Careers update

Class of 2024

The Careers Team would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all Year 12 students on successfully completing their secondary school education. We wish you all the best in your future study and work endeavours.

It has been a pleasure meeting and supporting each of you in exploring your pathway options. We are excited to see such a variety of future plans, including university, TAFE, apprenticeships, and GAP years.

The Careers Team is here to continue supporting you as you navigate the next steps. If any changes arise in your plans, feel free to reach out to us at the beginning of next year. We're more than happy to assist in any way we can.

2024 Overview

The Careers Team have had the pleasure of working with each year level throughout the year as they have investigated their skills, interests and career goals. 

Years 7 and 8 have had the opportunity to engage with Career Lessons, write their Career Action Plan and have had a visit from BHHS Alumni (Year 8) and Emergency Services (Year 7).

Year 9 has participated in the My Career Insights Program and Career Action Plans, prior to subject selection as well as the Work Experience Workshop to ready them for the Year 10 Work Experience Program.

Year 10s had the opportunity to write resumes, were introduced to interview skills and engaged with Work Experience. They also completed their Career Action Plans prior to subject selection and attended the Senior Subject Expo.

Year 11s visited the VCE & Careers Expo and thoughtfully completed career exploration activities during home groups, as well as engaging in 1:1 discussion during subject selection, after completing their Career Action Plans. 

Year 12s continue to be supported by the Careers Team as they eagerly await their university and TAFE offers. 

The Careers Team have enjoyed meeting, engaging and supporting all students at BHHS throughout the year and look forward to another wonderful year in 2025. 

Vocational Education and Training

2024 saw 15 students complete a VET Certificate in a range of studies, alongside their school studies. This is a wonderful achievement by all as juggling two vastly different learning environments can be challenging. Congratulations to the following students:

• Isabella E
• Madeline G
• Morgan L
• Shana I
• Yuting K
• Samuel McB
• Cameron B
• Toby W
• James B
• Elsie G
• Niranjan H-N
• Alice B
• Kiran P
• Manit K
• Jaimi S

My VET Experience

By Miaosen H - Year 10

When I started the Automotive VET program at Ringwood Training, I was excited to get out of the classroom and into the workshop. I’ve always liked working with my hands, and this was a chance to do something practical. Over the course of the program, I learned a lot, not just about cars, but also about how things work, how to solve problems and made a lot of life long friends. 

   One of the best parts of the program was getting hands-on experience. We didn’t just sit and listen to theory, we got to work on real cars, from basic maintenance to more complex diagnostics. Learning how to use the tools and equipment properly was fun and informative. It felt good to actually fix something and see the results of the work, like when we stripped an engine to its block, then reassembled it. 

   The course also taught me how important problem-solving and teamwork are in this industry. There were times when things didn’t go as planned, like finding a hidden issue or struggling to remove a stubborn part. That’s when thinking things through and asking for help really mattered. Overall, the program gave me a solid understanding of what it takes to work in automotive, and it’s helped me feel more confident about pursuing it as a career. 

Huge Congratulations to Miaosen for receiving Certificate of Excellence for his dedication to his VET Automotive studies at Ringwood Training. 

Congratulations also to Henry H for participating in the World Skills Competition for Box Hill Institute.

World Skills Competition 

by Henry H - Year 11

In the middle of August I received an opportunity to participate in a World Skills Competition relating to my automotive TAFE course I’m doing. 

   During the lead up to the competition me and 3 others went to Box Hill Institute (BHI) to undertake training to prepare for the main event. We began training on Saturday August 31st from 9am to 4pm, we had 3 different total training sessions each covering different aspects of what will be covered in the main competition. The BHI staff were very helpful and looking after us by providing food and drink. During the training days we had a set schedule which we discussed at the start of the day relating to which topics we were going to focus on in the main competition. These training sessions were very helpful and provided us with the necessary skills to do well in the event. The day of the competition was held at BHI on the 24th of September, and we were required to be there at 8am sharp. Before we started, we got a quick briefing and a little tour around the set-up of the event. It consisted of 5 separate stations about different parts of the cars, we each had 1 hour separately on each station to identify problems, fix the problems and demonstrate an overall understanding of topic by taking apart and reassembling the different parts of the cars at each station, there was a BHI staff member watching us and marking us off about the criteria.

   At the end of the event, we talked to the head of automotive about the whole event and we each received a small toolbox as a gift. Overall, this event was extremely informative and is definitely going to benefit me in the future. 

Work Experience

This year we saw an increase in the number of Year 10 students engaging with the Work Experience Program. For some it was an opportunity to engage with the world of work for the first time, for others it was an opportunity to get their foot in the door and gain experience in the ideal career, and some were able to secure a part time job from their placement. 

It's a pleasure to go out and visit the students in their workplace, hear what their week has taught them and listen to the feedback from employers, which is always so positive. It’s wonderful to see our young adults stepping out of their comfort zone and engaging in new opportunities. 

BHHS would like to thank the vast number of employers who have given their time and support to our Year 10 students. 

Charlie completed Work Experience with Toptenn Tennis Academy, pictured above with Tim Shackleton, Tennis Coach 

Celebrating the Success of Our Inaugural VCE VM Class

Three years ago, we were excited to announce the introduction of the VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) at Box Hill High School. Since then, our Careers Team has been dedicated to supporting these students as they explore their career aspirations, and best support their individual needs.

Over the past two years, we have watched 10 students evolve into independent, curious learners and valuable employees. We are incredibly proud to congratulate our first-ever VCE VM cohort on their successful completion of the VCE and their specific VET certificates.

These students also immersed themselves in Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) placements, where they received positive feedback from employers. Several were even offered paid positions, with apprenticeships and traineeships.

A special congratulations to the five students who signed on as School-Based Apprentices:

• Cameron N and Lucio L in the Building and Construction industry
• Ambrose S, Nathaneil Z, and Aidan J in the Electrical industry

We are pleased to announce and congratulate the following students for successfully receiving their certificates in the following areas of study:

• Ashlyn S – Event Management
• Raf Z-C – Engineering
• Sam McB – Early Childhood Education and Care
• Morgan L – Automotive
• James B – Sport and Recreation

All of these students have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their studies and have earned their certificates through hard work and commitment to their chosen fields. We commend their efforts and wish them all the best as they continue to pursue their careers.

We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work each student has shown throughout their VCE, SWL, and VET studies. Balancing all three areas can be challenging, but with the support of their networks, these students have achieved remarkable success.

From the team…

The Careers Team have enjoyed meeting, engaging with and supporting all students at BHHS throughout the year and look forward to another wonderful year of career discovery in 2025. 

We wish all students and families a very happy and safe festive season, and we look forward to working with all our wonderful students again in the new year.