ISSN 2200-6729

SUCCESS IN YEAR 12
AND BEYOND
December 2013

WHATS INSIDE
Well done you made it!
How to make the most of your QCE
Your results: Fast facts
Your OP and FP questions answered
Tertiary study offers dont miss out!
Student profiles

DECEMBER 2013

WELL DONE YOU MADE IT!

Congratulations on finishing Year 12. Most of you will have
achieved a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) the
formal qualification that recognises and celebrates your
senior schooling achievements. Find out how you can make
the most of your qualification on page 4.
If you missed out on a QCE this year, dont be disheartened.
You can keep working towards one for seven years after
completing Year 12. Find out how to get your QCE after
youve left school (page 8), and be inspired by Andrew
Taubmans journey to a QCE on page 9.

If youre heading to TAFE or university, Emma Boccari

(page 3) and Jessica Kraak (page 13) have some useful
tips.
Thinking about taking a year off? Zak McDonald highly
recommends the experience. Read about his gap year
volunteering in Vanuatu on page 15.
Whatever your work, further education or training
pathway, we hope you find the articles and information
in this issue of Student Connect magazine useful.
Good luck and best wishes for the future.

Got a question about your results? Weve included answers

to frequently asked questions on pages 67 and 1011.
On page 14, we flag key dates relating to tertiary entrance.
Make a note of these crucial deadlines to be sure you dont
miss out on a tertiary study offer for 2014.
Next year, you might be continuing the vocational education
and training (VET) you started at school. Donald Marous
story (page 5) is a fantastic example of where a schoolbased apprenticeship can take you.

Queensland Studies Authority (QSA)

www.studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au
www.qsa.qld.edu.au
154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
PO Box 307, Spring Hill QLD 4004

iPAD MINI WINNERS

Thanks to everyone who took part in QSAs online survey
of Year 12 students. Your feedback will help to improve
QSAs future communications with students.
All Year 12 students who logged into their learning
account and completed the survey between 1 June and
31 August were automatically entered into the draw to
win one of three iPad minis. The winners were selected
at random and notified in September.
The lucky prize winners were:
Brodie Jones North Lakes State College
(pictured left)
Alex Howell St Teresas Catholic College
Samantha Kelly Cannon Hill Anglican College.

PAGE 2

QSA

A TASTE FOR HOSPITALITY

For Emma Boccari, moving out of home and to a new city
has enabled her to excel in her chosen field of hospitality
and tourism.
On finishing Year 12 last year, the former St Josephs
School student moved from Stanthorpe to Brisbane after
winning a scholarship to study at the Southbank Institute
of Technology.
Emma says: I wasnt sure what I was going to do after
school until I won the scholarship. Then I decided to work
towards a diploma. Now, I feel like its the best decision I
ever made. I love the hospitality and tourism industry.
This year, Emma has successfully combined full-time
study with part-time work and completed her diploma in
record time thanks to the Certificate III she completed
as a school-based trainee at the Queensland College of
Wine Tourism.
Emma found balancing work and study was manageable
as long as she didnt leave everything until the last
minute.
In recognition of her hard work and outstanding skills
in the classroom, Emma won a further two awards this
year to add to her list of achievements an Australian
Vocational Student Prize, and a place on the prestigious
Disney International Internship Program.
Despite her outstanding academic success, Emma says
shes definitely not doing any more study!

Emma Boccari, 18
St Josephs School, Stanthorpe
Subjects:

Instead she wants to travel.

English, Legal Studies, Maths B,

Business Communication and Technologies,
Physical Education, Study of Religion

Id love to be able to work around the world with my

skills, and hospitality is great for that. It can take you
anywhere.

Career goal: To own a restaurant or hotel

Advertisement

Who?
What?

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How?

You! All students who will complete Year 12 in 2013 in

Queensland will be contacted to take part in the survey.
The Next Step survey will ask you what you are doing after
you leave school this could be studying, working or
pursuing other interests.
Expect to be contacted by phone or mail. To enable us to
contact you, please ensure your details, including your home
phone and mobile numbers, are correct in your learning
account by logging into www.studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au

When?

March to June 2014

Why?

Your participation in the Next Step survey will help

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More info at www.education.qld.gov.au/nextstep

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PAGE 3

DECEMBER 2013

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST

OF YOUR QCE
Your QCE recognises and celebrates your senior schooling
achievements. It shows that you can work consistently
and to a high standard the type of qualities employers
are looking for.

International employers may look at your resume to see

if you achieved a senior schooling qualification equivalent
to the one offered in their country. Including your QCE and
Senior Statement in your resume, and adding a paragraph
explaining what the QCE is, may help you secure a job
interview.

Be proud of your QCE. Mention it in your resume and

show it off alongside your Senior Statement and if you
received an OP your Tertiary Entrance Statement, in a
portfolio of achievements.
Your resume is your greatest marketing tool. Use the
subjects you studied and the results you achieved (as
listed on your Senior Statement) to market yourself in
cover letters for job applications and in job interviews.

Using your QCE overseas

The QCE is an internationally recognised qualification. This
means the QCE is recognised by employers and education
institutions around the world as evidence that you have
successfully completed your senior schooling.

The path to success with The Bremer TAFE

The Bremer TAFE offers a world of opportunities to build skills
and set you on the path to success.
With more than 250 programs, ranging from
short courses to Advanced Diplomas, youll
gain the relevant skills and knowledge to be
job ready or get a great start on a pathway to
further study.

University credit
Studying with The Bremer TAFE is also a great
alternative pathway to university.
We have excellent credit arrangements with all
major Queensland universities. If you complete
a diploma or advanced diploma, universities
will welcome you directly into a wide variety
of their degree programs and theyll even give
you credit for the study youve completed.
This means you could skip the application
process with QTAC and jump straight into the
second year of university!

Improving your Tertiary

Entrance Rank
Studying at The Bremer TAFE will improve your
Tertiary Entrance Rank. The minimum Tertiary
Entrance Rank which may be awarded upon
successful completion of our programs is:
Diploma - Tertiary Entrance Rank of 82
(Approximately equivalent to an OP 10) or
Advanced Diploma - Tertiary Entrance Rank
of 91 (Approximately equivalent to an OP 6)

Enrol now
To find out more or to enrol in a program
contact our Customer Service Centre.

Phone us on 3817 3000 or email CustomerServiceCentre.TBIT@deta.qld.gov.au

PAGE 4

QSA

ON THE FAST TRACK

Hard work and commitment have been the key to
automotive apprentice Donalds Marous successful
transition from school-based apprentice to full-time
employee. But it was a twist of fate that determined his
career direction.
Donald says: In Year 10, I decided I wanted to do a trade.
I heard about Tec-NQ and applied for diesel fitting, but the
class was full. Automotive technology had space left, so I
chose that.
As luck would have it, Donald discovered he liked
automotive studies more than diesel fitting.
He says: Im really enjoying my automotive
apprenticeship. I love working with cars. Its a lot of fun.
Last year, Donald gained a QCE by combining school
subjects with trade training and a work placement at
Pickerings Auto Group in Townsville.
Described by his supervisor as an integral part of the
main workshop team, Donald is currently in the second
year of his apprenticeship, and studying to complete his
Certificate III in Automotive Technology through Tec-NQ.
He says: Doing a school-based apprenticeship means you
can go straight into your second year. You can achieve a
bit more at an earlier stage, which is great.

Donald Marou, 18
Tec-NQ, Townsville
Subjects:

English Communication, Prevocational

Mathematics, Certificate II in Business,
Certificate II in Workplace Practices,
Certificate II in Information Technology

Career goal: To complete his apprenticeship and

Certificate III in Automotive Technology

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PAGE 5

DECEMBER 2013

YOUR RESULTS:
FAST FACTS
Senior Statement
Your Senior Statement is a transcript of your learning
account. It shows your results for everything you studied
that contributes to the award of a QCE or Tertiary Entrance
Statement. This includes your subject results, VET results
and your QCS Test result.
Subject results:
Your subject results appear on your Senior Statement.
Schools assign levels of achievement and send the
results to the QSA. If you apply to have your OP and FPs
reviewed, we will ask your school to look over your results
again, but we wont reassess your work and we cant
change your schools decisions. If it turns out that an error
was made, we will correct it, issue you a new Senior
Statement (and Tertiary Entrance Statement if applicable),
and refund your application fee.
VET results:
Your results from courses studied through VET and other
non-school providers will only appear on your Senior
Statement if the provider recorded your learning on your
behalf before 29 November 2013.
If you believe some of your VET results are missing, you
should contact your school (if you were enrolled in VET
through your school) or the relevant registered training
organisation (if you completed a VET qualification through
an external provider). You then need to apply to get your
results checked.
If it turns out that your VET provider didnt accurately
record your results, we will send you a new Senior
Statement and refund your application fee. If you now
qualify for a QCE, we will post it to you as soon as the
situation is resolved.
QCS Test result:
Your Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test result (from A
to E) is also reported on your Senior Statement. If you
apply to have your QCS Test data verified, we will check
that we correctly scanned the mark sheets, entered your
results and calculated your grade. QSA wont re-mark your
QCS Test because it has already been graded by multiple
markers.

PAGE 6

Tertiary Entrance Statement

If youre OP-eligible, youll receive a Tertiary Entrance
Statement which provides information that is recognised
by tertiary providers in Queensland, interstate and
overseas.
OP and FP results:
Your Tertiary Entrance Statement will show your OPs and
FPs. These rankings are used to determine eligibility for
admission to tertiary courses.
If you apply to have your OP or FPs reviewed, we will
check the data and talk to your school. If we make any
changes, we will send you a new Tertiary Entrance
Statement and refund your application fee.
We cannot change your OP due to special circumstances
such as illness you should contact QTAC directly about
their Educational Access Scheme.

QSA

HOW TO GET YOUR

RESULTS CHECKED
To get your results or any of the information on your Senior
Statement, QCE or Tertiary Entrance Statement checked
you need to fill in the Application for verification or review of
information form the QSA sent with your results.
Send the completed form with the $45 application fee
to QSA at the address below before 5 pm on Monday 6
January 2014:
Queensland Studies Authority
PO Box 307, Spring Hill, QLD 4004
If an error is found, QSA will refund your application fee and
send you updated documents. We will also let QTAC know of
the error.
For more information read the Application for verification or
review of information form or contact the Student Connect
hotline on 1800 804 991.

PAGE 7

DECEMBER 2013

HOW TO GET A QCE

AFTER YEAR 12
Didnt get your QCE this year? Dont worry. You can keep
working towards one for up to seven years after you
complete Year 12.
To get a QCE, you must achieve 20 credits in a set pattern
at a set standard, and meet the literacy and numeracy
requirements. A minimum of 12 credits must come from
completed Core studies and at least 1 credit must come
from Core studies while you were enrolled at school.

Need more credits? Didnt meet

the completed Core requirement?
After youve left school, you can meet the literacy and
numeracy requirements for a QCE by:
completing the QSA approved short courses in literacy
and numeracy offered by Charters Towers School of
Distance Education. For more information, visit
https://chartowesde.eq.edu.au for more information.

PAGE 8

completing a Certificate I course in Literacy

and Numeracy offered by a Registered Training
Organisation (RTO). Visit www.training.gov.au for
details
sitting the QCS Test in September as a private-entry
candidate and getting at least a C on the test.

Get the credit

Remember to give your new learning provider your 10-digit
Learner Unique Identifier (LUI) when you enrol so they can
bank the credits you earn into your learning account on the
Student Connect website
(www.studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au).
Once youve met the requirements for a QCE, you will
receive your certificate and a Statement of Results in the
following July or December.

Want to know more?

For help planning your QCE pathway after Year 12, email
student.connect@qsa.qld.edu.au.

QSA

QCE THE FOUNDATION FOR

FURTHER STUDY
The road to a QCE has been a long one for Andrew
Taubman, but worth travelling.
Andrew received his QCE in July this year five years
after he began it.
He says: In 2008, I finished school halfway through
Year 11. I started an apprenticeship with Hutchinsons
Builders and was enrolled in a program that enabled me
to complete my senior studies and gain credits towards a
QCE.
For the first few years of my apprenticeship, I studied
English and Maths every Monday afternoon. That gave
me 8 credits towards my QCE. I got another 8 credits
by completing my apprenticeship and Certificate III in
Carpentry, and the last 4 credits from a Certificate II in Civil
Construction.
It was a long process but I got there in the end.
Currently a site foreman for Hutchinsons Fortescue Golf
Club Project in Western Australia, Andrew has worked on
a range of construction projects in Queensland and the
Northern Territory including residential apartments, retail
centres, retirement villages and warehouses.

Andrew Taubman, 23
St Edmunds College, Ipswich
Subjects:

English Communication, Prevocational

Mathematics, Course in Prevocational
Concreting and Steelfixing, Certificate II in
Civil Construction, Certificate III in Carpentry

Andrew says: Getting a QCE was really important to me

for getting work in the future and for further study. Its
helped me start my Diploma in Building and Construction,
which will help me get into universtiy if I choose to go
down that path in the future.

CRICOS Provider Number: 01595D

Career goals: To keep moving up the ranks in the

construction industry

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PAGE 9

DECEMBER 2013

YOUR OP AND FP
QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Got a question about your Overall Position (OP) or Field
Positions (FPs)? Here are answers to some commonly
asked questions.

Which subjects were used to

calculate my OP?
OP calculations take into account the results of your best
20 semester units of credit for your Authority subjects,
which will usually be your best five Authority subjects.
These were determined after your subject achievement
indicators (SAIs) were scaled, so they might not be the
subjects you expect.

Were some subjects worth more

than others?
No. All QSA subjects are treated equally in OP
calculations. A student can achieve a good OP with any
combination of Authority subjects.

I studied Maths B, so why didnt I get a

Field Position in Field D?
No one subject on its own makes you eligible for a
particular Field Position (FP). To be eligible for an FP in
a particular field you need to study a combination of
subjects that give you 60 weighted semester units in that
field. Maths B gives you only 20 weighted semester units
towards Field Position D.

I got a Certificate III/IV. Why didnt I

get a better OP?
VET certificates dont contribute to the calculation of your
OP. If you are OP-eligible and you complete a Certificate
III or IV, it will not be combined with your OP or boost
your OP. You will receive an OP based on your Authority
subjects and a separate QTAC Selection Rank for your VET
qualification. This rank is assigned by QTAC and may be
considered in addition to your OP.

PAGE 10

QSA

My friend and I both got five VHAs.

Why did we get different OPs?
Not all students awarded a Very High Achievement (VHA)
have performed at the same standard. Some students may
be ranked at the top of the VHA range, while others may
be doing just well enough to get a VHA. OPs are calculated
from Subject Achievement Indicators (SAIs), not levels of
achievement.

I was school dux. Why didnt I get the

highest OP at my school?
While being named dux at your school is a significant
achievement, it doesnt indicate your position in a statewide
rank order (like your OP does). Rather, it is an indication of
the way that your school sees your achievements in relation
to other students at your school. It is not unusual for the dux
of a school not to receive the highest OP.

I got five SAIs of 400. Why didnt I

get an OP1?
An SAI of 400 indicates that you are the highest achieving
student in a particular subject at your school. You may not
be the best student overall in the school, nor among the top
students in Queensland.

My school predicted I would get an OP2

but I only got an OP4. Why?
Your school doesnt have access to the precise information
needed to calculate your OP. Calculating OPs is a complex
process, and includes Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test
results and the results you get for each subject. Although
its important to have a realistic idea what OP you might
receive so you can make decisions about tertiary entrance,
OPs cannot be predicted ahead of time. Only QSA is able to
accurately calculate OPs.

Find out more

For more information about OPs and FPs, visit
www.studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au.

PAGE 11

DECEMBER 2013

NO OP? USE YOUR

QTAC SELECTION RANK
If you didnt get an OP, you may still be able to study at
university or TAFE in Queensland next year if you qualify
for a QTAC Selection Rank and meet the course entry
requirements.
QTAC Selection Ranks are calculated from schedules
developed by the QSA and QTAC. The schedules provide
ranks that are based on the best possible information
about how well a student did compared with all other OP
and OP-ineligible students.
You can find out your QTAC Selection Rank from 30
December 2013 via QTACs Current Applicant online
service (if you are a QTAC applicant) or by calling QTAC
on 1300 GO QTAC or 1300 467 822 (if you are not a QTAC
applicant). Visit www.qtac.edu.au for more information.
Note: A QTAC Selection Rank may not be recognised
in other states of Australia or overseas. Check with the
relevant admissions office before applying.

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QSA

FUTURE TEACHER TOP

OF HER CLASS
Many people think you need to study maths and science
subjects to get an OP1. In fact, its possible to get an
OP1 with any combination of subjects, as Jessica Kraak
proved last year.
Jessica studied English, Maths B, Geography, Ancient
History, Modern History and Drama in Year 12. A high
achiever in all her classes, Jessica received an OP1 and
was named dux of her school.
This year, Jessica started a Bachelor of Creative Arts/
Education (Secondary) at the University of Queensland.
Shes majoring in Drama and English her target
teaching areas once she graduates.
Teaching has been Jessicas top career choice for as long
as she can remember.
Jessica says: Ive wanted to be a teacher since primary
school. This desire increased as I got older and began to
really admire my teachers and view them as role models.
At high school, I realised the difference that wonderful,
passionate teachers can make and I wanted to be able to
give other kids the amazing education experience I was
lucky enough to have.
Jessica has great advice for students finishing Year 12
this year.
She says: Enjoy the time you get now to relax and value
the opportunities youll get next year.

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Springwood State High School
Subjects:

English, Maths B, Geography, Ancient History,

Modern History, Drama

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PAGE 13

DECEMBER 2013

TERTIARY STUDY OFFERS:

DONT MISS OUT
Now you know your results, follow these steps to give
yourself the best chance of getting into the course of your
choice:
Visit www.qtac.edu.au to find out whats changed
since the QTAC Guide to Tertiary Courses was
published.

N
ot offered a place? Check course cut-offs and, if
required, contact QTAC to find out why. Also check the
institution course vacancy lists on the QTAC website
at www.qtac.edu.au for possible further offers into
courses. You can then change your course preferences
and update your application in time for the 6 February
2014 offer round.

Let QTAC know if you have changed your residential

address or your email address.
C
hange or add to your course preferences using the
Current Applicant online service before 8 January 2014
to be eligible for the 16 January 2014 offer round.
O
n 16 January 2014, check the Current Applicant
online service to find out if you have received a tertiary
study offer.
I f you have received an offer, make sure you respond
via the Current Applicant online service by the
nominated date or you may lose your right to that and
further offers.

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QSA

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
The stresses and strains of Year 12 are a million miles
away from Zak McDonalds volunteer experience in
Vanuatu.
While Zaks friends headed to university and TAFE at
the start of the year, Zak worked to save money for his
international volunteer placement teaching grades 4, 5
and 6 at Lini Memorial School in North Pentecost, Vanuatu.
Time spent in Cambodia working on a humanitarian project
while at school ignited Zaks interest in travel.
Zak says: When I visited Cambodia, I realised I wanted to
engage with other cultures. Then I heard about Lattitude
Global Volunteering and found out I could volunteer as a
teacher in Vanuatu.
For Zak, the highlights of his volunteer experience have
been the time hes spent teaching, getting to know his
students, island life, the relaxing and beautiful scenery and
all the amazing people hes met.
He says: Im having the time of my life, and Id definitely
recommend the experience.
Everyone is always stressing about getting a good OP and
doing more study, but theres more to life.
You dont need to be in a hurry to get your studies done.
You can take time off and get some life experience. Its not
the destination, its the journey.
When he returns to Queensland, Zak plans to work before
starting university mid-2014.

Zak McDonald, 18
Maroochydore State High School
Subjects:

Marine Studies, English, Maths B, Ancient

History, Physical Education, Chemistry

Career goal: To finish university, travel and learn a new

language in another country

PAGE 15

DECEMBER 2013

WANT TO TALK ABOUT

YOUR RESULTS?
If you have a question about your QCE, Senior Statement,
Tertiary Entrance Statement or the results in your learning
account, you can call the Student Connect hotline.
The hotline number is 1800 804 991.
Hotline hours:
8:30 am 4.30 pm Monday 16 December to Friday
20 December
8:30 am 4:30 pm Monday 23 December
8:30 am 12:30 pm Tuesday 24 December
8:30 am 4.30 pm from Thursday 2 January 2014

PAGE 16

Our hotline staff can provide information and advice about:

accessing learning accounts
verifying or reviewing results
c hanging personal details on certificates and
statements
reissuing certificates and statements.
If you have a question about tertiary selection ranks,
bonus ranks or special consideration due to educational
disadvantage, you should contact QTAC.