Skip to main content
Category

Awareness and pathways

Innovative approach helps get tech careers on track

By Awareness and pathwaysNo Comments

For many careers it is possible to map a typical pathway, along with appropriate qualifications and entry level jobs. With tech, and other careers however, it is less clear and unfamiliar terminology can be confusing.

Therefore, to help those wanting a tech career, DSO defined roles, skills and pathways, working with industry and TAFEs. The career information is shared via a dynamic visual that mimics a metro map, encouraging students and career transitioners to explore their options in an engaging way.

The innovative resource, co-created with SkillSchema, was tested with students. There was an immediate connection with the dynamic metro map and tech jobs as stations. All were intrigued as to how to navigate the lines and access the job role information.

“Students and career counsellors find tools like this valuable. There’s a good opportunity to broaden this tool to include jobs that aren’t specialist tech roles, but still require an element of tech and digital skills.”

 

Mark Samaha
Director of Customer and Stakeholder Relations 
TAFE NSW Western Sydney Region

 

 

“Early findings from the research suggests the pathways model has clear potential in bridging the gap between industry and education and training; building awareness of digital jobs and pathways that young people currently do not discover until after they enter the workforce.”

 

Madelyn Sands
Research Specialist, YouthInsight (Student Edge)

Students inspired by Tech Expo

By Awareness and pathwaysNo Comments

Informing and inspiring young people to consider a technology career is vital for Australia’s economic future. A recent survey found 45% of students say they did not learn enough about digital skills in high school – despite the ever-increasing demand for technology across the Australian economy.

For this reason, the DSO partnered with school leaver service Year13 to create Tech Expo. Its aim was to inspire young people with the opportunities available to them in technology, and the pathways to get them into great tech careers.

Tech Expo provided rich digital and social content that showcased the breadth of opportunity in technology as well as the need for digital skills in every industry.

The tech expo received over 15,500 visitors and 1.3 million reached on the audience’s preferred channels – Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

“Love hearing real stories from people that have different paths and showing there are such a range of careers in tech.”

Student

 

“This is awesome, I had no idea about the different options.”

Student

 

“Love it, an easy hub with real and practical advice for students.”

Student

Pilot boosts consideration of digital careers by 29%

By Awareness and pathwaysNo Comments

Every young Australian has been born into the age of the Internet, PCs and smartphones. Despite this, many don’t think of a career as a digital professional or know where to start.

Therefore, the DSO ran a pilot for young Australians aged between 17 and 24 to showcase what it is like to have a career as a digital professional.

Run in partnership with school leaver service Year13 and presented through a series of online courses and social content, it equipped young people with the knowledge required to pursue a career as a digital professional.

The program resulted in a rise of 29% in the consideration of digital careers, from 27% to 56%, amongst the 4,200 participants. In addition, 95% of the participants reported their understanding of digital careers and of the technology sector had improved somewhat or significantly.

 

“It [DigiSkills] taught me there are multiple pathways and digital skills can actually involve more than just software and programming.”

21 year-old participant
Queensland Metropolitan

 

“This DigiSkills Academy course greatly impacted my understanding of the industry, as before I was uneducated and quite stagnant to the concept of working in the digital industry.”

16 year-old participant 

Victoria, metropolitan