Partnerships and Pathways
Our community is very blessed to have such generous alumnae, families, friends and senior students of the College who are willing to share their career experiences to help our students in their learning and pathway discernment.
We were absolutely delighted to welcome Annie Harrison, Head of Direct Lending at Ubank, to our Year 11 Work Studies class recently. Annie delivered an engaging session, drawing on her expertise in investment and lending, the importance of financial planning and goal setting, how to avoid scams and everyday strategies to strengthen financial literacy. Her presentation neatly aligned with the students' current unit on Personal Finance. Annie’s real-world insights brought the content to life, equipping students with practical tools to manage their money - both in the workplace and in their personal lives. Thanks to Annie’s empowering presentation, our students walked away feeling more confident and future-ready!
Our latest Lunch and Learn session was an unforgettable experience for students with a passion for marketing! We were thrilled to welcome back two outstanding Alumnae — Taryn Blackhurst and Ammaleah Astruc — who shared their time, stories and industry expertise with our future marketing stars! Taryn, now leading dynamic campaigns for major publications like The Australian, Vogue and GQ magazines, offered a fascinating look into the fast-paced world of media and branding. Ammaleah, a former College Captain, shared her exciting career journey through roles at KFC and now at leading agency Ogilvy, highlighting the diversity and creativity the marketing industry offers. Students were captivated by their behind-the-scenes insights into successful campaigns, the importance of networking and how post-school qualifications helped shape their career paths. A huge thank you to these inspiring Alumnae for giving back to the College community so generously.
We’re incredibly proud of a dedicated group of students who have been working hard behind the scenes since Term 4 last year, to complete a microcredential as part of our Ready Set Work (RSW) program. Over three terms, this dedicated group has been fine-tuning real-world job application skills through lunchtime sessions and expert support and they’ve just completed their final challenge: mock interviews! Stepping out of their comfort zones, they faced mini interview panels, received feedback and walked away more confident and career-ready than ever. A massive thank you to our incredible Year 12 mentors, who volunteered their time to guide and support their peers in this process. Their leadership, encouragement and advice made a real difference and reflected the wonderful spirit of community within our school. A special graduation event will take place in Week 10.
Speaking of graduations, we’re proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of eight outstanding Year 12 students who recently completed the ACU Step Up program! This innovative pathway allows students to experience university life while still in high school, by studying two credited first-year units. Students explored subjects in Nursing & Midwifery, Sport & Exercise Science and Business, gaining valuable insight into tertiary study and gaining a head start on their future careers. Our students demonstrated remarkable dedication and perseverance, undertaking their studies across two intensive school holiday blocks. Their recent graduation at ACU Strathfield is a testament to their hard work and commitment. Congratulations to our ACU Step Up graduates—you’ve made our College proud, and we can’t wait to see where your future studies will take you!
For any pathways enquiries, or to book a coaching conversation, students can pop into the library or email us: amacnamara1@parra.catholic.edu.au
and koliver4@parra.catholic.edu.au
Mr Adam Macnamara
Partnerships and Pathways Coach
