Camps and Pathways Week
Welcome to our special edition of Nossal News, celebrating our recent Camps and Pathways Week (17–20 March 2026).
Students immersed themselves in a rich variety of learning experiences, connecting with industry professionals, external providers, and one another. These opportunities offered genuine insights into future career pathways and brought real-world relevance to classroom learning.
This year's program spanned a broad range of experiences across several key areas:
Arrive and Thrive welcomed our Nossal students with a dedicated incursion day, including the RYDA Road Safety Education program, which is an engaging and thought-provoking session on road safety awareness and responsible decision-making. Students also had the opportunity to hear from guest speaker Tyson Day, Career Counsellor, who believes everyone deserves the chance to design a career and life that truly aligns with their values. Tyson ran workshops encouraging students to grow as individuals and build positive social connections, which was a wonderful way to set the tone for the week ahead and for students' broader journey at Nossal.
Career Education took students beyond the classroom and into some of Melbourne's most inspiring environments. Excursions included the St Kilda Arts Centre, Melbourne Zoo, and Melbourne Museum, alongside visits to Seymour Whyte for an introduction to civil engineering and KIOSC Swinburne for hands-on cyber security activities. Each experience offered students a tangible connection to potential career pathways.
VET Courses gave students the opportunity to gain practical, industry-recognised skills across a diverse range of areas, including First Aid, Barista Coffee, Coffee Art, The Professional Waiter, Food Safety Handler, and a Swinburne program covering design thinking and entrepreneurial skills. These workshops emphasised learning by doing, building student confidence through real-world application.
Design Your Life Presentation was a highlight of the week, featuring four inspiring guest speakers who shared candid and compelling accounts of their own career journeys. Grace Archer, Calvin Tan, Professor Robert Scholten and Vanessa Meston each spoke about how their paths had evolved over time, navigating change, embracing unexpected opportunities, and adapting to new directions. Their stories offered students a powerful reminder that a career is rarely a straight line, and that flexibility and resilience are among the most valuable skills of all.
The enthusiasm and engagement visible throughout the week reflected the program's success in combining meaningful skill development with memorable experiences. Many students have already shared how this week has shaped their thinking about future studies and career directions.
We extend our sincere thanks to all staff who contributed to the planning and delivery of these events, camps and activities, with a special mention to Ms. Ffion Bowles, Mr. Josh Pritchard, Ms. Clarissa Jacques and Ms. Suzanne Alley.
We also thank all of our staff, special guests, and providers whose support made this enriching week possible, for so generously giving their time and sharing their experiences with our students.
The skills, insights and memories gained will continue to benefit our students well beyond the week itself.