PAST STUDENT PANEL
By Rachel Whitworth, Careers Advisor
Last week, our Year 12 students had the privilege of hearing from a diverse panel of alumni, each sharing their unique post-high school experiences. On the panel were an apprentice, a retail employee waiting to enter the police force, two university students and one alumni who has a place at university, but had recently returned from a GAP year at a Canadian summer camp.
The apprentice spoke about how they continued to learn at TAFE on a block release basis while continuing to gain practical skills in their trade, and the value of earning while learning.
The retail employee shared insights into the interpersonal and managerial skills developed through their role. They spoke about the challenges of applying for the police force but also the flexibility of working and not being restricted by study and timetables like their fellow student friends.
Our university students talked about how they had taken up courses but then changed their minds and how they had navigated the process to change within the university and how happy they were with their decisions to change. Both examples showed the flexibility of universities now to help students decide where they want to go with their studies.
One of our panel members, who is yet to take up her spot at university, talked about the lead up to her GAP Year experience and the preparation required in order to do that, including deferring her university place. We also had the pleasure of watching a short video of her time in Canada at the Camp and her travels afterwards.
Halfway through our Past Student Panel, which was held in the Restaurant, we were visited by our new Kinder children who were exploring various parts of the school. This was a poignant moment, reminding us that the youngest students are just starting out on their school adventure while our oldest students are coming to the end of that adventure and beginning to plan the next part of their career journey.
As we turned our attention back to the panel members, they gave some great pieces of advice given about coping with Year 12, like using time well but not forgetting to have good things in your life, seeking out the help of teachers, and leaning on your friends for support.
Three of our panel members had been on the inaugural BHCS Thailand trip in 2023 and their memories encouraged students to consider the broader perspectives gained through travel and learning about those less fortunate than ourselves.
This event, one of our favourites on the Careers Calendar, demonstrates our commitment to providing students with real-world perspectives, to help them make informed decisions about their futures. Thank you to Hannah, Olivia, Daniel, Sam, and Lili for their time and openness in sharing their journeys.
Check out our newsletter Envision here
Your Careers and Pathways team is available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.
You can find us in the DC or contact us via email.