The Impact of Inspired and Individualised Career Planning

The people of Japan believe that everyone has an ikigai - a reason to jump out of bed each morning and the key to living a longer and more fulfilled life. Ikigai is found where doing what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for overlaps. It looks different for everyone, and with the world changing so quickly, it is where we focus our individualised career planning program.

Most parents, teachers and students would agree that it is a challenge for young people to set career goals and plan their pathways years in advance. Our Student Futures program helps break this down by focussing on self-insight, career inspiration, and career resilience.

The first critical step is for students to confidently know themselves - their aptitudes, strengths, interests and sources of inspiration. The Morrisby Assessment is undertaken each year by students in Year 10 and provides powerful information to each student, along with recommendations and a research database for VCE subjects, study pathways and careers.

With this information, students participate in multiple one-on-one sessions to discuss subject selections, career ideas and opportunities to connect with the industries they are interested in.

Our Empower Network provides 24/7 access for students to engage directly with over 5000 Collegians who are able to offer them insight into the pathways they are curious about via online exchanges, networking opportunities, informal chats over a coffee or even by spending a day shadowing a Collegian in the workplace. These invaluable industry connections are supported by our industry partnerships and our subscription to The Careers Department platform - an online resource to facilitate industry research and virtual work experiences.

For Year 12 students, the focus shifts from insight and inspiration to university course selection and developing the skills that will ensure our students are work-ready and able to manage their careers.

Adaptability and flexibility are key to developing career resilience and last year, with many universities adapting their entry requirements, over 25% of our Year 12 students achieved an early university offer based on the leadership, community service and enterprise skills developed during their time at Toorak. There were no university requirements that our students couldn’t conquer, including interviews, written applications, design portfolios, films, music/dance auditions and of course ATARs, and the strength of our students’ applications was recognised with multiple scholarships awarded to students pursuing studies in Law, Film & Television, Media, Engineering and Science at universities including the Australian National University, The University of Melbourne, Deakin University, Swinburne University and the Australian Film & Television School.

We are incredibly proud of the diverse pathways of the Class of 2020, the confidence they exhibited in making their first career decisions and the resilience displayed through rigorous application processes. Before their final exams, these incredible young people had already shown they had the skills, tools and resources to thrive in their futures.

Mrs Bianca New - Student Futures Specialist