Believe you can, and you are halfway there. — Theodore Roosevelt

It has certainly been a busy first semester in the Careers space with a focus on individual meetings with Year 12 students; preparing Year 10 students for work experience with many Work Health and Safety activities; attending valuable updates from tertiary institutions, SATAC and industry providers; and planning for next term’s Explore Futures Careers Expo (Senior School families, please remember to keep Monday 3 August 4.30–7.00pm free for this valuable event).

Work Experience

During Week 9 and across the upcoming school holidays, more than 130 Year 10 students are immersing themselves in the world of work with a week attending work experience. From physiotherapy to bicycle repairs, education to engineering, marketing to construction and more, our students will enjoy a taste of the ‘real world’ to determine if their selected industry will lead to their future career.

Coming soon…

Exciting news! Officially launching in Term 3 is our dedicated Concordia College Careers website. This wonderful resource will support our students to locate University, TAFE and other types of courses across Australia; access information about the SACE; search for job vacancies; create resumes and application letters; make connections between their skills, interests, passions and career paths; and much more.

A group of Year 10s have been the first to ‘test’ the site and by all reports they found it useful, easy to navigate and engaging. Watch this space, updates coming in Term 3 when we officially launch this website.

Is the ATAR the only pathway into university?

It’s important to remember that an ATAR is not the only way into university. There are other paths, and one of the most accessible is an enabling course, sometimes called a bridging program, tertiary preparation program or ‘uni ready’ course. These are designed to prepare students for undergraduate study. They're offered by universities across Australia and can be fee-free for Australian citizens.

Around 25,000 students are expected to take an enabling course in 2026, and research suggests that students who enter university through enabling courses do just as well in their degrees as students who entered with an ATAR.

So, how do they work? 

They’re taught by university lecturers with classes on campus or online. Most courses cover topics like academic writing and study skills and depending on the degree you want to move into, they might also include subjects like maths and science. When you successfully complete an enabling course, you can usually enrol straight into an undergraduate degree. Some courses can be completed in a single semester or over summer, so you could potentially start your degree by mid-year.

How do I find out more?

If you're curious, speak to me or search your preferred university's website for ‘enabling’ ‘tertiary preparation program’ or ‘fee-free uni ready’ or speak directly to the uni’s support staff about the courses they offer.

University Open Days

Term 3 marks Open Day season and all Year 10, 11 and 12 students are encouraged to visit tertiary institutions so they can get a feel for the campus; have their many questions answered by current students, lecturers and experts; and explore the labs, classrooms, lecture rooms and cafes at universities where they may study in the future.

It’s a great idea to be prepared for Open Days. Some of the campuses are huge, so planning specific places you wish to visit and having your questions ready to ask will help make your day run smoother. Check out this helpful guide 'A-Z of Open Days' and reach out to Tarsh if you have any further questions.

If you have a careers and pathways question, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Tarsh Boyko
Careers and Pathways Advisor