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Career Calling Schools
Plan my pathway

A guide for parents and carers

How to support a young person through subject choices and career decisions, what VET at school means, and the questions worth asking the school.

The guide

Six things that help

  1. Start with their interests, not a job title

    Most young people do not know exactly what they want to do, and that is normal. Ask what they enjoy, what they are good at and what they would like to learn more about. Fields of work are easier to explore than single jobs.

  2. Know that there is more than one route

    Certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and degrees can all lead to rewarding work, and they often connect. A VET qualification at school can be a first step towards further study, including university.

  3. Understand VET at school

    VET at school can count towards your child's senior secondary certificate. Each state and territory sets its own rules. Our VET in Schools page explains them in plain language and links to the official pages.

  4. Talk to the school

    The careers adviser or VET coordinator knows which courses the school offers, how they fit the timetable, and what they may cost. Ask about work experience and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships too.

  5. Help them try things

    Work experience, volunteering, part-time work and conversations with people in the field help young people test their ideas. Small experiences often make the biggest difference.

  6. Keep the conversation going

    Choices made in Year 10 can change, and that is fine. Check in regularly, listen more than you advise, and help your child find reliable information.

Ask the school

Questions worth asking

Take these to a parent and teacher evening, a subject selection night or a meeting with the careers adviser.

  • Which VET courses does the school offer, and how do they fit with my child's other subjects?
  • How does VET count towards the senior certificate in our state?
  • Who delivers the VET course, and is it on that organisation's scope of registration?
  • Are there costs, such as materials or course fees, and is any help available?
  • Are school-based apprenticeships or traineeships an option, and how do they work?
  • How can my child get work experience in a field they are interested in?

Conversation starters at home

  • What is something you could do for hours without getting bored?
  • Which subjects do you look forward to, and why?
  • If you could try any job for a week, what would it be?
  • What kind of place would you like to work in: outdoors, with people, with technology, somewhere creative?
  • What would you like to find out more about before you decide?

Try the pathway planner together. Your child can save the results as a private link and share it with you.

VET at school

What VET at school means

VET at school is nationally recognised training that can count towards the senior secondary certificate. Each state and territory sets its own rules.

VET in Schools for your state

Privacy for your child

Students do not need an account. The planner asks for a first name and email address only if a student asks us to email their results, and we do not save them. There is no tracking. Links marked "Online course for adults (18+)" are courses for people aged 18 and over. Read our privacy notice for young people and families.

More help

Talk it through with someone

Career Calling Advice runs family sessions where you and your child can talk through options with an independent adviser.