ALUMNI NEWS

Tanja Dunat Timms

Ourschool Alumni Program Manager

 

One size does not fit all when it comes to approaches to secondary school, study, and pathway choices. This was highlighted during a recent Q&A involving a panel of NGSC alumni.

Thank you, Isabel Andrews (class of 2021), Angela Bijimba (class of 2018), Kaleb Ludlow (class of 2015), Paul Hassan (class of 2019), and Mehdi Nazari (class of 2020), for attending the Year 12 camp at Ballarat to participate in a Q&A focused on your experiences at NGSC and beyond. 

The stories shared by our alumni panelists was appreciated by so many of our students. I was taken aback and so proud of the Year 12s who took the opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A, whilst also chatting with, and personally thanking, our alumni at the conclusion of the session. 

Isabel Andrews was quick to accept my invitation to be on the Q&A panel. Fresh out of Year 12, Isabel felt as though she had so much to share regarding her Year 12 experience as a VCAL student. A VCAL advocate, Isabel challenged some of the misconceptions associated with VCAL. She also spoke of the skills she developed, and the opportunities she accepted, which ultimately led her to where she is now. Her message was clear: Give everything a go! 

Isabel was accepted into an Associate Degree at Deakin University in 2022 which she has decided to defer. Instead, Isabel has accepted a full-time position working as a Teacher’s Aide at Ashby Primary School.

Like Isabel, Angela Bijimba has also made the most of opportunities presented. As the NGSC 2018 College Captain, Angela has continued to take on leadership roles during her time at university as a student mentor and residence leader whilst also volunteering in in her spare time.

Angela has just completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences at Federation University and will be completing her masters in 2022, whilst also preparing to sit the GAMSAT exam (entry into Medicine).

Kaleb Ludlow and Paul Hassan both admitted to being ‘cheeky’ students, however, have both gone on to work in areas of interest to them. Kaleb completed a Bachelor of Film at SAE and is now working at a Geelong-based media marketing company, Red Onion Creative, whilst Paul is an Apprentice Heavy Diesel Mechanic at William Adams CAT. 

Kaleb spoke about taking his time to get to where he is now, which included overseas travel, and Paul shared his experiences transitioning from secondary school (where he finished halfway through Year 11) to full-time work. It was a rude awakening; however, it is something Paul has zero regrets about and has now adjusted to.

Lastly, Mehdi Nazari, also a past VCAL student, shared with students the advice his parents gave him which was to finish his secondary school studies before entering the workforce. Mehdi did this and is now working for his family’s panel beating business which he is very proud of. 

If you are a past student of NGSC and have not yet been in touch, please email the alumni program manager (Tanja Dunat Timms): alumni@ngsc.com.au