This section provides direct access to the complete Australian Curriculum: Work studies, Years 9–10.
Understand how Work Studies works
Introduction
The Australian Curriculum: Work Studies, Years 9–10 has been written in response to key work-related issues facing young people today and into the future. This is a world-leading, future-oriented curriculum, equal in quality, value and rigour to more traditional academic programs.
Work has intrinsic value and is a fundamental part of everyday life. It fosters human dignity, independence and a sense of personal worth. It is recognised as a right of all people.
The design, organisation and structure of the Work Studies Years 9–10 curriculum provides flexibility for schools to draw on the interests, capabilities and contexts of their students. It allows schools to accommodate school structures and processes, and support middle school approaches to curriculum delivery if appropriate.
The content of this year level is organised into two main interrelated strands: skills for learning and work, and career and life design. Each strand in turn contains three sub-strands outlining the content descriptions and elaborations that contain the knowledge, understanding and skills and form the core content of the curriculum for that year level. In Year 9 students are exposed to concepts and contexts, and focus on familiarising themselves with skills, knowledge and capacities required to build foundations for learning and work in the 21st century. Within this context, students explore their preferences as learners and engage in a range of activities to develop understanding of work, careers and post-school destinations.
Year 9 Content Descriptions
Skills for learning and work
Learning to learn
Outline how past learning experiences influence attitudes towards, and outcomes of, learning (ACWSCL001 - Scootle
)
Describe the implications of individual learning preferences for learning at home, school, work and in the community (ACWSCL002 - Scootle
)
Plan and implement strategies and processes to improve their learning and enhance the potential to realise their aspirations and personal wellbeing (ACWSCL005 - Scootle
)
Work skills
Investigate a wide range of occupations, and the skills and personal qualities required in these fields (ACWSCL006 - Scootle
)
Identify types of workplace communication and the effect of context on the choice of communication (ACWSCL007 - Scootle
)
Identify the importance of rights and responsibilities for employers and workers (ACWSCL019 - Scootle
)
Year 9 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 9 students understand the importance and components of self-directed and lifelong learning. They investigate the skills and personal qualities associated with a range of occupations and explain the importance of teamwork and collaboration. They identify the types and purposes of communication in workplaces, including social media. Students understand entrepreneurial behaviours and their importance for work and in addressing a range of challenges. They explain the relationships between self-awareness and career planning resources. They investigate the changes occurring in work, workplaces and work-related relationships and the factors contributing to the changes. They identify opportunities associated with these changes. Students identify the contribution of diverse cultures to work and workplaces. They describe formal and informal recruitment processes.
Students plan and implement strategies to improve their learning and strengthen their individual learning skills. Students research and analyse information, organise teams, and communicate effectively using appropriate types of communications in a given context. They propose explanations and predict outcomes. Students practise entrepreneurial skills and attributes and propose actions in response to identified work and community challenges. They research and filter relevant career information resources. Students create career scenarios and identify the skills to manage career transitions. Students collect and evaluate data and information to draw conclusions about changes to work arrangements and their potential impact on their future. Students synthesise data and information to form reasoned conclusions. Students present their findings and explanations.
The content of this year level is organised into two main interrelated strands: skills for learning and work, and career and life design. Each strand contains three sub-strands outlining the content descriptions and elaborations which contain the knowledge, understanding and skills that form the core content of the curriculum for that year level. In Year 10 the concepts and skills introduced in Year 9 are investigated and developed at a higher level. Students are encouraged to be increasingly independent and self-directed learners.
Year 10 Content Descriptions
Skills for learning and work
Learning to learn
Explain how potential changes in circumstances impact on when, how and why you might learn (ACWSCL020 - Scootle
)
Examine the creative and problem-solving techniques used within workplaces to resolve the tensions arising in business and community projects (ACWSCL030 - Scootle
)
Use a range of tools, methods and skills for accessing work relevant to 21st century recruitment and selection processes (ACWSCL037 - Scootle
)
Examine the implications for work when work relationships are cross-cultural and can be local, national, regional or global (ACWSCL038 - Scootle
)
Explain how diverse work arrangements are impacting on the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers (ACWSCL039 - Scootle
)
Year 10 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 10 students explain the relationship between changing circumstances, learning and 21st century work opportunities and identify the skills needed to manage changes. They evaluate work-related communication tools and analyse the skills and capacities needed for 21st century work including appropriate communication skills, collaboration and teamwork. Students explain the importance of developing entrepreneurial skills and a distinct profile to access and manage 21st century work opportunities and challenges. Students understand the importance of growing self-awareness in improving learning, accessing work opportunities and developing appropriate skills and making more-informed subject and career choices. They analyse emerging 21st century work arrangements and the resultant changing relationships between participants, the opportunities arising and the skills needed for these emerging work arrangements. Students explain the roles of agencies associated with employment support. They outline 21st century approaches to recruitment and selection, and skills required in responding to them. Students explain the benefits of different cultural perspectives in managing work and problem-solving. They identify possible tensions arising in work-related contexts and understand the approaches to resolve conflicts and tensions.
Students process the skills required to manage change and transition. They select learning strategies and career information and sources and evaluate and align their personal capacities. They select and apply appropriate communication methods in a range of contexts. Students form and work in teams on a range of work-related tasks and observe and incorporate the skills needed to work collaboratively. They apply entrepreneurial skills to plan, implement and complete a negotiated action project. Students evaluate their findings, propose actions, make recommendations and present these to an audience of stakeholders. They synthesise increased self-knowledge and career information to school and career-based decisions and create potential career scenarios. Students research a range of information and data to identify trends in work arrangements emerging over time and evaluate agencies and organisations that support various employment situations. Students practise using and responding to 21st century recruitment and selection tools, methods and skills for accessing real and created work opportunities. Students collect and interpret information on different cultural approaches to ways of working. They explain the importance of culturally diverse workplaces to managing work, work relationships and productivity. Students apply conflict resolution methods and skills to work-related contexts.
Options provide opportunities for teachers and students to customise the curriculum based on students' aspirations and interests and local circumstances. The order and detail in which the strands, sub-strands and options are taught are programming decisions and can be studied in any order or pattern. Core content can be integrated within an option.
Options Content Descriptions
Option 1: School-industry cooperative project
Overview
Schools form a partnership with businesses and other community organisations whereby business, industry or educational representatives advise or liaise with students doing a practical work-related or community-based project. The project may involve an existing school–industry program, or schools may establish a new school–industry program such as a workplace induction program.
Collaborate with industry/business and/or community, individuals or groups to plan a work-related project (ACWOP040 - Scootle
)
Complete the work-related individual or group project plan in collaboration with industry/business and/or community partners, individuals or groups (ACWOP041 - Scootle
)
Communicate the school–industry cooperative project outcomes to an audience (ACWOP042 - Scootle
)
Option 2: Contemporary work challenges and opportunities
Overview
Students identify and explore contemporary work challenges and opportunities, and generate innovative solutions for a particular industry/business. Students investigate the background of the contemporary work challenges/opportunities and factors that have contributed to it, and explore and propose innovative approaches to address it in the future. Challenges/opportunities might include: job losses in a particular industry or large organisation; work health and safety legislation; outsourcing; the influence of fly-in, fly-out on individuals, families and communities; changing workplace relationships; the 21st century worker and increasing use of digital technologies in work.
Identify contemporary work challenges and opportunities relevant to changing 21st century work contexts and arrangements (ACWOP043 - Scootle
)
Investigate responses from stakeholders to address the challenge/opportunity (ACWOP044 - Scootle
)
Analyse alternative responses and their likely impact over the short to medium and long term (ACWOP045 - Scootle
)
Option 3: Cross-cultural enterprise
Overview
Students work in collaboration with those of similar age and year level in another school; for example, a school in Asia. Using digital technologies, they identify, plan and run an environmentally responsible enterprise. Students will choose a social enterprise such as fundraising to supply milk or other needs to an orphanage in an Asian country, or a sustainability project on a work-related topic.
Use digital technologies to communicate with their peers to identify and agree on a collaborative project that is environmentally sustainable (ACWOP046 - Scootle
)
Communicate the cross-cultural project and its outcomes to an audience (ACWOP048 - Scootle
)
Option 4: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and work
Overview
Students explore the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to work and investigate achievements and challenges overcome. They identify the opportunities presented through developing a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories regarding work and work-related practices.
Investigate concepts of self-identity from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and the significance of these in work, life and culture (ACWOP049 - Scootle
)
Identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' connections to communities and working life (ACWOP050 - Scootle
)
Investigate the impact of a significant work-related event on employment and work opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACWOP051 - Scootle
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Option 5: Gender and work
Overview
Students critically examine relationships between gender and work by investigating occupational aspirations, participation and attainment in education and training courses, qualifications attained, employment by occupation and/or industry and unpaid work. Students reflect on the role that gender and stereotyping can play in the choices that people make in relation to work and careers. They identify the barriers and challenges this presents for informed career and life decision-making and planning. Students identify and assess existing support structures, including relevant legislation and associated agencies. They recognise and develop the dispositions, attitudes and behaviours that support males and females pursuing non-traditional educational and career pathways. Students analyse future needs regarding support structures.
Analyse the impact of gender on subject choice, work aspirations, further education, career choices and resultant outcomes (ACWOP053 - Scootle
)
Analyse the impact of gender imbalance on the workplace and the community (ACWOP054 - Scootle
)
Option 6: School-developed option
Overview
This option provides students with opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in a particular work- and career-related area and to design and develop strategies for effective learning. Students and teachers are encouraged to negotiate an area of content of relevance and interest to them that is either not studied through the other core content or options, or one they would like to explore in greater depth. Examples may include:
literacy and numeracy for work
community and unpaid work
financial management and work
cultural diversity and work.
A school-developed option must follow the structure of the Work Studies curriculum. Only one school-developed option may be studied across the two years.
General capabilities must be identified in each of the content descriptions or content elaborations where appropriate.
The cross-curriculum priorities must be identified in each of the content descriptions or content elaborations where appropriate and align with at least one organising idea.
Content descriptions must align with the achievement standards of Year 9 and/or 10.The option must reflect an applied learning approach and provide opportunities for work exposure activities.
A maximum of 4–5 content descriptions. Content description must commence with a verb (ACWOP055 - Scootle
)
