CHCEDS001

Comply with Legislative, Policy and

Industrial Requirements in the Education
Environment

Session 4
Comply with legislative, policy and industrial requirements in the education environment

Re-cap from previous session:

What is an industrial award?

Where can you source information about industrial awards?
What is the name of the award Ed Support workers are under?
What is a Certified Agreement?
If you don’t understand the content of awards or certified agreements, who could you
contact?
In this session we will be going through:

- Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

- Resume Writing
- Cover Letters
- Key Selection Criteria
- Interview Questions

3
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

General Information:

Applying for jobs in the Education Sector is very different than other organisations. There are very strict
guidelines that you need to follow when applying for these jobs, so that you can get to the interview stage.

It is important to note that often when jobs are advertised in the schools they will receive up to 200
applications, as there is no regulations in place for people currently doing this job/role. This means you need
to stand out from the crowd and follow the strict requirements when it comes to applying for these roles, so
that you can at least get to the interview stage of the process.

Most job applications will require you to provide:

- Current Resume
- Cover Letter
- Key Selection Criteria

We will discuss each of these individually, so you can then prepare yourself for the possibility of a job
interview.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

RESUME:

Most Ed Support students are overwhelmed when it comes to writing their resume, as it may
have been some time since they have been employed in the mainstream workforce. However,
don’t let this deter you.
Schools generally do not want a run down of the past 20 years of your life, and they don’t
require information relating to previous job roles you may or may not have had, UNLESS it is
directly associated with the role you are applying for.

For example: if you haven’t worked in the past 12 years because you’ve been a stay at home
parent, but prior to that you worked in a bank as a teller – the schools don’t want this included in
your current resume.

So what do you include in your Resume then if you are returning to the workforce for the first
time in years???
DISCUSS:
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

So what do you include in your Resume if you are returning to the workforce for the first time in years???

ANSWER:
You include your current experiences that you’ve completed since being on placement.

The work that you have done since starting your placement becomes VERY important when applying for jobs
in the schools, as this will now become your current industry knowledge and experience.

It is a really good idea to create a journal of your placement so that you can jot down various experiences
and roles you have completed during your placement.

For Example:
15/2/19 – As it was Friday, when I arrived this morning, I sat with my two students and tested them on their current spelling
words. I spoke the word to both students and then put it into a sentence for them to ensure they understood the meaning of the
word they needed to spell. Once they had completed this, we corrected the words together, and any words misspelled needed
to go onto their list for the following weeks words.

15/2/19 - Today in the numeracy session I worked with two students to assist them in understanding the different combination of
numbers that can be made up to the value of 20 using two dice. The students needed to roll the dice and write down the
numbers they rolled, and then add them up to see what the total was. Once they had done this, they needed to work out what
number they would need to roll to make up to the total of 20
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

RESUME: (cont: from previous page)

By writing down the activities and experiences you have completed while on
placement you can then begin to add these to your resume under the work role and
responsibilities you have implemented.
Not only are these great examples of your current industry experience, these
examples will also be able to be used later on when we discuss Key Selection
Criteria.
So if you are not currently writing down the activities/experiences you do each time
you are on placement, it’s a good time to start NOW – as it will make things a lot
easier further down the track.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

RESUME: (cont: from previous page)

It is important to note that there is no real right or wrong way to complete your resume, as
long as the information you provide is RELEVANT to the role you are applying for.

Some of the headings you can include in your Resume can be things such as:

- Name
- Address
- Email/Phone Details
- Education & Qualifications
- Current Industry Experience
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Key Strengths & Knowledge
- Work Experience (only if it is relevant to the job role)
- References (always remember to ask someone if they can be a referee for you)
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

RESUME: (cont: from previous page)

Group Activity/Brainstorm -
So lets go through the different points from the previous slide and discuss
some of the tasks/experiences/activities you could list in each category:

- Education & Qualifications

- Current Industry Experience
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Key Strengths & Knowledge
- Work Experience (only if it is relevant to the job role, or if you are currently
employed in a similar role)
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Cover Letters

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a letter of introduction attached to, or accompanying another document such as a résumé
and/or key selection criteria, that must be included when applying for jobs in the education system (unless
otherwise stated).

a brief statement about the job you are applying for and why you feel you would be an excellent candidate
for the job being advertised.

A cover letter will need to include

- Details of the person you are directing the application to (if applicable)
- Your details (name, address, email/phone)
- Job Number (if applicable) some jobs will have these so you must include this, if there is more than
one job being advertised you will need to provide separate cover letters for each application
- A brief statement about the job you are applying for and why you feel you would be an excellent
candidate for the job being advertised, (remember to try to sell yourself)
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Cover Letters – EXAMPLE

Dear Mr Thompson, (or To Whom it may Concern)

Job Number: 123456

I would like to apply for the position of Education Support Worker which was advertised on www.seek.com.au on 21/1/2019.
I feel I would be well suited to the advertised position due to the experience I have had working with students that have
additional needs in various classroom environments.
Up until recently I have been working at Mt Waverley Primary School, where I was able to demonstrate my comprehensive
understanding and knowledge of the job being advertised, and I strongly feel that my skills and experience in the school
environment makes me an excellent candidate for this position.
I firmly believe that I have the skills and knowledge to be flexible in all workplaces and I enjoy new challenges and embrace new
opportunities as I have the ability to work autonomously or as a part of a team environment.

I look forward to discussing my application in further detail with you, at a time convenient with you.

Thank you for your time

Yours Sincerely

Full Name -
Email Address -
Phone Number -
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Key Selection Criteria

What is this?

Key Selection Criteria is how you can demonstrate in clear detail what you know
about the job you are applying for. It is a way for the schools to understand your
knowledge of the industry and your experience in the role being advertised.

As discussed previously – this is also where your daily journal will assist you,
because you will be able to demonstrate the skills being asked of you in the various
experiences/activities you’ve been completing on your placement.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Key Selection Criteria

General Notes:
- There is usually 5 Key Selection Criteria (KSC) for you to answer
- Some schools will include a 6th criteria and this is often associated with a particular
program or curriculum they use in their school ie: mathletics or Auslan.
- You must answer EVERY criteria, and it would be appropriate to give
approximately 2 to 3 detailed examples of how you’ve implemented the criteria in
the workplace
- Generally the criteria will be the same for most Government mainstream schools,
which is good as you won’t have to keep completing new examples.
- This is NOT a quick overnight task to complete, so please do not leave this for the
day before a job is due to close.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Key Selection Criteria: (continued)

As you will see in the coming slides, we have highlighted some of the wording in the criteria, this
is because you need to ensure you are covering the important points that you need to
demonstrate for each criteria.

Once you are aware of what the criteria is asking you to demonstrate you can then make a list of
the relevant tasks associated with that particular criteria. Then you can begin to build upon those
tasks and give a detailed explanation of how you completed these tasks while you were on
placement.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

DISCUSS/Brainstorm:

Key Selection Criteria 1 –

Capacity to undertake routine support tasks across a range of functions in one or more work areas
within a school environment.

This criteria is asking you about tasks you complete on a regular basis in the classrooms or other areas
within the school.

For example:
- Hearing students read everyday
- Assisting students with a literacy task
- Assisting students with a numeracy task
- Working 1:1 or in small groups
- Yard duty

Once you have made a list of these routine support tasks, you will then need to give a detailed description of
how you completed these tasks.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

DISCUSS/Brainstorm:

Key Selection Criteria 2 –

Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively with members of the school community including
students and the capacity to provide support and/or attendant care to student’s where necessary.

This criteria is asking you to demonstrate the various ways you’ve communicated with people in the school
community (ie; teachers, specialists or other support staff) as well as the students you’ve been working with,
then you need to describe how your communication supported these people within the school.

For example:
- Working 1:1 with a particular student
- Working in a small group with students
- Communication between yourself and the students and how you supported them
- Collaboration between yourself and the supervising teacher

Once you have made a list of these communication strategies and how you supported these people, you will
then need to give a detailed description of how you completed these tasks
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

DISCUSS/Brainstorm:

Key Selection Criteria 3 –

Demonstrated proficiency in the use of office systems, software or technical equipment as relevant to
the position.

This criteria is asking you to demonstrate the various office equipment, computer programs used or general
equipment you have used in the classroom environment.

For Example:
- Ability to use Word, publisher, power point
- Particular Apps that are used in the classroom
- Basic/general computer knowledge and understanding
- Photocopiers, laminators, interactive whiteboards

Once you have made a list of these various office systems/IT equipment, you will then need to give a detailed
description of how you completed these tasks
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

DISCUSS/Brainstorm:

Key Selection Criteria 4 –

Capacity to work co-operatively with a range of people including teachers, ed support, student’s &
parent’s.

This criteria requires you to discuss the way you have worked cooperatively with teachers, other ES staff,
students and parents (you will need an example for each one of these people)

For Example:
Teachers – collaboration through modifying tasks for individual students
Ed Support Staff – asking questions relevant to the students you’ve been working with, asking for ideas/tips
Students – negotiating when completing any class based tasks, giving choices when applicable
Parents – giving advice on how to complete teacher directed experiences/activities ie; hearing students read

Once you have made a list of the ways you have worked cooperatively with each of these people, you will
then need to give a detailed description of how you completed these tasks
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

DISCUSS/Brainstorm:

Key Selection Criteria 5 –

A commitment to professional learning and growth.

In this criteria, you will need to discuss what your future goals, ambitions and the areas of learning you’d like
to pursue.

For Example:
- Completing your Certificate IV Education Support
- Enrolling into a Auslan course
- Learning more about students with particular additional needs such as autism or ADHD
- Completing your Bachelor of Education, to become a qualified teacher

Once you have made a list of the areas you’d like to develop further in your learning, you will then need to
give a detailed description of how you’d like to complete this
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

EXAMPLE ONLY

SC5 A commitment to professional learning and growth.

I feel I have a commitment to professional growth and learning which can be demonstrated by my ability to:

I have recently completed my Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and my Certificate IV in Education Support. By completing both of
these qualifications I have recognised the individuality of the children/students I have been working with, and how their development and learning will be
determined by their own abilities, interests and learning styles. I have found both of these courses to be incredibly beneficial to my own professional
growth and learning as I work with various children/students

During the time I was studying my Certificate IV in Education Support I also attended several online PD sessions which were offered to me during the
RTO I was studying with. These included topics such as:
# Behaviour Management Strategies
# Working with Children with Additional Needs
# School Readiness Programs
# Modifying and adjusting class based experiences to suit learning needs of students

I have a strong desire to further my knowledge of all areas of additional needs such as ADHD, Autism and Auditory Processing Disorder as these are
areas that I knew little about prior to starting work at Mt Waverley Primary School, and I have found that the more understanding of each of these
diagnosed conditions I have, the better I have been able to put into practice the strategies learnt so far.

I feel I have a demonstrated a strong commitment to professional growth and learning in the education environment
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

HOW TO START –

 1 – Copy and paste the Selection Criteria into a Word Document (one per page)
 2 – Highlight the important words in each criteria, what are they asking you to
demonstrate or discuss?
 3 – Make a list under each criteria of the types of tasks you complete while on
placement that relate to the criteria. On average you should have about 2 to 3
examples per page, however you may find you double up in some areas and
that’s ok, you can come back to those examples later on.
 4 – Once you have a list of your examples for the criteria, you now need to give a
detailed description of HOW you’ve completed and demonstrated this task/skill.
Applying for jobs in the Education Sector

Other Points to Remember:

 For each criteria you MUST set it out how I have shown you in the example.
 Under the criteria you need to again describe how you are going to demonstrate
this criteria
 Then you include your 2 to 3 examples
 At the end, of the responses you need to once again reinforce how you’ve
demonstrated the skills in the criteria, using the exact same wording.
 Only ever have ONE response or criteria per page, DO NOT have several
criteria’s on the same page or you will be in jeopardy of going straight to the no
pile