Extensive counselling service for school-leavers on careers (A/Min)

30/12/94

An extensive counselling service for school-leavers and adults seeking career advice, will be provided at some 30 sites throughout the State during January.

The Career One service will provide help, advice and information to the more than 24,000 school leavers who will be making fundamental decisions about their future, based on their 1994 exam results.

Acting Education, Employment and Training Minister Cheryl Edwardes said today the service would help people explore their education, training and employment options for 1995.

Career One would provide information on opportunities such as:

·   TAFE;

·   repeating or re-entering Year 12;

·   changing preferences or submitting late applications for tertiary institutions;

·   Fast Track, a catch-up program for students who left school before completing Year 10 and wanted to go onto further education and training; or -

·   labour market programs such as traineeships, half year training courses and support in finding a job.

Mrs Edwardes said more than 140 counsellors and information officers would be working this year in the Career One program, which was a co-operative strategy of the Education Department and Department of Training.

"January is a traditional time when people start thinking about planning for the rest of the year, and for school-leavers it is particularly significant because decisions made now have a long-term impact," she said.

"This service will help people match their interests and abilities with the range of opportunities in further education, training or work."

Counselling centres are strategically placed across the Perth metropolitan area and were located in Geraldton, Albany, Port Hedland, Northam, Bunbury, Karratha and Kalgoorlie.

Country residents who do not live near a counselling centre can telephone the Western Australian Training Information Centre (WATIC) toll-free on 008 999 167 to arrange a telephone interview.

Information on the location of counselling services is also available through the WATIC on 325 9322 or the Career Reference Centre on 425 4670.

Mrs Edwardes said in 1994, 8,120 school leavers and 13,000 others - including mature age students and school-leavers who waited a year before considering further options - telephoned the counselling service for assistance.  More than 3,000 school leavers and 840 others made appointments for counselling.

"Young people facing these important decision should know there is expert help available and take advantage of it," Mrs Edwardes said.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 421 7777