A full time careers adviser has been a fixture in other sectors for more than a generation but across Catholic systemic schools the situation varies considerably.
Some schools have no careers adviser at all, sometimes it’s a part time person, sometimes full time. In its forthcoming enterprise agreement negotiations, the IEU will call for more certainty for careers advisers.
The Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga has just started a Transition and Pathways Specialist program, which supplies investment for a full time trained teacher to be a careers specialist in every secondary school in the diocese.
Mater Dei Catholic College Wagga Wagga Careers Adviser Richard O’Connell said this was a positive model that ought to be emulated statewide.
“The time is right for a push to get certainty for careers advisers and schools and the students they serve,” O’Connell said.
“Rather than having the employment of careers advisers almost based on the discretion of principals, a policy should be in place that provides for full time funding across all secondary schools in the Catholic system, across the state.