Careers

Careers Learning Area - STAR,  USKILLS

Guidelines and expectations for STAR    students   on   individual programmes in the Learning Support Center 

Benefits of the STAR programme

Secondary schools use STAR to give students a smooth transition from school to further education or employment. STAR also allows students to study areas of interest which may not be offered within the normal school programme.

 The STAR process.

While choosing lines of study for the year, students may have identified an area of interest that is not available to them, and therefore have opted into STAR.

In doing so they have been timetabled for 3 classes per week in which they are expected to attend class in the Learning Support Center. Here they are expected to work through workbooks which have been supplied to them, relevant to their area of interest.

 At times there may be a delay in obtaining suitable workbooks. During this period, students are still required to report to the LSC during their timetabled class and use this time to complete other relevant school work.

 It is NOT a free period or a time for chatting with friends.

 As workbooks are purchased from outside providers, it is expected that students will look after them and endeavor to complete them. 

 In some circumstances, there will be courses available to some students which may require them to be off the school grounds. These courses vary in length from a couple of hours to a few days. To be eligible for the courses, students need to have a proven independent work ethic and appropriate interpersonal skills.

 The placement of students within the STAR course is not guaranteed, and failure to meet the requirements above may lead to students being removed from it and placed back into mainstream classes.

At the beginning of the year:

• Make sure you have seen Mr Buchanan to enrol as soon as possible as your course has to be ordered
• Check that your Dean has you down as STAR in LSC on your timetable
• Take something to read or study while waiting for your course to arrive – it may take up to three weeks at the beginning of the year

 Joining the STAR programme through the year:

• You must have your Dean’s permission to change into a STAR course
• See Mr Buchanan or Mrs Holland to choose your course
• Take something to study while waiting for your course to arrive – it may take up to two weeks
• Check that your timetable says STAR in LSC

Once your course has arrived:

• You are expected to work consistently on your programme of work
• Ask the LSC staff if you need help 
• Mrs Holland is available to help you most days 
• When you are nearly finished your course work see Mr Buchanan or Mrs Holland for another unit BEFORE you run out of work to do (remember it takes time to order and receive a new unit)
• When you have completed your unit give it to LSC staff to give to Mrs Holland for posting away to be marked and check that another unit has been ordered for you.
• Once it has been marked, your work will be returned to LSC via Mrs Holland or Mr Buchanan for you to resubmit (fix up) if needed
• Make sure Mrs Holland receives it to send it away again if needed
• When you have achieved your credits  your results will be sent to NZQA by the school

USKILLS

USKILLS Academy programmes run over 1 or 2 days per week. Depending on where your course is situated you will either catch a bus(fully funded) or van to your placement destination. 

Some of the courses covered in USKILLS are:Construction (level 2&3), Digital Innovation,Automotive,ICT innovation, Hair , Beauty and Retail, Cafe Skills, Cookery, Business Enterprise, Introduction to Early childhood,Exercise and Sport and Health. The above courses are available in level 2 or 3 depending on the course chosen. You will be enrolled both at secondary school and USKILLS for the period of the course. Zero fees for all the programmes. Students are expected to maintain a minimum of 80% attendance at both USKILLS and secondary school.

Please see Mrs Holland to register for USKILLS .

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