Disclaimer

Please note that this blog is intended for the students and parents associated with MacGregor State High School. Please check areas of interest as seen on the blog to confirm dates and other information as there will be occasions when dates will change and the information may not be included in the blog as it may not have been received by the school. Posts prior to July 2021 may have reference to different schools as this blog was initially developed for students when I was the Guidance Officer at another school.








Monday 31 July 2017

CQUniversity Cairns Open Day

Do you have questions about starting TAFE or uni? Head along to the CQU Cairns Open Day and get the answers you need. Enjoy study area presentations, interactive activities and chat to expert staff and current students about the course you’re interested in.

Event date: Saturday, 26 August
Event time: 9 am - 1 pm
Location: Corner Abbott and Shields Streets, Cairns

Chat with CQUni online

If you can’t make it to the event, don’t worry! CQUniversity will be available with fortnightly online chats commencing Wednesday, 2 August 3 – 6 pm. 


Visit the online information for the CQU Cairns Open Day

Sunday 30 July 2017

Year 12 student Connect e-update

QCAA’s Student Connect e-update was recently emailed to all Queensland Year 12 students. This will be the school e-mail account.

The email provided details about the May issue of Student Connect magazine, upcoming career expos and the QCAA’s learning account competition.

Year 12 learning account competition

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) are giving Year 12 students the chance to win an Apple MacBook Air!

All students who log in to their learning account on the
Student Connect website before 31 August 2017 will go into the draw.

By logging onto your account, you will be able to check that your personal and enrolment details are up to date and ensure you’re familiar with the log in process before results are released at the end of the year. If you have difficulties with this, please come to B13.

Thursday 27 July 2017

How much should your child work while studying full time?


Time management is one of the most important skills your child will pick up at university. University of the Sunshine Coast has information for parents, carers and students about working while studying. This can be found at this link.

News from Central Queensland University

Open Days are here again
A great opportunity for students, teachers and parents to get to know CQUni a little better, and have specific questions about our courses and services answered.

CQUniversity Cairns Open Day
Date: Saturday, 26 August
Time: 9 am – 1 pm
Location: Cnr Abbott & Shields Streets, Cairns

Chat with us online
If you can’t make it to the event, don’t worry! We’ll be available with fortnightly online chats commencing Wednesday, 2 August, 3 - 6 pm.

Visit this link for information

Top Four Reasons to Apply for a Scholarship
CQUniversity has a wide range of scholarships to fit students from all walks of life and all of them could do with more applications.

Sometimes, however, the idea of ‘free money’ isn’t enough to tempt high school students to apply for a scholarship.

There are four key reasons students should seek out scholarship options: Firstly, there is the obvious financial benefit; second, bolstering their CV; third, as a means to create industry contacts; or fourth, to uncover lesser known scholarships in the CQUni database.

For further details on each of these reasons and to find out more, visit the CQUni Life Blog.


Busk @ Dusk World Record Attempt
Be part of a world record attempt as we celebrate the first year of the Bachelor of Creative Arts course at CQUniversity Cairns.

Whether you’re a musician, actor, dancer or street performer, join us on Friday, 25 August, 5.30 – 6.30 pm at the Esplanade Cairns, as we attempt to break the current record of 388 buskers.

To find out more, contact the Creative Arts team

Cert II Animal Studies Online

CQUniversity’s newest teacher Courtney Liddy is a real Dr Doolittle.

Courtney has brought her many years of experience as a veterinary nurse in North and Central Queensland to deliver the Certificate II in Animal Studies online – an entry level course into the veterinary industry with enrolments taken throughout the year on a continuous basis.

“The course, which has been running since March, covers many areas, but mainly animal behaviour in small and large animals,” Courtney said.

News from Australian Catholic University

New in 2017 - Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Science 
With science and mathematics identified as two key teaching areas in high demand, offering strong employment opportunities and career prospects for graduates, this year ACU has introduced the Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Science – a four-year double degree that equips graduates with the skills and knowledge required to teach science in government, independent, and Catholic secondary schools across sub-discipline areas of biology, chemistry and environmental science.  For further information, please visit: www.acu.edu.au/courses/undergraduate/education/secondary_teaching/bachelor_of_teachingbachelor_of_science

Pathways into teaching at ACU
There is more than one way to become a teacher with ACU. If students don't meet the state-based requirements for entry into any of our initial teacher education courses, they still have options. Please visit our website to learn about our teaching pathways: www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/faculties,_institutes_and_centres/education_and_arts/schools/study_areas/education_pathways

ADF Women in Army Adventure Camp

Defence Force Recruiting's "Women in Army Adventure Camp" will be held from 18th - 20th September 2017 at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville and applications are now open.

Supported by the 3rd Brigade and the Defence Work Experience Program, the Women in Army Adventure Camp will expose female students to a range of Army careers through activities, presentations, visits and displays from several 3rd Brigade units based at Lavarack Barracks. 

Students will be accommodated on base for the duration of the camp and all meals will be provided, at no cost to the student.  For successful students who reside outside the Townsville area, their parent/guardian will be responsible for organising transport to and from Townsville, as the ADF cannot assist with these aspects.

Further information about the camp and the application process is on the DWEP website, see this link. Please see Jenny in B13 if you have any further questions.

Photographic Competition - Heroes of Traditional Trades

Australia ICOMOS, in conjunction with National Skills Week, SkillsOne Television, the National Trust of South Australia and the International Specialised Skills Institute, is holding a digital photographic ‘Heroes of Traditional Trades’ competition to record individuals involved with traditional trades, crafts or other practices.

At a time when there is concern about the gradual loss of skills, celebrating those dedicated to traditional trades and crafts associated with the conservation of heritage places in Australia has never been more important. The competition is being held as part of National Skills Week 2017 (August 28th – September 3rd, 2017) in order to reach the desired audience and provide encouragement to skilled tradespeople; apprentices learning a traditional trade and those providing technical training courses in traditional trades.

Entrants are required to send a photograph or photographs of tradespeople or craftspeople in the act of carrying out their traditional trade or craft that contributes to the conservation of a place of heritage significance in Australia, or results in a finished product. The judges are looking for eye-catching images which reflect the diversity of traditional trades relevant to heritage places in Australia, and the photograph should showcase the skill involved in in the trade. Photographs could feature a building trade, a landscape practice or a traditional activity associated with the social values of a place - anything from roofing to flooring; from paddock fencing and drystone walling to hedge-laying; or from traditional mining practices to the making of soft furnishings will be considered.

Short listed entries will have the prestige of seeing their work put up on display and will receive a digital certificate. The winning photographer will be awarded $750.00. The subject/s in the winning entry will also receive $750.00 (to be shared if there are multiple subjects in the photo). There are also awards for a photograph of an apprentice or trainee tradesperson or craftsperson taken by a photographer enrolled in a professional photographer training course ($500 for the photographer and $500 for the subject/s of the image). Highly commended awards may be considered by the judges.
Entries must be received by email to
info@skillsone.com.au by 4pm Tuesday 08 August 2017. The shortlisted images, subjects and photographers will be announced on 16 August 2017, and winners will be announced at a National Skills Week function

HMAS Cairns Work Experience Opportunities

Are you interested in a career with the Australian Defence Force? The next placement for work experience is scheduled for 12th - 14th September (not 13th - 15th as advertised on the site; this should be corrected shortly).  If you are interested, please apply via this link.

Please see Jenny in B13 if you are interested and/or have questions about the Defence Force.

Art & Design Education Resource Guide

If you are looking for a course in the creative arts, please see this link. ADERG has a comprehensive list of courses offered at Australian institutions in the fields of Art and Design. Information provided includes programs from various tertiary institutions and also TAFE/VET programs. Programs include:
  • Architecture
  • Digital Media
  • Photography
  • Creative Arts
  • Visual Communication
  • Interior Design
  • Industrial Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Performing Arts
  • Hair and Beauty
  • Fashion and Textiles
  • Film-TV-Audio
  • Design and Colour.

News from University of the Sunshine Coast

QUT and USC are working toward the transfer of QUT's Caboolture study location to USC in 2018. At this time, USC plans to offer at least the same (or equivalent) programs at Caboolture as those that are currently available through QUT Caboolture. At this stage, these programs are:

·         Bachelor of Primary Education
·         Bachelor of Nursing Science

1 September 2017 - 30 November 2017 - USC Semester 1, 2018 undergraduate scholarship applications open

News from the University of Queensland

UQ Publications now online
UQ’s full range of 2018 publications are now available online for digital download! Visit our website to find copies of the 2018 UQ Undergraduate Guide, faculty publications, Parents Guide, Accommodation Guide and much more!

UQ Young Scholars Program - apply now
Year 11 students should apply now for the UQ Young Scholars Program.
Designed to nurture and develop our future leaders, the UQ Young Scholars Program presents students with an exciting opportunity for academic extension and enrichment and is designed to ignite young change-makers’ passions for leadership, academic achievement and community development in today’s global society.

The 2017-2018 UQ Young Scholars Program (YSP) involves:
  • A five-day Residential Camp at the St Lucia Campus (Sunday 26 November – Thursday 30 November 2017)
  •  A YSP Reunion at UQ Open Day (Sunday 5 August 2018)
  • Online engagement activities and networking through the exclusive YSP Facebook group
  • YSP Newsletters
During their participation in the Program, UQ Young Scholars are challenged to think critically about today’s major global issues and are exposed to a wide range of potential study areas and career opportunities. They will engage in discussions and collaborative forums in group settings and enjoy a range of complementary social, sporting and cultural activities.
View the full information brochure
online.
Applications are now 
open and will close at 4:00pm on Friday 11 August.


Engineering and Technology Careers Evening - 17 August
At this event, students will have the opportunity to:
  • Hear from recent Engineering and Information Technology graduates about their experiences in industry
  • Talk to academic staff and current students about the study options available at UQ
  • Ask practicing engineers and technology innovators about job opportunities available in industry
  • Discover why UQ provides students with the best foundation for careers in Engineering and Information Technology
The event will run from 6.00pm - 8.00pm in the Advanced Engineering Building, St Lucia. For more information and to register, visit the website.

PACE Experience Day - 20 August Students will have the opportunity to explore world class facilities, get hands-on experience in laboratory and dispensary activities, learn from the experiences of present students and young alumni, and discover how they can be a part of the Pharmacy program commencing 2018.
Registrations are now
open!

Law LEAD Scholarship - apply now The Law Leadership, Excellence and Diversity (LEAD) Scholarship offers students $7000 towards living expenses during their undergraduate law studies, and one-on-one academic support.
The LEAD Scholarship is open to students from non-selective Government schools who have experienced educational hardship and disadvantage throughout high school

In addition to the scholarship, students can apply for the UQ Special Admissions Scheme (SAS) for undergraduate law programs. The scheme offers eligible students access to support services and considers the level of hardship they may have experienced, as well as their OP/Rank.
Applications for the LEAD Scholarship and SAS will open online from Thursday 3 August until Friday 8 September 2017. Please 
visit the website to apply.
UQ Sporting Scholarships - apply now
UQ's sporting scholarships support students to balance their studies with the demands of elite-level competition.
In addition to financial support, these scholarships offer academic tutoring, facility access, workshops and much more.
UQ's sporting scholarships open on Thursday August 3. Applications can be submitted
online.

Enhanced Studies Program - apply now
High achieving Year 11 students are invited to apply for UQ’s Enhanced Studies Program (ESP). ESP provides students with an opportunity to extend their studies by completing a university subject in Semester 1 of Year 12.
Over 
40 courses are available in a range of study areas including psychology, science and humanities .
Students who participate in ESP enjoy the benefits associated with being a UQ student. In addition, upon successful completion of ESP, students will receive one bonus point towards their university entrance rank through
UQ’s Bonus Rank Scheme.
Applications 
open in August and close Tuesday 31st October, 2017.


News from Queensland Univeristy of Technology (QUT)

QUT Open Day: Sunday 30 July
Open Day is the best chance students will have to talk to QUT staff and students about courses and see the facilities. Information tents and seminars for all study areas will be at Gardens Point campus (regardless of where the course is based) but students can view the health and creative industries facilities at Kelvin Grove. Download a PowerPoint slide to promote Open Day at your school

Entry to QUT: updates
Admission updates include: further details about the written statement of suitability required for education courses, Aerospace Studies now included in QUT Entry Bonus Scheme, registrations now open for summer bridging courses to meet assumed knowledge and prerequisites, and the requirement for students to provide a tax file number to avoid course cancellation

Art, design, fashion, technology, robotics and interactive design events
Students and their parents can attend panel discussions about careers in art, design and fashion at Open Day this year, and students are invited to attend a free QUT Tech Showcase on 18 August to celebrate National Science Week. You can also experience Robotronica at QUT on 20 August, with all-ages demonstrations, workshops, games and discussions about innovations in the fields of robotics and interactive design.

Making decisions—online resource and START QUT program
To help students with course and career decision making, QUT’s career practitioners have developed a free online course—Kickstart Your Career. Register now for the next course starting 7 August. Students can also test drive uni and experience different study areas through the START QUT program. Applications for 2018 open 1 August and close 31 October.

Entry program, scholarships and support for elite athletes
QUT is recognised by the Australian Institute of Sport and The Australian Sports Commission as an elite athlete friendly university. Find out about our entry program, scholarships and support for elite athletes.

Quick Links
The following quick links have been provided by QUT:

Griffith University STEM Show


Find out how you can future-proof your career.

“More than 70% of new jobs being created require skills gained through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies. Studying a STEM-related degree will prepare you for a fast changing world, give you more career opportunities and make sure you’re always ready for what’s next.” -Office of the Chief Scientist, Australia’s STEM Workforce report.
Join us for an interactive evening and to hear from Griffith University STEM researchers and lecturers, students and support staff of Griffith University to gain an understanding of the exciting programs offered at our Brisbane, Gold Coast and Logan campuses.
Students and their parents can receive advice on how best to place themselves in tomorrow’s job market and find out more about the diversity and uniqueness of our STEM programs and how we prepare students for future employment.
 
To download a flyer to distribute to your students griffith.edu.au/sciences-roadshow  
For more information please contact damian.harris@griffith.edu.au
 
When: Tuesday 1 August 2017 - Doors open 5pm  with an opportunity to network following presentations

Thursday 13 July 2017

Calling young artists


Calling young artists

What does safety, love, joy, hope, trust and family look like to you? Young Queenslanders aged 5 to 18 are invited to express these ideas through art for the 2017 Hear Me, See Me Art Exhibition. Shortlisted entries will be showcased in Child Protection Week. Enter at QFCC's website by 23 July.