Aboriginal Education

We have some incredibly deadly First Nations students at Camden High School. Students who actively seek out and embrace opportunities to grow in their academic and cultural knowledge and are fantastic role models for their peers. Two of these students have kindly offered to give us some insight into their recent experiences. 

First Nations Student Profile: Breanna Rae, Year 12

Mob: Wiradjuri and Kamilario

From the 16th to the 20th of January this year I participated in CareerTrackers summer holidays work shadowing program. Through this organisation, I was partnered with AECOM and I had the pleasure of exploring three different sectors of their company; transport, environmental impact assessment and land and water contamination management.

On the first day I was in the transport division and met with team leaders of the Environmental Impact Assessment teams, CEO and their contractor. The second day I sat in the first team meeting for the year with the Environmental Impact Assessment, met an archaeologist that specialised in Indigenous artifacts and oversaw their current projects including the articles they published for the plans of the Great Northern Highway. The final day I was placed with the Environmental Contamination division that had me sit in a client meeting for PFAS, shown Indigenous architecture projects (past and upcoming) and was taught how to use the software to create a report along with the corresponding fieldwork. On the 31st of January I received a message from my career advisor for that program regarding AECOMs interest in my return to their winter work-shadowing program and as an intern after I have completed my HSC.

First Nations Student Profile: Mikaylee Nicholson, Year 12

Mob: Dharawal

Hi I’m Mikaylee, I’m a current year 12 student of Camden High School, I am of Aboriginal descent and I am a proud Dharawal woman. After the HSC I would like to study a Bachelor of Primary Teaching and I will also be considering a Masters in Indigenous focused learning. I participated in a program in January this year called UOW Summer Master Class, and studied the 6 unit subject ‘HSC preparing for and advancing in English’. 

This program was completed over 3 weeks in the school holidays and while I thought I would miss going out and seeing family and friends, I ended making friends with 6 amazing girls in my class that I still talk to today, We made the most of the experience by going to the beach together and even getting lunch at different cafes and restaurants in the university. So while you may think you don’t want to spend your holidays at Uni you definitely should give it a go. Not only has this program benefit me with an early admission offer and credit points towards a subject once I begin studying their but it’s just like real life uni: you have a timetable, you complete and attend real life lectures and tutorials and you get to understand your way around the place. As well as this every student is given a student ID and this doesn’t expire until the end of the HSC which allows you access to their library’s, stores and l have contact with all the staff you have for your lectures and tutorials and so much more!!