LEARNING AT KOLBE. FUTURE READY.
Kolbe Pathways
At Kolbe, we offer a variety of opportunity pathways designed to set our students up for success in a future that is both exciting and constantly changing. We know there is no one size fits all when it comes to education, which is why our pathways create opportunities that are individually tailored to each student’s strengths, abilities and preferences.
Our pathways are guided by the Kolbe Way. We challenge our students to have the courage to stand up, step forward and take responsibility for their own success. Kolbe senior students should set themselves high standards, work hard to achieve personal excellence, and continually strive to reach their goals.
Kolbe’s Pathways Team walks alongside our students and their families, guiding them through their journey and creating career opportunities for our young people. Students are also encouraged to walk alongside their peers, supporting and inspiring each other to be the best they can be.
Our staff are constantly networking to maintain and build new partnerships that enhance learning opportunities. Whether our students plan to go to university, TAFE or directly into the workforce, our Pathways Team is committed to supporting them and preparing them for a bright future.
There are two overarching pathways: University and Industry & Enterprise. Each overarching pathway contains three unique paths that help to personalise the journey for each student.
UNIVERSITY
University Pathway students are offered opportunities tailored to their academic strengths. As a result of the relationships our College has built with Curtin University, Murdoch University and University of Notre Dame, Kolbe students will have access to university preparation courses. In addition, they will also be afforded bonus ATAR points for various universities.
INDUSTRY & ENTERPRISE
Kolbe has developed strong relationships with a number of industry partners, including Kwinana Industries Council (KIC), South Metropolitan TAFE and AllSpec Engineering. We are also part of the Peron Alliance Curriculum and Teaching (PACT), which offers our students preferred access to a range of vocational qualifications at the Peron Trade Training Centres in the Rockingham and Kwinana regions. Through these partnerships students can engage in industry-specific courses that support their future careers.
There are three branches to our University Pathway:
UniReady Path (Available to Year 12 students who wish to gain entry to university without completing a full ATAR load)
Students taking the UniReady Path will:
- have the option of completing:
- Curtin UniReady by undertaking five courses from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) and Certificate offerings
- or the Murdoch Uni TLC Program by undertaking six courses from the SCSA and Certificate offerings;
- be granted an ATAR equivalent of 70 upon successful completion of Curtin UniReady or the Murdoch Uni TLC Program;
- be eligible to access Vocational Education and Training Delivered to Secondary Students (VETDSS).
ATAR Path (Available to Year 11 and 12 students who plan to choose between four and six ATAR courses).
Students taking the ATAR Path will:
- be eligible for bonus ATAR points from various universities;
- have access to quality ATAR learning resources;
- receive tailored support in submitting applications for early offers to public universities.
ATAR Edge Path (Available to Year 12 students who achieved a high predicted ATAR at the end of Year 11 and plan to continue studying at least four ATAR courses in Year 12)
Students taking the ATAR Edge Path will:
- undertake five courses from the SCSA and Certificate offerings, at least four at ATAR level;
- be eligible for bonus ATAR points from various universities;
- have a timetabled independent study line to help them achieve their full potential;
- have access to the Curtin UniReady Academic Writing Unit, which will help them develop the high-end writing skills required of university students;
- have access to recognised Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) or Service Learning opportunities;
- receive tailored support in submitting applications for university scholarships and early offers.
There are three branches to our Industry & Enterprise Pathway:
General Path (Available to Year 11 and 12 students who wish to explore the broad educational opportunities across the general course offerings)
Students taking the General Path will:
- undertake six courses from the SCSA and Certificate offerings, including those from a range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools nationally recognised qualifications, auspiced through reputable Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and delivered by VET-qualified Kolbe teachers;
- have access to Kolbe’s Specialist Programs in Year 12;
- complete a Certificate I in Workplace Skills in Year 11, which will be delivered in two two-week intensive learning blocks;
- complete a Certificate I in Employment Pathways, which will be delivered in one two-week and one one-week intensive learning blocks.
Work Path (Available to Year 11 and 12 students who are keen to explore work opportunities to discover their preferred career path)
Students taking the Work Path will:
- undertake six courses from the SCSA and Certificate offerings, including those from a range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools nationally recognised qualifications, auspiced through reputable Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and delivered by VET-qualified Kolbe teachers;
- have access to Kolbe’s Specialist Programs in Year 12;
- complete the SCSA-endorsed Authority Developed Work Place Learning (ADWPL) program, which will earn them valuable Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) credit.
Industry Path (Available to Year 11 and 12 students who have a passion and understanding of the industry they want to work in in the future)
Students taking the Industry Path will:
- undertake five courses from the SCSA and Certificate offerings;
- enrol in one of the VETDSS courses offered by TAFE or one of the Fee For Service courses (when a clear industry pathway is the focus);
- have a timetabled Futures class in which they will receive support from Kolbe staff to stay on top of their academic load and to secure a host for workplace learning;
- complete the SCSA-endorsed Authority Developed Work Place Learning (ADWPL) program, which will earn them valuable Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) credit.
Kolbe’s Specialist Programs offer exciting and enriching opportunities for students to follow their passions and talents. The programs are designed to give students experience in areas beyond what is usually provided within a school environment and are specifically tailored to each student’s needs and wants.
Each program runs in conjunction with a number of ATAR or general courses at Kolbe. Students select five regular courses, leaving approximately five hours per week for specialist learning time. Each program is individually catered to the student, who works with the Head of Learning to build a program that provides them with in-depth and specialised opportunities.
Specialist Programs on offer are:
- Music
- Dance
- Visual Art
- Media Art
- Design & Technology
- Digital Technology
- Sport
Students pursuing a Specialist Pathway can continue to take advantage of the wide breadth of opportunities Kolbe has to offer. They are encouraged to strive for excellence in pursuit of achieving their WACE, and as well as having access to the extensive extra-curricular programs Kolbe has to offer, they will continue to access the College’s high-quality pastoral care and wellbeing programs.
The process of finding the right pathway for every student begins in Year 10. The Kolbe Pathways Team prepares students for senior school subject selections by encouraging them to consider their strengths, interests and capabilities. They are challenged to look closely at different careers and industries during the Future Pathways Day.
Following this, students and their parents are required to attend the Parent Information Evening, which is an opportunity to learn about the Kolbe Pathways and ask questions. We find this event triggers conversations between students and parents about the future and the path the students want to take. For more information about the subject selection process, subject prerequisites, and Year 11 and 12 course information, visit Kolbe Course Central.
Once students have received their subject recommendations, students and their parents are invited to a one-on-one subject selection session with an experienced Kolbe Course Advisor. In this session, students will choose their Kolbe Pathway and their subjects for Year 11. This process is repeated the following year, where students can adjust their pathway and subjects if desired for Year 12.
