ASG's Scholastic

ASG’s Scholastic Issue 3 : 2017 Quarterly news for ASG members

Great prizes for budding writers

»»ASG’s investment strategy »»Equipping students for jobs of the future »»Future careers

From the CEO JOHN VELEGRINIS

F

or more more than 40 years ASG has been a leading advocate on the importance of education and learning. Our focus is on creating as much impact as possible to benefit you and your children.

In this issue ASG news 2

From the CEO

3

Two new products for New Zealand members

4

ASG’s investment strategy

6

Young people and online relationships

6

Special offers for members

11

ASG-ACE Teachers Report Card

ASG students 5

Leading the way

5

Aim higher

14

Danielle Chand

Feature 12

Equipping students for jobs of the future

Career 14

Andrew Kirkby

15

Q&A with Andrew Staite

Creative hub 7-10 ASG Literary and Art Awards

Because we want to make a positive difference in children’s lives we run programs that directly benefit them. Earlier this year we partnered with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, who run evidence-based programs on children's safety and wellbeing. Our webinars on cyber safety and screen time have encouraged parents to start conversations with their children. We encourage you to participate in our next webinar, which is on Young people and online relationships. Are your children, like mine, more technically advanced than you? The advent of the digital age has brought with it ‘digital natives’—so called because they were born during or after the technological boom. Have you wondered what career they will have 10 or 12 years from now? What about yourself? Gone are the days of a ‘job for life’ and today more than ever, education has become valued as a constant and lifelong process. It is evident that continuous learning and education is necessary to stay relevant and be future ready because “the future belongs to those who can unlearn and relearn.”

A report published by Mackinsey in May 2017 found that while technologies replace some jobs, they also create work in industries that we can’t even imagine—thus generating income. Think of companies like Facebook, Uber, Airbnb, which have redefined how online business is done. While artificial intelligence (AI) will change the role that humans play in some types of jobs—eliminating physically challenging jobs—it will also add value from new goods, services, and innovations that AI will enable. David Deming, associate professor of education and economics at Harvard University, says in the future people will move between different roles and projects. While preparing our students for the future it is important to consider the teachers who are instrumental in this journey. The ASG-ACE Teachers Report Card 2017 surveyed teachers on a range of issues, including testing, curriculum, stress, wellbeing, support, engagement, satisfaction, technology and opportunity at school. You can read this report card online: www.asg.com.au/media/asg-aceteachers-report-card We hope you enjoy reading the many interesting stories and information in this issue of ASG’s Scholastic.

Connect with us facebook.com/asgeducation @asgeducation Published by ASG Editorial contributions Member stories can be submitted to: Saleha Singh: [email protected] While all reasonable care will be taken, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or non-return of materials supplied. Opinions The opinions expressed by individual contributors published in ASG’s Scholastic are not necessarily those of ASG. Print Post Approved PP341032/00022

Australia

New Zealand

23–35 Hanover Street Oakleigh Vic 3166 Ph: 131 ASG (131 274) www.asg.com.au

Suite 7B, 19 Edwin Street, Mount Eden 1024 PO BOX 8289 Symonds Street Auckland 1023 Ph: 09 366 7670 www.asg.co.nz

On the cover: Tallis Corman

2 | ASG’s Scholastic Issue 3 2017

Preliminary notice to members 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Notice is hereby given that the 43rd AGM of the members of the Australian Scholarships Group Friendly Society Limited (ASG) will be held at the Monash Conference Centre, Monash University, Level 7, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne on Friday 27 October 2017 at 11am. The agenda items that, as a minimum, may be considered at the AGM are: 1. Approve and adopt as a correct record, the minutes of the last AGM held on 28 October 2016.

3. Elect the directors and approve any change to the remuneration of the non-executive directors.

2. Consider the reports of the directors, the Actuary, and the Auditor, and the financial statements for the financial year end for ASG.

4. To consider and, if thought fit, pass any special resolutions and approval of other matters as notified.

All documents relevant to the meeting will be available at www.myasg.com.au/agm and www.asg.co.nz/agm from 2 October 2017, and will also be available at the meeting.

ASG’s New Zealand members now have two new offers that will help them save for their children or their own education—Pathway Education Fund and Lifelong Education Fund.

A

SG has been supporting New Zealand families to plan and save for the cost of education for more than 25 years through a range of specialist education funds. ASG is committed to ensuring our products and services meet the needs of the community. “We are pleased to offer our New Zealand parents and families these new education plans, providing the flexibility they need to give their children or themselves the widest possible education opportunities,” says John Velegrinis, ASG’s chief executive officer. The Pathway Education Fund (Pathway) assists parents and families save for their children’s education. Launched in Australia in August 2015, Pathway has been a runaway success offering families with the most flexible education saving plan to date. Pathway provides members with the flexibility to determine how much they contribute, how often, and when benefits will be paid for their children’s education. Along with assisting with primary and secondary schooling, Pathway can also assist with a wide range of education

courses such as university, polytechnic, NZQA, vocational courses and apprenticeships. Pathway also covers full-time and part-time studies anywhere in the world. New Zealand members can now also consider ASG’s newest education fund designed specifically for their own personal and professional development—Lifelong Education Fund (Lifelong).

For more information: »» visit our website www.asg.co.nz »» d ownload a copy of the PDS (www.asg. co.nz/pathway-education-fund) or (www.asg.co.nz/lifelong-educationfund) »» Call us on 09 366 7670 to find out more.

Lifelong offers all of the flexibility and features of Pathway, but is designed to support individuals plan and save for the costs associated with their own personal development, further education and career progression. Lifelong funds can be used to pay for course fees, IT equipment, text books, and help offset living expenses during study. ASG will continue to also provide the existing products, being The Education Fund (which helps pay for the basics during children’s secondary schooling), and the Supplementary Education Program (which assists parents to save extra funds for secondary and postsecondary education).

ASG director Terry O’Connell retires Terry O’Connell, non-executive director of the ASG’s Board retired on 31 July 2017.

T

erry had a long standing association with ASG dating back to 1983. During this time, he made significant contributions to ASG in a range of roles such as CEO, managing director and chairman. Terry has left an incredible legacy during his tenure and service.

ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards, which recognises gifted teachers in Australia and New Zealand. He was the chairman and the driving force of this foundation for many years. We thank Terry for his outstanding service to ASG and the impact he has made to the lives of many children and teachers.

Terry was also a pioneer and responsible for many well regarded initiatives such as the

ASG’s Scholastic Issue 3 2017 | 3

A SG N E W S

Two new products for New Zealand members

A SG N E W S

ASG’s investment strategy

Meet Kevin Brown

ASG’s primary investment purpose is to provide stable and reliable investment returns—without taking excessive risk—to assist members in meeting the costs of their children’s education.

T

he focus of ASG’s investment strategy is on meeting the long-term objectives of our members.

Investment markets Investment markets are constantly changing due to a diverse set of factors such as economic growth rates of individual economies, countries and trading blocs, global political events, level of international interest rates, global currency impacts and commodity prices. The future is always difficult to predict and there is always uncertainty in the market. We believe that a well balanced and managed investment portfolio will be beneficial for you in the long-term.

We must be aware of the current investment markets and the impact on the investment returns given the moderate risk appetite of the portfolios. Currently the cash interest rates and average returns for fixed income securities in Australia and New Zealand are lower than the average returns for higher risk in investment products. The market expectation is that interest rates will remain ‘lower for longer’. In recent years the Australian and international equity markets have performed strongly and are at relatively high valuation levels. Australian property markets—particularly the office sector— have performed well given the demand for yield by investors in a low return environment. This yield appetite has also assisted returns of global listed infrastructure investments.

The table below displays how ASG’s key asset types have performed in the year to June 2017. Asset type

One Year Returns (%)

Ten Year Returns (%)

Australian Equities

13.80

3.40

International Equities

17.70

5.70

Emerging Markets Equities

20.10

2.90

Global Listed Infrastructure

10.90

n/a

Global Listed Property

2.22

7.72

Australian Unlisted Property

12.00

7.20

Australian Cash

1.80

3.90

Australian Fixed Interest

0.20

6.20

Global Fixed Interest

0.50

7.50

New Zealand Cash

2.16

3.79

New Zealand Fixed Interest

0.19

6.28

Given the interaction of investment factors and the risk appetite suited to ASG, investment returns over the coming five years may be below historic levels. However, we are confident that in the longer term a well balanced diversified investment portfolio will meet your investment objectives. This in turn will assist you in meeting the costs of your children’s education.

ASG investment portfolios


2%

New Zealand Fixed Interest

11%

Australian Equities

18%

International Equities

1%

Emerging Markets equities

5%

Global Listed Infrastructure

2%

Global Listed Property

6%

Australian Unlisted property

28%

Australian Cash

25%

Australian Fixed Interest

2%

Global Fixed Interest

K

evin Brown is ASG’s Chief Financial Officer and has been with ASG since February 2000.

He is responsible for ASG’s finance and investment functions, and has a passion for creating successful teams with an emphasis on continuous improvement. This year, Kevin’s team won ASG’s inaugural award for innovation. Kevin finished school unsure of his career path. Having completed a science degree in Zoology and Genetics, he found himself working in a retirement village. “As the village grew, I gained more exposure to payroll and budgeting,” Kevin says. “So, I did a business degree and fully embraced the wonderful world of accounting.” Kevin has two children. His son is undertaking a Masters in International Relations, while his daughter—a keen footballer—is considering a career in the air force. “My son was rapt to receive his ASG scholarship payments during his degree and we bought him a car with our members’ benefit,” Kevin says. Kevin is a devotee of the world game. There is always a football game to look forward to—whether it is going to his daughter’s football matches, Melbourne Victory home games, or watching matches on television.

How often have we heard of strength in unity? How many of us believe in this? Sixteen year old Tallis Coman enjoys being part of a team to achieve a common goal “even if we don’t win.”

W

hen Tallis was in Year 8 he was offered two extracurricular activity choices—a cadetship or music. “Lacking in any musical talent, I opted for cadets. Initially I didn’t enjoy being one but now it has changed my life.” Army cadet is a youth development program, sponsored by the Australian army. Cadets are taught leadership, team building and survival skills that set them up for life.

him important life skills. “I happily wrote up navigation data sheets, carried a heavy radio, shared my views with my peers— without imposing myself—, and crossed a water with a suspended wire and two ropes with a 44 gallon drum on our backs. We were asked to build 1.5-metre tall sand bag in 40 minutes with hessian bags and a pile of rocks. It was exhausting but we did it in 20 minutes and were crowned the ‘textbook example’. We received a generous gift of leftover biscuits, which

we enjoyed.” The result? Tallis was awarded the DUX of the ATA out of more than 140 cadets. Outside of the cadet program Tallis plays soccer and basketball, enjoys media productions, taking photos, and is a peer support leader at school, resolving small issues for Years 7 and 9 students before they become serious disputes. “Life is busy but this is what I revel in. I look forward to every day with enthusiasm.”

“Being part of the army cadet has given me a sense of purpose and an understanding of the impact I can have within my unit. I push myself as hard as I can during activities—despite pain—and help my peers to achieve their best,” Tallis says. Earlier in the year Tallis participated in the Adventure Training Award (ATA)—a series of field activities—which taught

Aim higher Alexander White’s interests are many and varied, which is why his young life is packed with hobbies, sports, music, studies and cadetship. grand dad drove during WWII—and in the process discovered the intricacies of assembling these models.

A

lexander’s fascination for the outdoors began early—while helping his dad prune trees and measuring tree growth in trial plots on salt affected pastures. He also assisted his dad with identifying plants, animals, birds and insect species for research, and photographing and cataloguing fungi. Unsurprisingly, Alexander has a green thumb and has cultivated and collected more than 400 different types of cacti and succulents. When not outdoors Alexander builds model planes and tanks, and has more than 200 models to show off. “I started off building a replica of the tank my

“I learned how to sand and glue small parts together (sometimes thousands of them), how to blend different colours to get a historical finish, weathering the model to make it reminiscent of its time, and ensuring the correct decals were matched to each model. ” To complement this hobby Alexander also collects model trains and is part of the Fremantle Districts Model Railway Association. Alexander is an active member of the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC), where he mastered leadership and survival skills, drill (precision marching), fire arms training, flying gliders and light aircraft.

This talented young man received a Gifted and Talented scholarship from John Curtin College of the Arts (JCCA) in Fremantle. He has now have been involved in 16 performances—both in drama and music. “This has allowed me to develop self confidence, as well as hone in on my communication skills,” Alexander says. “I play the bass clarinet in Wind Orchestra One—the top wind orchestra at JCCA—and have performed some truly breathtaking pieces of music as part of an ensemble.” After completing school Alexander hopes to join the Australian Defence Force and become a first attack pilot, and also study astrophysics or astronomy at university.

“My motto in life is to aim higher—a phrase I first heard at AAFC. This embodies my personal drive, my unending motivation, the pursuit of excellence as well as constantly holding myself to the highest standard—no matter the situation.”


A SG ST UD EN TS

Leading the way

A SG N E W S

Young people and online relationships Children and social media—does it keep you awake at night? Have you wondered what children do on these sites—and there are plenty of them—because you are not privy to their online activities?

A

t ASG we are constantly looking to add value to your membership and adding webinars to our suite of offerings has proved to be very successful with our members.

Our next webinar Young people and online relationships is facilitated by the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, who are experts in the field of cyber safety. The webinar will assist parents to understand relationships

among the youth of today and how they manifest in online environments. It will also explore the best ways to support young people to develop healthy, consensual, equal and respectful relationships. For member Marina Teoh, “ASG’s technologyrelated webinars are not only informative, but also useful to start conversations with my children on device usage and screen time. "Even if we are unable to watch it live, we watch the recordings on My ASG as a family activity over the weekend.” Log in to My ASG and follow the prompts to access the webinar. Topic: Young people and online relationships Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2017 Time: 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm AEST

Special offers for members We are always trying to get you the best discounts from our trusted partners. These special offers have been negotiated with selected organisations that provide important and well known products and services to assist you along your child’s education journey.

T

he latest member only discounts and special offers include:

JB Hi-Fi both in Australia and New Zealand has the best brands with the right advice to help your child excel in their learning. You can access our special member pricing across a great range of education related devices, laptops and tablets. Log in to My ASG for further information on how to access these offers in each country.


What’s the Hurry? Now in its second edition Kathy Walker’s What’s The Hurry? provides a unique guide for parents, educators, and the community on the importance of understanding and responding to children. The book provides a range of practical strategies with the vision to set children up to be resilient and effective communicators. The book encourages parents to let children slow down and have time to play rather than be over scheduled. Available through the ASG online store: www.asg.com.au/shop Find out more by logging in to My ASG with your membership number: www.myasg.com.au

Creative HUB Turn words into pictures Phil Kettle is an award winning author of 180 fictional chapter books. His books include The Toocool series, Boyz Rule, Billy Kool, Get Real, Our Australia, I Can Be, and the soon to be released Clancy of the Outback. Phil lives in a house overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean with his dog Lola.

H

ave you got a great imagination? Do you daydream a lot? When you read do you turn the words into pictures?

Is your backyard or park a place where you play games and in your imagination you become the champion that you think might like to be? I lived on a farm when I was growing up and attended a very small country school. The best part of most days at school was going home. Most afternoons when I got home my backyard became my field of dreams. It was where I became a super star footballer and a test cricketer. My backyard was where my imagination allowed me to become the champion that I dreamed of being. My ideas for stories that I write—like your ideas for stories that you write—mostly come from: »» »» »» »»

Why don’t you start by writing a story or poem for ASG’s Literary Achievement Awards and—like I do when I want to write—think of something that you’ve seen, heard, or done.

»» C reate a powerful introduction by using a question or a statement – This will give the reader a reason for wanting to continue reading to find out what might happen in the story.

Once you have an idea, below are some tips that I use when preparing to write a story.

»» W rite a list of all the things you think you might like to include in your story – including of course a problem and a resolution.

»» T hink of your story location – Knowing where your story is going to take place will help you understand a lot more about what your characters can do. »» M ake sure you know your characters and limit the number of characters in your story – Too many characters can become confusing both to the reader and you as the writer.

»» P lan a story destination – It is important to understand where you want your story to go, otherwise it’s like being left in a forest without an escape plan. If that happens you will end up getting lost—just like writing a story and not knowing where you want to go with your story. »» U se descriptive language – This allows the reader to turn words into pictures. »» M ost of all remember to enjoy the process of writing.

t hings you see things you hear things you do plus a big dose of imagination.


C REAT I V E H UB

Why is art important? Marjory Gardner, a renowned artist, has always loved drawing and has illustrated for trade and educational books, greeting cards, and magazines published in Australia and internationally. Marjory was encouraged to draw by her parents and teachers, and after completing high school studied graphic design at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

A

fter working as a designer for a few years, she went freelance and worked for various book publishers on varied projects. Her first paid freelance job was to illustrate a poem called Giraffe’s Breakfast for an anthology of poetry. Giraffes have been a favourite ever since! Marjory’s work is distinctive for its humour, rainbow colours, and appealing characters. www.marjorygardner.com

beyond their physical environment. This develops imagination, encourages curiosity about life and the desire to know more. As children grow older their drawings become recognisable. Stories are told, memories recorded—favourite people, animals and places are depicted to make sense of their world. Parents and teachers stimulate young minds by reading picture books, and children learn to read by associating words and images.

Enter ASG’s Junior Art Awards After many years in the business, and with more than two hundred publications, I still get a thrill when I hold the printed copy of a book sent to me some months after I sent the final artwork off to the printer! Entering ASG’s Junior Art Awards is a great way of fostering this love of art. Children can email their artwork to: www.YoungAtArt.com.au. All entries are displayed on the website—an important recognition of their effort and skill. As a judge of the awards, I love meeting the winners and sharing my tips. The pride and enthusiasm of children, parents and teachers is so exciting to witness. I encourage everyone to get involved and enter ASG’s Junior Art Awards.

Why draw? When children are born, they see the world around them, even before speaking, writing, walking and playing. Babies are drawn first to black and white images, and then learn to identify colour, shape, content and emotion. The first scribbles of children are wild and expressive. It helps them interpret the world around them and explore places


My family lived in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and when I was nine I visited Melbourne for a holiday. I visited the Melbourne Zoo and saw kangaroos and koalas for the first time. These are my impressions and although the koalas don’t look very realistic, this is what I remembered, and I loved using bright colours and patterns—and I still do.

C REAT I V E H UB

Noonie and the Missing Bone

M

eet Noonie. He’s a dog who loves bones. One sunny day Noonie got carried away playing in the garden and forgot where he put his bone!

More than just a book—teach children to develop their own short story

Join Noonie and his cat brother Merlin as they work together to hunt for Noonie’s missing bone.

As well as being a great story, Noonie and the Missing Bone has been designed to be used as a resource for parents to inspire their children to write and illustrate their own short stories.

Noonie and the Missing Bone is a rhyming story featuring two lovable domestic pets. Their actions teach the importance of acceptance, humility, working together and companionship. Noonie and the Missing Bone incorporates basic writing techniques children can identify and apply to develop their own stories. The illustrations are easy and encourage children to create their own line drawings to accompany their published texts.

It includes helpful story writing instructions and planning pages to assist children to develop their own wonderful short story. Included with the book: »» b lack and white internal pages to allow the reader to colour in the characters »» i nstructions and planning pages to help guide the reader to develop their own short story. Available through the ASG online store: www.asg.com.au/educationalresources/shop

Author and illustrator Casey Hawkins is an award winning ASG NEiTA (National Excellence in Teaching Awards) teacher and a visual artist who aspires to work with as many students as possible to boost their confidence and know-how in creative story telling. She has partnered with ASG to provide students and teachers with resources to inspire young writers.

Book review Under the Love Umbrella

Doodle cat is bored

Mummies are Lovely

by Davina Bell (The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade) celebrates the joy and comfort that love can bring—wherever we roam in the big, wide world. Exquisite illustrations by Allison Colpoys accompany the heart warming, rhyming text.

Doodle Cat is bored until he finds a thing. But what is this thing and what does it do?

by Meredith Costain and Polona Lovsin is a beautiful and heart warming book about the special bond between mothers and children.

A story of love and diversity— reflecting a range of backgrounds and family constellations.

Written by Kat Patrick and illustrated by Lauren Marriott, Doodle Cat teaches children to be creative, curious and explore every option.

Ages: 0-5

Ages: 0-5

Ages: 0-5


C REAT I V E H UB

Your idea, your thoughts, your imagination

W

e asked Phil why he loves writing.

Are you a budding author or a poet?

“The answer is simple,”he says. "Writing takes me into another world—a world in which my imagination allows me to become the characters that I am writing about. I love creating the world that my characters live in and becoming part of the adventures that they have.” Television and computer games don’t do that. The world that they take you into is one that is created for you and is one that you have no control over. Enjoy the process of writing—it is your idea, your thoughts, and your imagination that is the winning piece.

Send in your story or poem and win one of five Phil Kettle’s autographed books. Email your entries to: [email protected] by 30 September 2017.

Calling all writers and artists Entries close 6 October 2017.

ASG’s Junior Art Award Young writers invited Enter the ASG’s Literary Awards open to ASG students in Australia attending primary or secondary school. Send an original short story or a poem, to be considered for the 2017 Young Australian Writers’ Awards, including two ASG Awards. Email your entry to: [email protected] or post it to: ASG’s Literary Awards 23 -35 Hanover Street Oakleigh Victoria 3166. Visit www.asg.com.au/community-initiatives for more information. All entries published in Oz Kidz in Print receive a certificate and gift.The finalists of the short story and the poetry awards will be flown to Melbourne to attend the annual Young Australian Writers’ Award presentation to be held in November 2017. Conditions of entry 1. All ASG students attending primary or secondary school in Australia are eligible to enter. 2. All stories and poetry are to be original and no word limit applies. 3. Please provide student’s full name, age and postal address for correspondence relating to the awards. 4. All entries to be received by 6 October 2017 to be eligible for the 2017 awards. 5. ASG reserves the right to publish all entires, with further publication rights assignable to the Young Australian Writer’s Awards. 6. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 7. Our preferred format for submission is an email to: [email protected] 8. If email is unavailable please submit your entry to: ASG Literary Awards 23-35 Hanover St OAKLEIGH VIC 3166.


ASG students in Australia are invited to enter the ASG Junior Art Award, as part of the Children’s Charity Network’s 2017 Young Australian Art Awards. Students in Prep to Grade 4 are encouraged to put their creative talents to use and enter the ASG sponsored Junior Art award. Students in both Grade 5 to Year 8, and Years 9 to 12 age groups are also encouraged to participate in the Young Australian Art Awards. All entries should be submitted online. Read the Conditions of Entry or visit www.asg.com.au/community-initiatives Visit www.YoungAtArt.com.au to enter. Conditions of entry 1. For ASG’s Junior Art Award, all ASG students currently attending primary school in Australia and in Prep to Grade 4 are eligible to enter. Please ensure your ASG membership number is attached to all entries. 2. Other award categories are open to all Australian students currently attending school in Australia. There are three age groups: Junior (Prep to Grade 4), Middle (Grade 5 to Year 8), and Senior (Year 9 to Year 12), and there are four art categories: drawing, painting, photography and computer art. 3. Artwork should be submitted as a digital image online through www.YoungAtArt.com.au Students will have to register and log in online. We recommend a teacher or parent help the student in submitting their artwork. Please ensure student’s name, age, grade/year, school name, and postal address are included on each entry. 4. All entries must be received by 5pm, 6 October 2017 to be eligible for the 2017 awards. 5. An annual limit of one entry per category, per student applies. 6. ASG reserves the right to publish all entries, with further publication rights assignable to the Young Australian Art Awards. 7. An independent selection panel will select the finalists, with initial judging carried out on the image of the artwork that is submitted through the Young At Art website. Artwork is judged within age groups and is based on: originality in design, quality of work, creativity, and effort shown in artwork. The selection panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 8. Once the judging has taken place, finalists will be notified by mail, telephone or email and will be invited to attend the Young Australian Art Awards presentation, to be held in Melbourne in November 2017. Interstate finalists will be flown to Melbourne. 9. Award recipients will receive a trophy in recognition of their achievement. 10. The ASG’s Junior Art Award recipient will be announced on ASG’s website following the awards, and will be listed in ASG’s Scholastic issue 1/2018. For full conditions of entry please visit www.asg.com.au and visit the ASG’s Junior Art Award page, or visit www.YoungAtArt.com.au

A SG N E W S

ASG-ACE Teachers Report Card Teachers change the world one child at a time by equipping our children with the most powerful weapon—education. But what do they think about their profession and education?

A

SG and the Australian College of Educators (ACE) surveyed teachers on a range of issues including testing curriculum, stress, wellbeing, support, engagement, satisfaction, technology and opportunity at schools. The result is the inaugural ASG-ACE Teachers Report Card—a joint initiative between ASG and ACE.

»» 4 9 per cent of government school teachers believe students are missing out on educational opportunities because of their parents’ financial situation. »» 4 7 per cent of government school teachers believe the level of infrastructure at their school is either ‘inadequate or non-existent’, compared to 24 per cent of private school and 21 per cent of faith based school teachers.

A passion for teaching Teachers are passionate about their jobs, with 96 per cent of teachers finding their profession rewarding.

The report discovered: »» 9 6 per cent of teachers find teaching rewarding. »» 2 1 per cent of teachers considered leaving the profession. »» 4 9 per cent of teachers believe there is too much standardised testing (e.g. NAPLAN) at schools, while only three per cent believe there is too little. »» 4 8 per cent of educators feel stressed either ‘most of the time’ or ‘fairly often’ in a typical week. »» 7 4 per cent of teachers in faith based schools report their work-life balance in a typical week is less balanced than they would like.

96

%

of teachers find teaching very rewarding or rewarding.

ASG-ACE Teachers’ Report Card 2017

with 49 per cent believing there is too much standardised testing at schools. Fifty five per cent of teachers said the current forms of testing learning outcomes was ‘effective’ or ‘very effective’ with 45 per cent saying it was ‘ineffective’ or ‘very ineffective’. The research also revealed 56 per cent of teachers believe the focus at their school is on standardised testing rather than supporting student development (44 per cent).

The role of technology in the classroom

The parent teacher partnership

The use of technology has been an important talking point in education circles with 84 per cent of teachers agreeing technology enhances learning.

We know that parents and teachers need to work together for the child’s benefit, but how do teachers rate this partnership? About 80 cent of teachers believe the level of engagement is ‘about right’; 10 per cent believe it is ‘too little’, and nine per cent believe it is ‘too much’.

Ninety per cent of government school teachers believe the increasing use of technology has either ‘significantly enhanced’ or ‘enhanced’ learning outcomes in the classroom, compared to 84 per cent of private school teachers.

Dealing with disruptive classroom behaviour Ninety six per cent of teachers believe they ‘adequately’ or ‘more than adequately’ deal with disruptive behaviour in class. While teachers acknowledge they play an important role in managing students’ behaviour in the classroom, 64 per cent of teachers believe the responsibility for students’ behaviours rests with parents.

To test or not to test ‘How much is too much’ when we talk about standardised testing in schools? Opinions among the teachers are varied

One in five

teachers

have considered

leaving the

profession in the past three months. ASG-ACE Teachers’ Report Card 2017

What is the future of education? Teachers agree technology is the way of the future. When asked about the biggest shifts in education over the next decade, teachers ranked technology the highest. Teachers also rank strong communication, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and relationship building, and adaptability as critical skills for students to develop. The good news is 90 per cent of teachers are either ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ in their teaching ability to meet the demands in the classroom of the future.

49 3% %

of educators believe there is too much standardised testing (e.g. NAPLAN) at schools, while ... of teachers surveyed believe there is too little.

ASG-ACE Teachers’ Report Card 2017


F EAT URE

Equipping students for jobs of the future Employment opportunities for our kids are rapidly evolving. So how can we equip our kids now for jobs of the future?

Basic competences Students need a base level of literacy and numeracy to be able to maintain employment. This needs to be incorporated in all learning areas as well as explicit teaching of the skills, says Pam. Christian agrees. “By focusing on these areas we are able to build students’ ability to learn, think critically, and be curious problem solvers, which will always be prerequisites for jobs in the future.”

“

F

or me, it is not just ‘jobs of the future’ but work and workforces of the future,” says Shailesh Panday, Managing Director, Accenture Technology. “Like many other transformative technologies before it, artificial intelligence (AI) will certainly change the role that humans play in some types of jobs,” Shailesh says. “But more importantly it will create many new types of roles and it will need a workforce with new types of skills. “Accenture and World Economic Forum (WEF) analysis of the future of work shows that in two thirds of the cases technology will augment the worker and create new roles. Often people only think of AI as boosting growth by substituting humans, but huge value is going to come from new goods, services and innovations that AI will enable.” Accenture has also found that AI has the potential to double the annual economic growth rates in the surveyed countries. In fact, AI may be a remedy for slowing growth that we have seen in developed countries in recent years. “Future job opportunities for current students will continue to change in type,” says Pam Lane from the Department of Education, “and this is a conversation teachers and schools need to have with both students and parents on a continual basis.” Christian Williams, STEM leader in Catholic education agrees. “The world is going to be a completely different place in 10 years so we need to redefine the way we talk about jobs and our economy.” ASG member, Rupa Ganguly works in a global ICT supply chain and is the mother


of two children—11 and four. “Giving kids insights of the past and how things have evolved, helps to future proof them. They need to adapt to being in pace with the changes of the world.”

Skills needed Below are the key skills for future employment: Collaboration – ability to work in cross-skilled teams across boundaries Intellectual curiosity – the drive to constantly learn Creativity – always searching for innovative solutions to common problems New ways of thinking – that help you come up with new and creative solutions. Shailesh says, “The future landscape will be a more liquid adaptive workforce. People will move across horizontal cross-skilled project teams, banding and disbanding based on needs. Many will be freelancers who will thrive in the ‘gig-economy’ enabled by digital marketplaces. Others will be working across organisation boundaries in what we call ‘digital ecosystems’ in a truly collaborative way.” Andrew Staite, Chairman SHK Asia Pacific, says, “As the world gets ever more interconnected, the need for excellent clear thinking and communication skills becomes ever more important. “Similarly, the capacity to engage intelligently with others to reach great outcomes for organisations becomes more important. Focus on how you engage with others, and be open to possibilities. Perhaps start to think about the industries that are likely to keep growing and consider what sort of roles they will likely need to fill in the future.”

“Kids need to broaden their learning horizon to other widely spoken languages around the world,” says Rupa, “so in the future they don’t restrict themselves in a particular field or geographic location.” Shailesh is a big believer in all round development and multi-dimensional skills. “When I interview candidates for graduate roles—in addition to their academic achievements—I look for what they have done outside of their core curricular activities, for example volunteering and fundraising, community involvement, and part-time work experience—particularly in customer facing situations.” In terms of specific subjects, Shailesh encourages students to study at least one subject, which has some elements of coding or programming. “Coding teaches you application of logic, structured thinking and problem solving. Nowadays there are good tools and platforms (e.g. Code academy, Lego Mindstorms, Scratch etc.) that enable you to learn coding in a fun and engaging way. As they say, Coding is the new Latin!”

Social-emotional intelligence is crucial Employers today are using EQ testing as part of the selection process for applicants when advertising positions. As a teacher of 12-16 year old students, Pam has found that the explosive increase in daily technology use has resulted in less development of some emotional intelligence skills. “Students find it challenging to hold face to face conversations with peers from different age groups and are fearful of holding a conversation with older adults,” she says. “Our education system has focused on giving students the knowledge to

prepare them to solve potential problems,” Christian says. “When we give students the opportunity to solve problems to help others right now, we are giving them the skills and experience to solve their own problems. This ability to problem solve creatively and empathetically is something everyone needs to master to experience success in any future career.” For Shailesh the whole “learning experience” at university or TAFE is a very important part of higher education— immaterial of the degree students pursue. Along with technical skills, students learn about working effectively in teams and problem solving; building a strong network of peers; and discovering what they like and are particularly good at. “Many jobs will be replaced by technology, but human skills such as critical thinking, complex analysis, social interactions, emotional connections etc. cannot be replaced by technology. Increasingly these skills will be more important in the workplaces of the future.” “The focus on EQ will increase in the future as this is something machines cannot do,” says Rupa. Social emotional skills for students include: »» u nderstanding emotional strengths and areas needing development »» controlling emotions »» communication, particularly as a team member »» empathy and support for others »» flexibility and resilience »» developing relationships »» building clear thinking and evaluation capacity »» prioritisation, motivation, organisation and discernment.

“Focus on building levels of emotional intelligence and capacity for critical (clear) thinking,” says Andrew. “Those able to critically evaluate situations and engage and influence others effectively tend to do better than those who don’t in the long run. Technologies may change, but the need for exceptional communication skills and the capacity to intelligently engage with others in a sophisticated way will not go away.”

Join now and receive

7.5%* off private health insurance.

Summing up Pam Lane says, “For young people to have the best chance of success in the future job arena, parents and teachers need to expose them to tasks that require flexibility and transferability of skills. It should also include real world/ business exposure as this is most important.” Christian advocates EQ. “Emotional Intelligence, hands down, drop the mic! Research has proven children who develop emotional intelligence skills are happier, healthier, kinder and more successful.” Rupa will encourage her children to be practical, organised, self-disciplined and self-motivated. “Empower them with decision making capability from a young age so that they are not hesitant to take decisions while in the job.”

When you join MediGUARD Health Cover with Australian Unity you can start claiming immediately on many extras including general dental, optical, physio and remedial massage.# Not only that, if you switch from another health fund we’ll recognise the waiting periods you’ve already served on similar levels of cover. To take advantage of this exclusive offer, call us on 1300 302 422 or visit www.australianunity.com.au/healthinsurance/affiliate/mediguard

“My suggestion to parents is to embrace technology,” Shailesh says. “Learn it, use it, and advocate for it—focussing on its positive benefits to society and the world at large. This will help us bring up the next generation of ‘digital natives’ in society who will carry the flag forward—who will drive the next generation of technological advances for a better world.” Andrew says to foster strong values. “Encourage your children and teach them how to handle setbacks. While the technologies in the workplace may change, much stays the same.”

More information »» Which school works best for your child’s future? Compare the right school at: schoolcompare.com.au »» The Educator: an experiment with innovation: www.educatoronline.com.au/news/ (Search for an experiment with innovation) »» hbr.org/2016/03/work-in-the-future-will-fall-into-these-4-categories »» www.mckinsey.com/ (Search for jobs of the future)

* 7.5% discount is inclusive of all other retail discounts and when payment is made by direct debit. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discounts. Excludes Overseas Visitors Cover. #

Some conditions and waiting periods apply.

Australian Unity Health Limited ABN 13 078 722 568. 114 Albert Road, South Melbourne VIC 3205

»» YouTube Channel: Crash Course Kids


C A REER

Danielle Chand Bachelor of Business (Human Resources Management)

D

anielle Chand is in her final year of a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources Management) degree at the University of Sunshine Coast. After completing her Year 12, Danielle enrolled in a Bachelor of Business degree with a view to change to another course if she didn't enjoy the subject. However, after completing her first semester Danielle realised human resources management (HRM) was what she wanted to pursue. “My curiosity in how new employees are recruited helped me make up my mind,” she says. Danielle’s degree is helping her learn how the industry works and so far she has learnt about employment and industrial laws and analysing case studies. This has helped her make

recommendations to an organisation on how to effectively manage human resources. She has also learnt about employment contracts, awards, and unfair and unlawful dismissals. “I successfully completed a program for a company, where I created a training module for an employee with the supervisor’s permission. It was very exciting,” Danielle says.

After completing her degree, Danielle would like to work in the recruitment industry—specialising in staffing and remuneration. She would also like to enhance her career prospects by studying for an MBA after working for a few years. Outside the world of HRM, Danielle relaxes by training in martial arts and Jui Jitsu.

There are no prerequisite subjects Danielle had to study at school except for English. However, “I did a law subject, which has given me the necessary skills to write down legal industrial relations documents. "HRM as a career helps you to understand the management and leadership theory, and how you can effectively implement it in an organisation to make improvements and enhance productivity.”

Andrew Kirkby Andrew Kirkby, Resourcing Business Partner, has been with ASG for more than two years.

A

ndrew completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Human Resources Management and has been working in human resources (HR) for more than 12 years. Before joining ASG, Andrew worked with HJ Heinz, Crown, and THQ (an American video game developer). Andrew chose to work in HR because, “I like working closely with people and partnering with the business to produce great outcomes. I enjoy making a difference to an organisation’s success by attracting the best talent.” In his role, Andrew has found people who have gone on to be high achievers. “This makes me very happy—seeing someone become an important part of the team.”


Combining theoretical knowledge with practical day to day isn’t successful all the time. There are a set of best practices in HR, but what is proactive in one organisation, won’t necessarily work in another. “So you have to be both book smart and street smart, and be able to balance both,” Andrew says. “Have a flexible approach to be more effective and still get the information you need.” There are a few different areas of HR: »» H R generalist: opportunity to work in different areas of business, making the job challenging, different and interesting. »» Payroll: payment of employees »» T raining and development: ongoing staff training »» T alent acquisition: attracting and hiring skilled employees

Andrew enjoys his current position because it is very outward looking. “I talk to people from different backgrounds and levels outside of ASG. I get a strong understanding of people’s work history, aspirations and development needs. No two days are the same and I look forward to each day.” When not hiring employees for ASG, Andrew watches Netflix, skis, and has completed his first trial marathon. “My wife is an amazing baker and I am the in-house taster. This helps me burn the calories. “I also play Fifa and if you want a game and an easy win, my profile name is skikirbs.” More: https://www.ahri.com.au/assist/ the-hr-profession

C A REER

Q&A with Andrew Staite As the chairman of SHK Asia Pacific—a specialist retained search firm focussed on senior executives—Andrew Staite provides strategic counsel and support to business and its leaders.

Tell us about yourself After finishing school I completed Law and Arts degrees at The University of Melbourne. I never particularly enjoyed the law studies. After completing my Articles—which is effectively a year where you transition into paid employment in law—I resigned and worked for the Melbourne Theatre Company, Victoria State Opera, and Opera Australia in marketing type roles. In 1997 I recruited a candidate into Opera Australia using the services of Morgan & Banks, an executive recruitment firm. I realised through that experience that I wanted to join Morgan & Banks. After an exhaustive recruitment and assessment process, I joined Morgan & Banks as a consultant where I recruited candidates in the communications and PR fields. I remained with Morgan & Banks and its successor companies for 10 years, ending up leading that business across Australia and New Zealand. In 2007 I founded SHK Asia Pacific, which provides executive search and executive outplacement services. In my current role I provide strategic support to an incredible team of professionals.

Why did you choose this career? I knew a career in law was going to be too narrow for me. When I stumbled into the world of recruitment I felt I had come home. People came from diverse professional backgrounds but were united by a common interest in people.

I am energised by working to help others, and the recruitment industry provides excellent opportunities to change people’s careers (and lives).

What makes your career special? On reflection, I am pleased I had the courage of my convictions in my 20s to step away from a career in law.

What do you like about your career? I have been privileged to have met many inspiring people through my career. I have interviewed people and heard their stories, which has been a real pleasure. I have helped candidates to secure great jobs, and helped organisations to find great people to lead their businesses. All this is tremendously rewarding.

What is the one aspect that you don’t like about your career? I struggle to think of anything that I really don’t like. My philosophy is to always strive to help others and to align my work to be able to achieve this goal.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt and would like to share? Be bold and have the courage not to fear career change. Start with a career plan because a plan helps to align your passions and interests with appropriate jobs. It also gives you a framework and the confidence to network in a focused way with potential employers.

Are there any specific subjects students should take if they are interested in this career? Great recruiters often have diverse professional work experience already— ideally combined with tertiary qualifications. Recruiters tend to have exceptionally welldeveloped communication skills, an innate interest in people and their motivations, as well as proven capacity to network. Conscientiousness to deliver for candidates and clients is also incredibly important.

What advice would you give to students looking to do this career? Great recruiters are very skilled at assessing candidates to find the most aligned capabilities. As a result, if you are keen to become a recruiter, you need to ensure you are spot on in your engagement with the recruitment firms you are targeting. Write a compelling cover letter and attach your resume. Ensure the documents you email are personalised, well written and free of mistakes. Follow up your email with a call. Recruiters are impressed when they encounter someone who is poised, confident, and demonstrates initiative.

What are the job opportunities? Most executive search firms find it hard to identify suitable candidates for their business. The expectations are high, and many candidates fall short of the mark. If you have what it takes, there are excellent opportunities.

Entry requirements Bachelor of Business (Human Resources Management) Flinders University Course length: Three years Guaranteed ATAR (2017): 75.00 TAFELink: Certificate 4 or above More: www.flinders.edu.au/courses/undergrad/bbushr/ University of Canberra Course length: Six semesters full time or equivalent. ATAR (2017): 70 More: [email protected] Phone: 1800 UNI CAN (1800 864 226)

University of Canterbury Entry scores: a student must pass courses having a minimum total value of 360 points More: www.bsec.canterbury.ac.nz/documents/majors/bcom-hr-2016.pdf The University of Waikato Course length: Four years Points: 480 More: www.waikato.ac.nz/study/qualifications/bachelor-of-management-studies


An education savings plan for your next career move With the employment landscape rapidly changing, the jobs we have today may not exist tomorrow. At ASG we believe that everyone should have access to a good education and the opportunity to explore and nurture their interests and talents. Investing in education as a lifelong experience gives you the ability to adapt to emerging trends, build on your skills to stand out from the crowd, increase your earning potential and have access to greater lifestyle choices. Available to Australian residents only, ASG’s Lifelong Education Fund allows you to save for the cost of further education—whether it is the opportunity to upskill, retrain to forge a new career, or simply expand your horizons. Whether it be for yourself or your children, ASG’s Lifelong Education Fund allows you greater flexibility and freedom when planning the next stage of the education journey. The fund: » covers university, TAFE, vocational courses and apprenticeships » offsets education costs or your living expenses while you study » supports full-time and part-time studies.

For more information of ASG’s Lifelong Education Fund: Call 131 ASG (131 274) to speak with an ASG Education Planning Consultant or to arrange a face-to-face appointment Visit asg.com.au/lifelong-education-fund

Please read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to consider which education fund product is right for you - available at asg.com.au/pds or call 131 ASG (131 274). Australian Scholarships Group Friendly Society Limited. ABN 21 087 648 879, AFSL No:236665 Registered Office 23-35 Hanover Street Oakleigh Victoria 3166.