9RISE

9 RISE: Career Launchpad 2025

Last week, our Year 9 RISE students took part in the Career Launchpad: Regenerative Economy experience at Monash University. This exciting event gave students the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, including representatives from the UN and government, as well as Monash University experts, in a fast-paced, "career speed dating" format.

Through engaging conversations, students explored a wide range of pathways leading to a cleaner, leaner, and greener future. They gained valuable insights into emerging careers in sustainability, innovation, and technology—and left feeling inspired about the role they could play in shaping a better world.

A big thank you to Monash Tech School for hosting such a meaningful and energising experience!

Here’s what the students had to say:

“Participating in the Career Launchpad helped me understand different career pathways because I got to interview the professionals in their field. With these interviews we got to take the lead through asking questions on what we wanted to know. We also got to talk to them about what we wanted to do when we’re older and get advice.”

Melodie C

“I learnt that my own career doesn't have to be linear, as in only taking one path. I should experiment and find what best suits my skills and preference. Also, to rely on others if I needed help in certain difficult scenarios. I found the wind farm industry to be the most interesting as it was a great way to harvest energy without the expense of our environment.”

Will J

“The first industry that I interviewed stood out to me, as they were talking about how the Bureau of Meteorology monitors and surveys ocean currents, surface temperatures and waves. This stood out to me because it involves a lot of aspects that I find quite interesting.”

Ben B

“Architecture and (product) design were interesting to me, as they are a perfect blend between mathematics, engineering and art. The professionals talked a lot about their pathways, which helped us understand the usual order of events, and put it into perspective for our favourite jobs. Generally, the entire event was about giving perspective and insight to students about career pathways, especially those which include tertiary studies and even specific topics and research. It was surprising to learn that many professionals specialised in two subjects to get the jobs that they have today. Also, that a lot of the professionals did degrees in fine arts before they moved on to their current jobs and fields. This experience gave me some direction for my subject selection, as the professionals talked about their journey from school.”

Milan S

“It helped me because it showed me the broad range of options you could have, and the skills required to get there. I learnt that in quite a lot of industries, soft skills such as collaboration and communication skills are extremely valuable to everyday life in work. It made me value certain skills a bit more than the others and gave me a clearer understanding on my future goals. The Wind Turbine Industries and companies stood out to me due to the variety of skills involved, such as the collaborative work and inclusiveness. I thought that this was quite a helpful experience, as it enlightened many others about possible future careers, and may have inspired some to become more sustainable or STEM inclined.”

Lexter L

“It made me understand how I could be involved in different careers if I continue to want to do accounting. There was one person, a lawyer, who told me how the accounting was involved with the law sector. It gave me insight on what my job could possibly be like.”

Olivia W

“The technology of putting wind farms in the ocean was very interesting. as they had to incorporate fishing and wildlife into their consideration. It was helpful talking to the people that work at Monash Uni or went to Monash Uni to understand what uni life is like and how to choose what course fits you. I learned that no matter what work experience you have, make sure to add it to your resume as the leadership and collaboration skills you get out of it are more valuable than actual experience in that field at a young age.”

Kane T

“I learnt that social skills are very important to communicate properly and to work in a job space.”

Bill P

“The industry professionals that stood out the most to me were actually the people doing courses, as they had fresh information in their heads about their subjects and were very keen on said subject.”

Elias P

“It was surprising to learn that sometimes to get to the top you have to flatter people and make them like you so they'll recommend you for a job.”

Amelie H

“My overall experience was much better than I expected, and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to and getting to know all of the industry workers, as well as learning about their jobs and journeys.”

Abi M

“I feel that the experience overall was really good. Going to the Monash University was an amazing opportunity and I'm really glad that I was able to go. This experience was very helpful especially if you’re interested in this area.”

Emonefe A

“The Engineering sector stood out to me because it gave me more understanding on what type of careers there are in engineering.”

Saranya K

Abbey Novak

Enrichment Learning Specialist