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Advice for teachers -
Industry and Enterprise

Unit 1 – Area of Study 2: Developing work-related skills​

​Outcome 2:

Explain entry-level requirements for obtaining work in two selected industries, discuss the importance of developing personal work-related skills, and conduct a self-assessment to gauge personal work performance.

Examples of learning activities

  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working in a range of work settings during your working life compared to working with one employer for a long period of time.
  • Invite a guest speaker who works as a volunteer in the local community to speak to the class about their experience as a volunteer worker. Discuss what benefits participation in voluntary work has for the individual, the organisation and the community.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Keep a workplace learning record and write a blog on the experience.​
  • Participate in a school-based enterprise activity; conduct a self-assessment of the experience and write a blog on the activity.
  • ​​Construct a series of interview questions to get information from employees at a workplace about job tasks and processes, and equal employment opportunities.
  • Research entry-level requirements for obtaining work in a selected industry.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    ​Analyse a workplace in terms of its occupational health and safety and write a report with strategies for improvement.
  • Use a self-assessment tool to monitor the development of individual work-related skills.
  • Conduct research (using the internet) into the key skills and competencies that employers look for​​​. Draw a diagram (e.g. fishbone diagram or flow chart) to illustrate these. The following two websites are good starting points: Up to Work and Youth Central.​​
detailed example icon 

Detailed example 1

Workplace learning record

Complete a time log for 35 hours of structured workplace learning. In this record, detail the time spent in the workplace, the tasks/work participated in and work-related skills required in order to complete each task to a high standard.

Using this record and reflecting on personal experience in the workplace, prepare a report as follows:

Workplace learning report

Identify and discuss five work-related skills needed for effective day-to-day participation in the specific workplace.

For each skill named:

  • ​Name the work-related skill.
  • Outline how you demonstrated the work-related skill.
  • Explain why that work-related skill is important in the specific workplace.

Analyse personal levels of skill development during the work placement.​​​

Workplace learning record (sample page)

Day: ________________________________ Date: ________________________________

  1. Workplace learning record
    TimeDescription of main tasks​

    ​​​​
  2. As part of your tasks today:
    1. Describe how you developed two work-related skills.
    2. Explain how you demonstrated learning and self-development.
    3. Discuss a work-related skill where personal improvement is required.
    ​​
  3. Summarise daily key achievements.​​​

Workplace learning blog

During the week leading up to structured​ workplace learning, create a personal Workplace Learning webpage where a daily blog will be recorded while on the work placement.

As a starting point, key the following into a search engine:

  • webpage design software
  • webpage design template
  • webpage design ideas.

Information presented in the daily blog should include:

  • name of the workplace and a description of the industry it sits in
  • a record of daily starting and finishing times
  • a description of the work done and tasks performed daily
  • reflection on two work-related skills used and/or developed (reflecting on different work-related skills each day)
  • a description of one work-related skill that requires improvement
  • a comment each day about whether the work done was personally rewarding and why (or why not).
detailed example icon

Detailed example 2

Safe workplaces

Occupational health and safety (OH&S) laws are in place in Australia in order to create and maintain safe workplaces. Managers (on behalf of owners) owe employees a duty of care, just like teachers owe students a duty of care. Managers are responsible for the safety of employees while they are at work (provided employees are not negligent).

Managers must ensure that working environments are not dangerous. Employers and managers found in breach of OH&S laws may potentially be fined hundreds of thousands of dollars and the manager sent to jail.

Task

Search online for articles providing information about incidences where businesses or organisations have broken Australian OH&S laws. Record sources and find out the names of the employers (if possible). Describe the facts of each case and explain the outcome of the case, including any penalties imposed on the employer and/or manager.

OH&S laws are enforced to deter employers from having unsafe workplaces. However, deterrence is a reactive approach to ensure the safety of workplaces. A better way would be to have a proactive approach to workplace safety.

While managers have a duty of care to keep workplaces safe, workers also have a responsibility and must also play their part. Their task is to make recommendations to management regarding maintaining a safe workplace.

Task

  1. Hold a class discussion about achieving workplace safety proactively.
  2. Brainstorm and record ideas.
  3. Use the Safe at work section of the​ Victorian Department of Education and Training​ website, to research the requirements of a safe workplace in Victoria.
  4. Discuss proactive ways of improving workplace safety.
  5. Analyse the occupational health and safety needs of a workplace you are familiar with.
  6. Write a report that includes at least five strategies aimed at creating a safer workplace for everyone. These should be explained in detail.
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