Yes. The only event where non-members are permitted to attend is CAA’s Annual Conference and the registration fees are significantly higher for non-members.

To qualify for the position of a Careers Adviser in a NSW Department of Education School, the NSW Department of Education requires that individuals are qualified as a secondary teacher and have also completed or be willing to complete within 12 months, an approved course of study in Career Education.  For more information, go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/career-learning-and-vet/career-learning/careers-and-transition-advisers

Contact your local area diocesan authority. A list is available on the Catholic Schools NSW website at https://www.csnsw.catholic.edu.au/

Contact the Association of Independent Schools https://www.aisnsw.edu.au/ for information about teaching in independent schools

The responsibilities of a Careers Adviser vary from school to school depending on:

(a)    The requirements of the individual school;

(b)    The ability of the Careers Adviser to implement a quality career education plan for their school given time allocation for the role;

(c)    The formal qualifications, training and continued professional development of the Careers Adviser which determines whether the person is equipped with the knowledge and skills to perform particular functions.

All of the above factors will determine which of those responsibilities in Appendix A are undertaken by the Careers Adviser in the school.

The delivery of a diverse, tailored and specialised careers service in a high school requires adequate time and resources to be able to deliver key services including but not limited to (for example):

• Preparing and delivering quality, tailored and differentiated careers lessons for students;
• Undertaking careers interest and analysis testing to identify student interests, abilities and relevant potential career options;
• Having individual interviews with all students to ensure subject selections align with ability and requirements of desired career pathways;
• Connecting students with the opportunity to look for employment in an industry they have identified an interest and ability in;
• Having face-to-face interviews with parents of year 12 students to ensure there is an alignment of support for students’ transition from school;
• Having meetings and interviews regularly from an early stage to assist parents’ understanding the post-school options for their child, especially, for example, those parents who may be unfamiliar with our education system or who are on the HSC journey for the first time;
• Reviewing of information from post-school education providers to ensure awareness of and changes to, for example, courses, (current and new) opportunities, application processes and alternate entry pathways;
• Preparing and running a work experience program for students;
• Organising post-school education provider talks and guest speakers for students as well as industry representatives and ex-students;
• Reviewing student Resumes;
• Assisting students with preparing for Apprenticeship entrance exams and interviews, and University application interviews and/or exams;
•  Advising on Apprenticeship and Traineeship applications;
•  Advising on university and cadetship applications;
• Assisting with TAFE and College applications;
• Conducting post-school options seminars;
• Explaining the UAC Guide to students and parents;
• Presenting at subject selection and HSC information sessions;
• Being available during HSC results & University offers to assist with late student applications; parent concerns; university contacts re-problems with student applications.

A part-time or reduced load Careers Adviser will not have adequate time to deliver optimum outcomes tailored to the individual needs of students. The best prepared students will display thorough knowledge of post-school options and a clear understanding of the connection between the subjects they study and the relevance of the learning to jobs they are looking to undertake. Parliament of Victoria Economic, Education, Jobs and Skills Committee stated in its report that “For school career practitioners to provide individualised support, they need time to spend with students, keep their knowledge current and connect with employers and higher education providers.” 

In NSW Government High Schools where Careers Advisers are appointed on a full-time basis in the role, the preference for a full time Careers Adviser is not intended to disadvantage or deter colleagues from Merit Selection / Promotion. Should a Careers Adviser receive promotion, it is expected that they would continue in their delivery of Careers Education Programs and that the 0.2 FTE or similar taken by their higher duties would be backfilled by the school’s employment processes.

Bachelor’s Degree Recommended

For Careers Advisers in NSW & ACT high schools, the Association recommends the completion of a four-year full-time (or equivalent) Bachelor of Education (or equivalent qualification), or an academic degree of at least three years duration together with another recognised course of at least one year full-time (or equivalent) for secondary teaching education, such as a Graduate Diploma in Teaching or Master of Teaching.

These qualifications equip prospective teachers with skills essential to the delivery of a school-based careers service including, but not limited to: 

• Classroom management; 

• Faculty Programming; 

• Teaching pedagogy; 

• Dealing with students from diverse cultural backgrounds; 

• Classroom delivery dependent on the students’ needs; 

• Ensuring classroom delivery is inclusive of all students;

• An understanding of the duty of care obligations of teachers;  

• Being part of and contributing to the whole school.

Bachelor of Education degrees also set a minimum educational professional standard which complements the professional standards for Careers Advisers set out in the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners.

Requiring Careers Advisers to have a Bachelor of Education, or similar qualification, assists with complying with the minimum academic standard required in NSW by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), or in the ACT by the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (ACT TQI) for working in a school.

Careers-Specific Tertiary Qualifications & Compliance with Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners Recommended

CAA recommends Careers Advisers in schools comply with the Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners (“Professional Standards”) because these standards have been developed specifically for practitioners who deliver a careers service. The Professional Standards require knowledge and expertise that is specific to Careers Advisers. They acknowledge the diverse skills and knowledge required for careers practitioners and set requirements and guidelines for ensuring a high standard is maintained. 

Supported by the Australian Government, CICA developed the Professional Standards which were implemented in 2013. The Standards were updated in February 2019 to ensure they remain relevant to the profession. The publication of the Professional Standards represents a landmark in the history of Australian Career Development and a provides a benchmark for Career Development Practitioners.  

The Professional Standards:

• Set Core Competencies which are the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by all Career Development Practitioners regardless of their work setting;

• Set Specialised Competencies which are the additional skills, knowledge and attitudes that may be required by some Career Development Practitioners to undertake specific career development roles or cater for the needs of specific client groups. Appropriate training must be undertaken to develop the Specialised Competencies;

• Require Career Practitioners to undertake ongoing professional development;

• Contain a Code of Ethics which guides the professional behaviour and practice of Australian Career Development Practitioners and informs the public about the ethical standards to which the Australian Career Development Practitioners adhere.

To comply with the Professional Standards, Careers Advisers must have completed a careers-specific Graduate Certificate or higher qualification, where the course has been endorsed by the Career Industry Council of Australia as delivering content which ensures the individual possesses proficient knowledge in the areas set out in the Professional Standards. 

Registration as a Teacher Recommended

Registration as a teacher in NSW with NESA or the ACT with the ACT TQI (whichever is applicable) ensures that the Careers Adviser:

1. Has completed a course of study that meets the requirements for teaching as specified by the respective governing ACT or NSW body;

2. Has a Working with Children Check as a paid worker (NSW) or a Working with Vulnerable People Registration (ACT) which aim to reduce the risk of harm or neglect to minors and vulnerable people;

3. Is registered with NESA or the ACT TQI (whichever is applicable) which requires compliance with an extensive professional development policy to ensure that the standards and knowledge of the individual is maintained and improved for the duration of their teaching career;

4. Has satisfied the standards of NESA or the ACT TQI. In NSW, a personal suitability interview is required which assesses knowledge of teaching strategies, classroom management, student welfare, curriculum and professional standards.

5. Is eligible to work in Australia and possesses English language proficiency; 

6. Has approval to teach NESA endorsed courses such as Work Studies (NSW) or ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies Courses in the ACT such as Work Skills.

The ACT TQI states that registration ensures the integrity and accountability of the profession as a whole and recognises the expertise of teachers and the position of trust and responsibility they hold in the community. 

Every teacher in NSW needs to be accredited to teach in a school or early childhood service. All teachers can access the latest information on Accreditation requirements on the NESA website at the following link: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation/maintaining-accreditation/2018-beyond

CAA’s Professional Development Policy requires its Professional and Associate members to complete 15 hours of relevant professional development each calendar year. This Professional Development may also be mapped to the Standards for accreditation with NESA and ACT TQI.