Local Community Partnerships encourage businesses to ‘adopt’ a school(s) 
so they can give young people hands-on learning experiences in a specific industry sector – preferably an emerging sector or one where there is a skills need. Local Community Partnerships are supported by their Regional Industry Career Advisers.
The
“Blueprint” has the potential to change the way Australians think about career education, information and guidance programmes. The Blueprint has multiple goals: its primary aim is to have users work with a national framework of career competencies to create comprehensive and effective and measurable career development programs which help Australians to better manage their lives, learning and
The Australian Career Development Studies is a course designed to enhance the skills of people who help others make career decisions.
The package has three components and is available free of charge on the Internet:
Awareness of Career Development - an introductory programme for parents, community leaders, coaches, youth workers and anyone else who works with young people or has an interest in career development.
Elements of Career Service Delivery - three accreditable units at AQF Certificate IV level for DEST contractors and other career practitioners.
Career Development Studies - an accreditable unit, at Post-Graduate Certificate level, which could be counted towards a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma course in Career Development (or similar) at any participating university.
The
Australian Vocational Student Prize (AVSP) recognises Year 12 students who demonstrate exceptional skill, commitment and achievement while undertaking an Australian School-based Apprenticeship or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools programme. Students are nominated for the prize by their school principal.
Career Advice Australia is an Australian Government initiative supporting young Australians aged 13 to 19 to make successful transitions through school and from school to further education, training and work. Career Advice Australia provides access to career information and advice, meaningful work experience and quality information about opportunities in industries to help young people make informed decisions about their futures.
Career Information Centres are managed by Centrelink for DEST and provide a comprehensive, free career information service to students, the unemployed or people who are looking at changing jobs. Specialist staff can help customers make informed decisions about education, training and employment options and pathways.
Local Community Partnerships (LCPs) are incorporated not-for-profit community-based organisations that help young people gain skills, experience and career guidance as they move through and beyond school.
Professional standards are being introduced for career development practitioners in Australia. The Australian Government supported the Career Industry Council of Australia to work with member organisations, career practitioners and other stakeholders to develop the standards. The Standards have been phased in since January 2006, giving practitioners time to acquire qualifications or have their experience recognised as prior learning before 1 January 2012 when the Standards become mandatory.
Regional Industry Career Advisers maintain relationships with businesses, employers and industry bodies within their service regions and use these contacts to stay up-to-date with industry developments, local career opportunities and regional skills needs.
School and Industry Leaders’ Forums aim to bring school and industry/business leaders together at a local level to share ideas and plan better ways of working together to develop relevant, and local career education programmes.
The Forums are hosted by Local Community Partnerships and are funded as part of the Career Advice Australia initiative until 2009.
The Structured Workplace Learning programme gives students learning opportunities in real or simulated workplaces. In most cases, the skills they learn are assessed and the competencies they achieve are recognised nationally by industry and education systems.
Youth Pathways aims to assist the most at-risk young people to make a successful transition through to completion of year 12 (or its equivalent) and ultimately, to further education, training or employment and active participation in the community. Nationally the programme will assist over 17,000 young people aged 13 to 19 years old each year by providing intensive individualised assistance and support.