When the HSC leads straight to a dream job
Girls skill up at school to work on major infrastructure projects
Kaitlyn Doan, who finished the HSC in 2020, is a go-getter – she loves being outdoors creating and building.
So it makes sense that in senior high school Doan also began training in construction, to prepare her for a career in the industry.
Kaitlyn Doan.
“When I finished school with my HSC, I was already on my way to a Certificate III because I got recognition for the competencies I’d achieved. That meant I was able to spend less time in the classroom and more time on-site in the first year of my apprenticeship,” Doan said.
Now in her third year of an apprenticeship, Doan knew she wanted to become a carpenter and work in the construction industry, because there would always be work, whether in government infrastructure, commercial buildings or residential.
“My teachers at school thought my choice was amazing. They said we needed more females going into trades and helped me to get into Certificate II in Construction Pathways and apply for apprenticeship jobs,” Doan said.
In 2020, just 5 per cent of students studying Construction for the HSC were young women, and that is beginning to show signs of growth.
“Carpentry is not a traditional pathway for girls and women to pursue, but it’s changing,” she said.
“I was lucky that my parents really supported me in choosing this career. They said if this is what you want to do and you are happy, then we’ll support you no matter what.”
Annually, around 30 per cent of HSC students opt to study a vocational education and training (VET) course as part of their HSC, providing a pathway straight into further training, work or university. It also means students potentially leave school with dual accreditation – the HSC credential and a VET qualification.
Since starting her apprenticeship, Doan has helped to build once-in-a-lifetime projects including Western Sydney International Airport, Westmead Hospital and Quay Quarter Tower.
The HSC Construction course gave her the basic knowledge and understanding needed to prepare for the construction work site.
“With practical and theoretical components, it was a great experience in the lead-up to my construction apprenticeship,” she said.
“The course has a strong focus on work, health and safety to make sure you’re going to be safe on-site. We learned about the protective equipment used in construction and developed the skills and confidence to use hand and power tools. The course also included doing my white card [or general construction induction card] which everyone needs for entry into any construction site.”
Most important to Doan is the sense that she is contributing to her community and the wider world.
“My dad’s a doctor and my mum owns a business. So, giving back to the community is important in our family. It makes the work I’m doing rewarding on every level,” she said.
What is her advice to other young people, and women thinking about getting into construction from school?
“I’d 100 per cent recommend training in construction to other girls and women. It’s essentially a stepping-stone to get you started in the industry. It provides basic knowledge and skills, so it’s helpful to anyone who is thinking about taking up a trade,” Doan said.
Interested in pursuing a career in construction? Visit the NSW Government Women in Construction website to learn more.
Doan’s tips for HSC Construction:
- Teachers help. So, don’t be shy: “Figure out what you need to know and ask for their help.”
- Get organised: “To prepare for a good result in this course, you need to do extra work outside class time. Schedule home study times into your calendar and stick to them.”
- Look online: “There are heaps of videos online that demonstrate the different construction and carpentry techniques in the course. Ask your teacher. I watched lots and found many of them helpful.”
- Keep notes: “Before you sit for a written exam, your teacher will typically review the HSC content with the class. Jot down the important points and update your notes. It’ll help you study and do better in the exam.”
- Don’t miss practical tasks: “Everything you build has a specification or a ‘spec’. It’s a guide. Read it thoroughly and then build exactly to the requirements specified. Often, your teacher will set up mock practical tasks so you can get some practice in – don’t miss them.”
VET course sparks Toby’s career ambitions
Toby Maroulis is warm and wise beyond his 18 years – perhaps a reflection of a life lived mainly on the land.
With his formative years spent on the family farm outside Dubbo, Maroulis left to attend boarding school at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill, when he was 13.
Enthusiastic about including a practical, hands-on subject for his HSC, Maroulis undertook a Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) through the HSC Electrotechnology vocational education and training (VET) course.
“VET courses are perfect for all students, whether they want to take a traditional pathway to uni or go into further training,” he said.
“It’s a break from the standard schooling model, and, for those considering an apprenticeship after school, it shortens the requirements and offers a taste of what an apprenticeship would be like.
“For more practically minded students, a VET course breaks up theoretical work, balancing the workload and helping you focus on your other subjects.”
The Certificate II is a nationally recognised VET qualification that provides a pathway into any electrotechnology trade.
Removal of course classifications for ATAR will mean more Stage 6 VET Industry Curriculum Framework courses will be eligible to count towards the ATAR for students undertaking the HSC from 2025.
“I knew I needed a practical subject in my timetable and the VET course appealed to me because of the large amount of workshop learning. I was already interested in electrotechnology to start with, so it was a logical step,” Maroulis said.
While being in the workshop is the drawcard for most students interested in undertaking a VET course like Electrotechnology, Maroulis said the theoretical and practical elements of the course bolstered each other and worked best when melded together.
“Although it isn’t as exciting as the practical components of the course, theory lessons provide the base level of knowledge that is essential to understand the fundamentals of electrotechnology. There are some things that just need to be learnt, like the colour code of standard electrical wire, before you can apply that knowledge in the workshop,” Maroulis said.
“Then use the practical lessons to further develop your understanding. You’ll find that if you apply yourself in the workshop, it’ll make the theory easier to remember – this is especially helpful when you’re in an exam and the content being assessed was learnt almost two years ago. You don’t need to rote learn the wiring convention for a lightbulb and regurgitate it in the exam, you just remember how you did it in the workshop, and there’s your answer.”
Maroulis is taking a gap year and is set to begin a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at Newcastle University next year.
Maroulis’s tips for HSC Electrotechnology:
- Make the most of it: “It’s rare that you get a chance to study on such a practical level – it mirrors what you’ll be doing out there in the real world if you choose to take it on as a trade.”
- Ask questions: “Understanding a concept is always going to make it easier to remember than just memorising notes from a PowerPoint presentation. This is true of all subjects but particularly a VET course. If you’re unsure of anything, just ask your teacher until you understand it.”
- Sit the exam: “Why not? I get that a lot of people aren’t wired for exams (pardon the pun) but if you’re doing an ATAR pathway, what’s the harm? If you enjoy the subject, you’ll be surprised how much you’ll remember and there’s no downside ... so just give it a go!”
- Have fun: ”A course like this offers a break from traditional schooling and all your other subjects, so enjoy it!”
Teacher advice: Hospitality
Judy Cropper,
Head of Food Technology and Hospitality,
Tara Anglican School for Girls
Judy Cropper with her Tara students.
Exam preparation tips
- Know which topics are in the HSC exam. Some topics you study are electives for the course and/or qualification and are not examined.
- Write detailed study notes using the NESA Hospitality syllabus as a guide.
- Do as many practice questions as you possibly can from past HSC papers and include multiple choice questions. You will find many on the NESA website. Your teacher can give you past HSC papers to complete. Take notice of the feedback you get from your teacher and resubmit the question if you do not get full marks.
- Take notice and know the meaning of key words such as “describe” and include words that have been used in the question for your answer.
- Take an approved calculator with you to the exam. Calculators are allowed and there may be a question where it’s very useful.
Tackling the exam
- Be confident.
- Organise your time. Hospitality has one two-hour exam and the result you achieve for this exam is your HSC mark – it does not include a practical exam.
- Read the questions carefully, use industry terminology and examples, apply your knowledge and what you learnt from your work placement.
- Always attempt questions and try not to leave them blank.
- Set out your answers clearly. Start a new point with a new paragraph.
How to use your time in the exam
- Make good use of the five minutes reading time by looking over the complete paper. Read each question at least twice and take note of key words.
- Consider completing the multiple choice first. A way to approach the multiple-choice questions is to identify the answers that are not correct, cross them out and choose the best answer from the rest of the options.
- For the two extended response questions, read the question and the rubric carefully and then construct a plan for your answer. Allow about 25 minutes for each extended response question.
- The Hospitality course teaches students skills for life in both a theoretical and practical way. The course includes the study of hygiene, safety (including work health and safety), communication, legislation and compliance plus information and practical skills that are part of the industry and useful in everyday life.
Work constructively with your teachers – they are willing and able to help you.