0% found this document useful (0 votes)
8 views5 pages

Supporting Student Career Pathways

The article discusses how Arthur Phillip High School's Careers Advisor, Stephanie Malnar, utilizes data to enhance students' career development and support their aspirations. By analyzing survey results from the New South Wales government and conducting her own surveys, Malnar tailors career resources to meet the diverse needs of students. The school also fosters partnerships with universities and industries to provide students with real-world opportunities and insights into various career pathways.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
8 views5 pages

Supporting Student Career Pathways

The article discusses how Arthur Phillip High School's Careers Advisor, Stephanie Malnar, utilizes data to enhance students' career development and support their aspirations. By analyzing survey results from the New South Wales government and conducting her own surveys, Malnar tailors career resources to meet the diverse needs of students. The school also fosters partnerships with universities and industries to provide students with real-world opportunities and insights into various career pathways.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Using data to inform students’ career

development
SHORT ARTICLES
July 25,2025

Authors: Dominique Russell


Share Post Post Email Print

‘Some students might be more vocational-oriented while others might be more university-oriented.’
©Phovoir/Shutterstock

We know that young people's post-school pathways and decisions are


influenced by what happens to them at school. Recently on Teacher, we’ve
shared a range of content on how schools across Australia are supporting
student pathways and career development in their contexts. You can read
about a new partnership between Charles Darwin University and
Dripstone Middle School supporting students’ health and wellbeing
outcomes and bridging the gap between secondary and tertiary study, or
listen to a podcast sharing how Fairhills High School in Victoria have
developed a dedicated careers website for students. In today’s article, we
speak with Careers Advisor Stephanie Malnar from Arthur Phillip High School
in New South Wales about how she supports students’ career aspirations by
collecting data to ensure appropriate resources are provided.

Last term, we brought you news on the largest ever study on the job
ambitions of 15-year-olds, published by the OECD (Earp, 2025). The findings
showed that not enough young people are participating in career
development activities connecting them with real people in real jobs. In
Australia, 50% of students reported visiting a job fair; 47% had undertaken
internships (short term work placements); and 36% had participated in job
shadowing or work-site visits.

Arthur Phillip High School in Parramatta, New South Wales, is a school with
approximately 1,650 students. Careers Advisor Stephanie Malnar supports
teenagers with their careers education in a range of ways, including
arranging work experience placements, careers excursions and maintaining
university partnerships. She has been the school’s Careers Advisor since
2019 and works alongside their recently-appointed second Careers Advisor
and a Transition Advisor.

‘Our students at Arthur Phillip High School are very humble. They're
incredibly appreciative of all the opportunities that they receive in the
careers and transition space. And it's a very rewarding role because the
feedback is often very positive, as well as the outcomes. We try and cater for
students from diverse cultures, diverse learning needs and experiences,’
Malnar tells Teacher.

A range of opportunities for students


Malnar’s role involves one-on-one careers counselling with students to
support them with year 11 and 12 subject choice and university
applications. She also provides work experience placements for all year 10
students, arranging excursions to careers expos and universities, and more.

Malnar also coordinates School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships


(SBAT) – where approximately 6 students are currently completing a
traineeship as part of their HSC – and TAFE, Vocational Education and
Training (TVET).

‘I currently have 30 students across year 11 and year 12 who do a VET course
at TAFE or … another external VET provider as part of their HSC. I have
students, for example, doing real estate, nursing, electrotechnology and the
list goes on. And that's a great opportunity for those students because
schools can only offer a limited number of VET subjects.’

Using data to inform decision making


To inform the careers support provided to students, a key activity for Malnar
is drawing on the findings from the Post-School Destinations and
Experiences Survey run by the New South Wales government. The survey
has been administered annually since 2014 and garners responses from
approximately 35,000 school leavers each year who report on their post-
school destinations.

‘That helps us to look over our program and see what needs to be refined;
what other opportunities we can offer, because we noticed that from one
cohort to another, some students might be more vocational-oriented while
others might be more university-oriented,’ Malnar explains.

‘We need to make sure through that data that we’re finetuning our
programs so we’re actually meeting the demands and the needs of the
students.’

At the start of the 2025 school year, Malnar also sent out her own survey to
Arthur Phillip High School students to find out if they are considering a
vocational or university pathway, or an employment opportunity through a
traineeship or apprenticeship.

‘That allows me then to invite guest speakers to the school. So, for example,
this term I’ve had 6 different universities … present to our students about
course offerings, scholarships, direct pathways and alternate pathways.
That's very well received by our students. And the universities love coming
to our school because our students ask so many questions; they're very
highly engaged and very aspirational. Data is very important because
otherwise you're just guessing as to what their needs and aspirations are.’

The importance of professional learning


Engaging in professional learning opportunities is another activity Malnar
relies on to stay up to date with industry news.

‘I make sure I attend careers advisor professional learning opportunities


that are offered through my professional association, which is the Careers
Advisors Association of NSW & ACT, but also through TAFE and universities –
[they] also offer careers advisor days to update us on new courses, new
trends, new opportunities, new programs,’ Malnar says.

Malnar also attends school-based network meetings with local government,


independent and Catholic schools where they share work experience data.

‘For example, I share where [students from schools in the network] went for
work experience with the new group of year 10 students, so they have a
starting point – a list of employers that they can contact.’

Utilising partnerships
Partnerships with the community, tertiary institutions and local industries
can help schools tap into external resources, support, and expertise.

Some of the partnerships Malnar utilises to support student pathways


include partnerships with Western Sydney University, UNSW and the
University of Sydney through their school outreach programs. Recently a
group of 60 students from Arthur Phillip High School visited UNSW where
they could meet staff, tour the campus and attend faculty sessions. A
similar visit to the University of Sydney is coming up.

Arthur Phillip High School also has a partnership within the New South
Wales Department of Education’s Educational Pathways
Program and Infrastructure Pathways Program .

‘I like connecting with community, with universities and industries to


provide students with opportunities so that they can see a connection
between what they're studying and where they want to be when they leave
school,’ Malnar says.

‘I think that connection is really important and it's something you can only
do when you harness those partnerships through the Department of
Education, through your community links, through industry groups.’

References

Earp, J. (2025, May 26). Research news: Preparing teenagers for their future
careers. Teacher
magazine. [Link]
news-preparing-teenagers-for-their-future-careers
As a careers advisor, what data do you utilise to inform the support you
offer students with their career development? Does your state or territory
run a post-school destination survey? Is there an opportunity to survey
students yourself to ascertain where their interests lie?

Common questions

Powered by AI

Arthur Phillip High School caters to diverse student needs by offering a comprehensive range of career development activities. These include one-on-one counselling, work experience placements, School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT), and TAFE-oriented Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs. The school also organizes excursions to universities and career expos, providing exposure to various career paths. This broad spectrum of activities ensures that varied cultural backgrounds and learning needs are addressed, promoting inclusivity and enabling students to pursue individualized pathways .

Data-driven approaches improve the effectiveness of career programs by enabling schools to tailor offerings to actual student needs and interests. At Arthur Phillip High School, the Post-School Destinations and Experiences Survey and internal surveys provide critical insights into student aspirations, allowing the school to refine programs and invite relevant speakers. Data helps identify whether cohorts lean towards vocational or academic pathways, thereby optimizing resource allocation and program focus for maximum student benefit .

Connecting students with real-world job experiences is important because it bridges the gap between academic knowledge and practical applications. This exposure helps students understand the expectations and realities of various careers, thereby informing their educational and career decisions. It enhances their employment prospects by building relevant skills and confidence, and encourages informed decisions about their future education and career pathways .

Arthur Phillip High School leverages partnerships with universities, such as Western Sydney University, UNSW, and University of Sydney, to provide students with exposure to tertiary education environments. These partnerships facilitate campus visits, where students can engage with faculty and learn about course offerings and career pathways. Moreover, the school benefits from programs within the New South Wales Department of Education, like the Educational Pathways Program, to create and harness connections between school studies and future career goals, thereby providing students with a comprehensive view of possible career opportunities .

Professional learning opportunities are critical for careers advisors like Stephanie Malnar as they provide updated industry knowledge and trends, which are vital for offering relevant career advice. Malnar participates in workshops organized by the Careers Advisors Association of NSW & ACT, and days offered by TAFE and universities, which update her on new courses and industry developments. These opportunities ensure that Malnar's advice is current and aligned with market demands, and they enable her to effectively guide students in their career development .

External partnerships enhance career guidance and resource availability by providing students access to specialized resources and real-world experiences that the school alone cannot offer. These partnerships with universities and industry groups allow for campus visits, exposure to college life, and networking opportunities with professionals. Such collaborations also facilitate access to additional workshops and industry updates that enrich the school’s career curriculum, ensuring students receive comprehensive career preparation .

Arthur Phillip High School prepares students for both vocational and university pathways by providing a diverse range of programs including work experience placements, SBATs, TVET courses, and university excursions. These methods ensure students are equipped with practical skills for the workforce and academic readiness for higher education. Preparing students for both pathways accommodates individual preferences and aspirations, increases employability, and supports the diverse ambitions of the student body, aligning with the goal to cater to varied educational and career outcomes .

Data plays a crucial role in informing career support for students at Arthur Phillip High School. The Careers Advisor, Stephanie Malnar, utilizes findings from the Post-School Destinations and Experiences Survey to refine the school's program offerings and ensure they meet the diverse needs of students. This survey helps identify whether students are more vocational or university-oriented, allowing the school to tailor career support accordingly. Additionally, Malnar sends out her own surveys to assess student interests, which aids in organizing relevant career talks and activities .

Student feedback is significant in career education at Arthur Phillip High School as it informs the continuous improvement and tailoring of career support programs. Positive feedback from students on career opportunities and experiences helps validate the effectiveness of the offerings. Conversely, feedback identifying gaps or new interests guides the school's efforts to evolve and enhance the programs to better serve future cohorts .

Schools may face challenges like limited resources, varying student interests, and lack of suitable partnerships when implementing career development programs. Arthur Phillip High School addresses these challenges by conducting comprehensive data-driven surveys to refine offerings and individualize student support. They also maintain strong partnerships with local universities and industries to expand resource availability and exposure opportunities for students. Engaging students by covering both vocational and university-oriented paths ensures the program meets diverse needs effectively .

You might also like