Pathways
It's been such an exciting time in Partnerships and Pathways in the last month - an absolutely extraordinary few weeks!
A group of our senior students attended the Year 12 Fast Forward Conference at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta South Campus. The “Beyond Year 12” event featured motivating speakers and interactive workshops that encouraged students to reflect on their future study and career pathways while building confidence about life after school. Thanks WSU for providing another valuable opportunity to support our students as they prepare for their next chapter.
Our week-long celebration of International Women's Day provided students with a range of inspiring, real-world learning experiences highlighting leadership, innovation and future career pathways for women. Year 10 iSTEM students attended the Cool Aeronautics “Girls Engineering the Skies” aviation networking event at Western Sydney International Airport, where they toured the new airport, met female professionals from QANTAS and completed a hands-on aeronautical design challenge. Students also engaged with industry leaders at the Western Sydney Innovation Connect: Women x Industry Summit, participated in a leadership workshop at IBM through a partnership with Crazy Ideas College, and balanced the scales of injustice through meaningful homeroom initiatives and donations for The Haven – Nepean Women's Shelter. Throughout the week, our students reflected on how they can help create a more just and equal future, culminating with our College proudly represented at the Business Western Sydney International Women’s Day Luncheon where Prue Car, Deputy Premier of New South Wales and a distinguished Alumnae, shared her powerful story and met with Principal Mrs Cairns and our Year 12 Captains. Here’s a video summary of the week that was.
Students with a passion for STEM took part in two exciting industry experiences designed to broaden their understanding of future technology careers. Year 10 iSTEM students attended the UTS Startups Summit at the International Convention Centre Sydney, where they heard from young entrepreneurs, explored emerging technologies including AI and discovered how innovation and entrepreneurship are shaping future industries. Year 9 and 10 students also joined peers from across Sydney, at the ACS Foundation Big Day In hosted by University of Technology Sydney, hearing from leading organisations such as Google, Microsoft and the Australian Defence Force about careers in the rapidly evolving tech world. These valuable experiences help inspire our students to explore the many possibilities available in STEM as they consider their future pathways.
In today’s Pathways and Careers Wellbeing lesson, students explored the concept of their personal brand — reflecting on how others perceive them and how they can clearly communicate their strengths, skills and values. Abby and Vera from Year 10 MacKillop shared their learning and confidently delivered impressive elevator pitches describing their own personal brands. A big thank you to our partner organisation, Study Work Grow, for the resources and inspiration that helped shape this valuable lesson.
Our Lunch & Learn Guest Speaker Series has kicked off the year with inspiring insights into exciting career pathways across diverse industries. Students explored the world of 3D animation, game design, film and VFX through a fascinating session with Emily from Academy of Interactive Entertainment, discovering the many study options and careers available in this dynamic field. We also welcomed back Michael Basan from SEDA Group alongside Alumnae Georgia Calderwood, who shared how the Dual Diploma Program in Sport and Business can open doors to industry opportunities with organisations such as Netball NSW. Our latest session also gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the diverse career pathways within the Australian Federal Police, which highlighted roles across policing, intelligence, forensics and criminology. These engaging sessions continue to motivate students to explore their passions and better understand the many pathways available as they begin planning their futures. Thank you to all our generous guest speakers!
Coming up in our Lunch & Learn Guest Speaker Series: Discover WSU (25 March) with Alumnae Ana; Nine Media (Business Marketing) Careers (26 March) with Alumnae Emma; and Outdoors NSW Careers (1 April).
Don’t miss our latest Minute with a Mentor featuring Kristen Palfreeman - Class of 2021 and her discussion about careers and pathways in Interior Design.
Mr Adam MacNamara
Partnerships and Pathways Coach
