Teaching and Learning

Vocational Mentoring Exchange industry visits

In Term 2, Coburg students participated in the Vocational Mentoring Exchange (VME) program, which is facilitated by the INLLEN. BYCS has been participating in the VME for several years now. The program provides students, for an entire term, to adult mentors who work in industry and meet weekly with students to provide advice and support alongside the teaching and learning program provided by the school. As part of the program, students spend an entire day touring various industry workplaces to gain insight into contemporary industry work environments. 

Year 10 Work Experience

As part of this semester’s Careers Program, our students have engaged in a variety of valuable experiences, including Morrisby Testing, Structured Workplace Learning, Work Experience, and the Vocational Mentoring Exchange.

Our Year 10 cohort took part in Work Experience—a program designed to help students develop key employability skills, explore potential career pathways, and gain insight into workplace expectations.

Students secured placements across a diverse range of industries, including locksmithing, animal care, trade sites, radio, retail, hospitality, and a hardware store.

We are pleased to share that the feedback from employers has been positive, with many commending our students for their reliability, initiative, and strong work ethic.

Here’s what some employers had to say:

• “One of the best students we’ve had and believes they will excel in a locksmith apprenticeship.”
• “He went very well, got to learn a lot about what we do here, and even had the opportunity to attend an Electronic Vehicle expo during setup.”

One standout moment came during a placement visit when student Bethany was offered casual employment at Smarty Pantz Dog Training.

Immigration Museum Excursion

In the 7/8 Community classes this past term, students explored and developed their intercultural awareness and capabilities. They investigated the benefits and challenges of living and working in a culturally diverse society and an interconnected and culturally diverse world. As part of their studies, students visited the Immigration Museum, housed in the old Melbourne Customs House, on Flinders Street. 

Mitch, in Year 8, wrote the following account of the excursion: 

There were people who talked different languages, not real people but what they would sound like. There were games and movies from way back before I was born, all in a small room. On TV there was a person that was racist and making fun of the people on a bus, not a real bus. The four people explained what they thought.

There was a room with a pillar in the middle that had different shapes and you had to scan them on a phone with a barcode. After you scanned it you saw bugs on the wall and pointing the phone at the bug transformed it into a weird bug but it was still cool. In another room there were paintings of mythical creatures that told the story about it.

In the next room was a big board with lots of different people that had written on sticky notes about tough times that have happened to them or about them loving their family and the best time they have had in their life. 

In the next room there was a big TV. I didn't watch it but what interested me the most in the room was guns from the war and what their wartime water bottles looked like. 

by Mitch (Year 8)

Attitude to School Survey

In Term 2, students undertook the Attitude to School Survey. This annual survey provides the school with invaluable feedback regarding students' sense of safety, wellbeing and perceptions of themselves as learners, as well as the teaching and learning program more broadly. As always, we look forward to using the feedback from this survey to identify areas for improvement across the school. With the establishment of a Student Representative Council this year, we will work with student leaders to look at the data from the Attitude to School Survey to better target initiatives at BYCS. 

Student Showcase

On the final Wednesday of the semester, the school community came together to celebrate its young people's talents.