Planning for life after you finish school starts while you're at school.

Career awareness is about understanding what you enjoy, what you're good at and what interests you. By exploring different jobs and industries, you can start thinking about careers that might be a good fit for you in the future.

Career awareness also covers the kind of skills that employers look for - things like being on time every day, listening closely and doing what you're asked in your job.

Career awareness can help build your skills, knowledge, attitude ready for working life.

Think about what you like doing, what you're good at (you could ask your teachers or parent) and the kind of job or career you might enjoy. Work takes up a lot of our lives! If you plan right, you'll set yourself up to have options - it's always better to have a choice.

Examples of strengths:

• Being good with people, a great communicator

• Being good with your hands, a great builder or problem-solver

• Being good with detail, following instructions or breaking things down

• Being practical, getting your hands dirty, building or being outdoors

• Being independent, good at working by yourself and using initiative.

• Being creative, exploring ideas, images, words or worlds.

Take a quiz on the MyFuture website to

 work out what you're interested in or

 what your strengths are 

SA secondary students that attend a public school can log into the My Career portal to find career resources and do activities to help unlock your ideas.

An industry is a group of businesses or organisations that produce goods or provide services.

Some examples:

Farms are part of the agricultural industry. Cars are part of the automotive industry. Factories are part of the manufacturing industry. Shops are part of the retail industry. Hospitals are part of the health sector.

Watch some videos on the different types of industries there are and they types of jobs you could do. 

If you were the boss, what would you want to see?

• Someone who is always on time and focused on the job

• Someone who listens closely and does what they're asked

• Someone who's always on their phone and looking bored

• Someone who's eager to learn and help out.

(Is there are trick question in there?)

Employers - the people who run businesses or any type of organisation - look for people who show initiative, are eager to learn and who have a good attitude.

Qualifications and experience are important too, unless you're just starting out. The way you present yourself and approach work (from clothes to language to attitude) matters just as much.

The Career Planning page will tell you more about how to build the skills you need.

Doing work experience means spending time in a workplace learning:

• what type of work people do

• what types of jobs there are

• how to do some tasks in a workplace

• how to follow instructions from the employer (the boss or your supervisor)

• what they expect from you - like being on time, listening and paying attention, and staying safe.

Work experience is also called workplace learning, or a work placement or a work trial.

By doing work experience you'll learn about the world of work, your responsibilities and your rights - things like taking breaks and working safely.

Doing work experience will help you build skills and get experience for a job or your career of choice.

Your school will tell you and your parents or caregivers what needs to be done to be legally protected, so that your placement is properly arranged.

Watch these videos about Flexible Industry Programs (FIPs) in schools

Talk to your teacher or VET coordinator or your parent to get you started.

If you decide to do a School-Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship this will include workplace learning while you attend school.

More information about finding work experience is on the Career Planning page.

Qualifications can be confusing. You'll come across words like:

• degree (through a university - usually 3 to 4 years)

• diploma (usually through a university or other education provider - 1 to 3 years)

• certificate - a vocational education and training qualification ranging from a Certificate 1 to Certificate 4. You can do a Certificate 2 or Certificate 3 at school.

• ticket (White Card)

• short course (like barista training or first aid).

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a practical, hands-on way to build skills for a job or career.

VET can help you explore hundreds of different careers and gives you the opportunity to gain real-world skills and industry experience.

With VET, you can:

• gain practical, job-ready skills

• achieve a qualification recognised across Australia

• study VET courses while you are at school and as part of your SACE

• do a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship which combines school, training and work.

View a detailed list of courses in the VET handbook that are available in South Australian government schools.