Careers and Pathways

Careers education at St Mary's College begins in Year 9 and builds each year so that students leave with a plan, a back-up plan and the skills to change course when life requires it. Our Careers Practitioner and VCE Coordinator, Mrs Jenny Marsh, works from the Careers Office beside the Library and is available to students every day at recess and lunch, and to parents by appointment. Students book careers interviews through the Learning Hub → Pathways → Careers Appointments; parents may email careers@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au.

The pathways program by year level

Morrisby reports remain available to students and parents for life through the Morrisby portal; login details were emailed to Year 9 families in May.

Work experience — Year 10

All Year 10 students complete one week of work experience in June. The 2026 program ran from Monday 15 to Friday 19 June 2026 and is now complete; students should have submitted their employer evaluation and reflection on the Learning Hub.

For current Year 9 students, the 2027 work experience placement runs from Tuesday 15 June to Friday 18 June 2027 (Monday 14 June 2027 is the King's Birthday public holiday, so the placement is four days). Key steps:

1. Term 4 2026: safe@work General and Industry modules completed in Pathways lessons.
2. Students find their own placement (with family and College help). A list of employers who have hosted our students is on the Learning Hub.
3. Work Experience Arrangement Form signed by employer, parent, student and Principal and returned by Friday 30 April 2027.
4. Students are visited or phoned by a teacher during the week and complete a daily journal.

Students are paid a minimum of $5 per day by the employer under Victorian work experience arrangements. Placements must be within Victoria and cannot be with a parent's own business unless approved.

Careers Expo 2026

The St Mary's Careers Expo was held on Thursday 30 July 2026 in Mary MacKillop Hall with 42 exhibitors, including all Victorian universities, Box Hill and Swinburne TAFE, the Australian Defence Force, apprenticeship group training organisations and local employers. Years 10–12 attended during the day and families in the evening. Exhibitor contact lists and the presentations from the evening session are on the Learning Hub → Pathways → Careers Expo 2026. The 2027 Expo will be held in late July.

VTAC applications — Year 12 2026

Students list up to eight course preferences in order. Most course offers are based on the ATAR and prerequisites; some also require folios, auditions, interviews or the CASPer test (for Education courses), and these usually have earlier deadlines — check each course's VTAC entry. Mrs Marsh runs VTAC workshops during Year 12 study periods in Weeks 6–9 of Term 3 and checks every student's application before it is submitted. Applications for interstate universities are made directly to the relevant admission centre.

SEAS and scholarships

• SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) allows universities to consider circumstances that have affected a student's studies — financial disadvantage, disability or medical condition, difficult circumstances, being from a non-English-speaking background, or being a recognised disadvantaged school applicant. Category 1 (personal information and location) needs no documentation; other categories require a statement and supporting documents. The College can provide statements of support; requests go to Mrs Marsh by Friday 25 September 2026 to meet the Friday 9 October deadline.
• VTAC Scholarships — one application covers access and equity scholarships at all participating institutions. Universities also run their own merit scholarships with separate deadlines; a running list is kept on the Learning Hub.
• Early-entry and early-offer programs (for example La Trobe Aspire, ACU Guarantee, Deakin Regional Access) have closing dates in August and September. Year 12 students were briefed on Tuesday 28 July 2026.

Apprenticeships, employment and gap years

Not every pathway needs an ATAR. Students considering an apprenticeship, traineeship, Defence career or work should see Mrs Marsh for help with resumés, applications and interviews. We host group training organisations at recess and lunch in Term 3 and Term 4 and share vacancies on the Learning Hub careers noticeboard. Students planning a gap year are encouraged to apply through VTAC and defer, which most universities allow for one to two years.

Useful links and resources

Mrs Marsh publishes a fortnightly Pathways Bulletin on the Learning Hub and in the College newsletter with open days, early-entry deadlines, scholarships and job vacancies. Parents are welcome to attend the Year 11 Tertiary Information Evening in Term 2 and the Year 10 VCE Information Evening in Term 3 each year.

See also: Subject Selection Year 10, VCE Handbook, VCE VET and Vocational Major and Scholarships and Bursaries for St Mary's own scholarships.