Career-related learning has a positive impact on children’s confidence, aspirations and motivation by helping students understand the world of work. Career experiences and learning in the primary school should be fun, encouraging students to be inquisitive and exploratory. Early career-related learning provides a strong foundation on which children will make career decisions as they reach the end of their secondary school education, so discovering the world of work through age appropriate play and exploration is key to children making informed career decisions in the future. Challenging gender stereotypes about careers in childhood is crucial in achieving greater gender equality in the workforce. Parents and guardians have an important role in this, as do schools.
For secondary school students, career activities that develop employability skills is important as they enter their final phase of school. Employers expect their employees will possess well-developed employability skills and people with higher levels of skills have greater employment potential. The earlier that students begin working on their skills, the better placed they will be to take on future opportunities that will enhance their employability skills further.
The Coaching Collective at St Aloysius College was born from the career learning needs of two different year levels of students. For Year 3 students, The Coaching Collective provides a play-based, career-related learning experience in which they dress in career costumes and research a career. Across five weeks Year 3 students are coached by Year 8 students to create and deliver an oral presentation about the career they dress up as. The career costumes span diverse careers, many within STEM and selected to challenge career gender stereotypes. For Year 8 students, The Coaching Collective is an authentic way to hone their interpersonal skills and further develop leadership skills by employing coaching skills to encourage and support younger students to research a career and to deliver a high-quality presentation. Year 8 students apply for the opportunity to be involved in The Coaching Collective via a written application and teacher referees to support their application, in a similar format to a job application. Year 8 students receive training in basic executive coaching techniques prior to meeting the Year 3 students. Throughout the program, Year 8 students are mentored by the Year 3 teachers, the Year 8 Coordinator and the Careers Counsellor.
The finale to The Coaching Collective is presentation day. Year 3 students’ oral presentations are linked to the Australian Curriculum, with students demonstrating their learning to their peers, coaches and teachers, whilst dressed in their career costume.
Collaboration between students in the primary school and secondary school produces high quality career presentations by Year 3 students, delivered with increased confidence as a result of the coaching, feedback and rehearsal they receive from their Year 8 coach. For Year 8 students the opportunity to authentically practice coaching skills whilst still at school, is a real chance to develop interpersonal skills that are integral to successful future leadership. The supportive and encouraging environment forged through purposeful collaboration allows students of all ages to flourish and enjoy their learning.
