transitioning beyond school into work, including preparing job application documents, applying for jobs, and being prepared for job interviews.

Please note schools have selected preferences for services and therefore services will differ across schools.

The Careers NSW school trial offers a range of bespoke services to trial schools and their students and parents/carers. The school principal, school careers adviser or school’s point-of-contact have nominated the services that best meet the needs of their school and students. There will be an opportunity for some services to be available virtually or in-person at the school.

See above for further information.

To get the most out of their sessions with the Careers Practitioner students should prepare any questions they may want to ask in advance.

The Careers Practitioner will:

• help to identify the student's career needs
• help guide the discussion to support them in taking the next steps in their career development journey

The Careers Practitioner will not:

• tell students what career or job they should pursue but may give them some direction to help them make their own decision
• write or create resume or job application documents but may give feedback on how to improve students own application documents
• provide responses to interview questions but may support students by providing them with feedback on making responses more tailored and related to questions
• find students a job, internship, or work experience but may provide them with next steps or links to help them achieve these goals

To get the most out of their sessions with the Careers Practitioner parents/carers should prepare any questions they may want to ask in advance.

The Careers Practitioner will:

• support parents/carers to identify their child’s primary career needs
• help parents/carers to guide their child in the next steps of their career development journey

The Careers Practitioner will not:

• tell parents/carers what career or job their child should pursue but will guide them towards resources to help their child make their own decision
• write or create resumes or job application documents for parents/carers or their child but may give feedback on improving their child's own application documents
• provide parents/carers with responses to interview questions but will provide guidance and resources on how they can help their child prepare for an interview
• find parents/carers or their child a job, internship, or work experience but may provide information or resources to help them facilitate these activities with their child

These sessions are available to schools participating in the trial and that have requested this service.

Group career exploration are sessions for students in years 7-8 and 9-10. The session allows students to enhance their self-awareness and confidence around job and career related information. The aim of these sessions is to encourage students to recognise their own skills, values, and interests and provide a safe space to have discussions around career myths and career/job related challenges. It also supports students to focus on the career journey not just the destination.

It depends on what services the student's school has been offered. If the student is eligible to receive virtual appointments outside of school, they can book their appointment online on the your career services page or through Service NSW, or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 (ask for the 'Savings Specialist’ team) or visiting a Service NSW centre.

However, only students 18 years and over are able to book appointments for themselves.

Students under the age of 18 will need a parent or carer to book the virtual appointment for them.

Parents/carers can book virtual appointments on behalf of their child online on the your career services page or through Service NSW, or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 (ask for the 'Savings Specialist’ team) or visiting a Service NSW centre.

A parent or carer must provide consent for the appointment to occur but does not need to be present with the student during the appointment. The parent may wish to supervise the appointment as the virtual appointment will take place outside of school hours.

It depends on what services the student's school has been offered. If the student is eligible to receive in-person appointments at their school, this service will be coordinated by their school. Students should speak to their school's Career Adviser.

A parent or carer must provide consent for the appointment to occur but does not need to be present with the student during the appointment.

Parent/carer information discussions can be booked online on the your career services page or through Service NSW, or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 (ask for the 'Savings Specialist’ team) or visiting a Service NSW centre.

Virtual career consultations for their child/children can also be booked by the parent/carer online on the your career services page or through Service NSW or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 (ask for the 'Savings Specialist’ team) or visiting a Service NSW centre.

Please note a separate booking should be completed for each child.