Bellarine Division Athletics

On Friday 2nd of May we had 50 students represent Lara Secondary at the Bellarine Division Athletics: taking on other schools in Geelong competing in track and field events.

It was an awesome day with many successes. 17 students placed in the top 3 of their events of running, jumping or throwing. 10 of the students came first across 15 different events and successfully qualified for the Western Metro Region Athletics!

Well done to Cassidy Alford, Jarvis Burley and Skye Gamosa who all came 1st in multiple events! In particular, Skye Gamosa had an awesome 800m run to break the GSSSA record with a time of 2:01.97! He beat the previous record by almost 4 seconds! Amazing job Skye!!

Good luck to all students competing at the WMR Athletics in Term 4!

Miss Wilson

University Open Days

University of Melbourne

Open House 2025

Date: May 17, 2025

Location: UniMelb Parkville Campus

The Hotel School Australia

Melbourne Open Campus 2025

Date: June 21, 2025

Location: The Hotel School Melbourne Campus

La Trobe University

Open Day 2025, Melbourne

Date: August 3, 2025

Location: La Trobe Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus

RMIT University

Open Day 2025, Bundoora

Date: August 3, 2025

Location: RMIT Bundoora Campus

Deakin University

Open Day 2025, Warrnambool

Date: August 3, 2025

Location: Deakin Warrnambool Campus

RMIT University

Open Day 2025, Brunswick

Date: August 10, 2025

Location: RMIT Brunswick Campus

RMIT University

Open Day 2025, City

Date: August 10, 2025

Location: RMIT City Campus

ACAP University College

Open Day 2025, Melbourne

Date: August 16, 2025

Location: ACAP Melbourne Campus

Deakin University

Open Day 2025, Geelong

Date: August 17, 2025

Location: Deakin Geelong Waurn Ponds & Waterfront Campuses

Deakin University

Open Day 2025, Melbourne

Date: August 24, 2025

Location: Deakin Melbourne Burwood Campus

La Trobe University

Open Day 2025, Bendigo

Date: August 24, 2025

Location: La Trobe Bendigo Campus

Australian College of the Arts

Open Day 2025

Date: August 30, 2025

Location: All Collarts Campuses

Skills for Work

How social media can affect your work life

Let's face it, most of us love social media. And even if you don't love it, you probably use it. It can be a great way of keeping in touch with friends and family, finding news and events, or even just entertaining ourselves. But as social media becomes even more a part of our lives and identity, there's something else we need to consider - does it affect our work life? Let's find out.

How employers use social media

According to a research from Zippia in 2023, 67% of organisations use social media to research potential employees - so when you apply for a job, there's a high chance the person deciding whether or not to hire you will see what you've been posting. And that's not all. What you post on the internet could potentially be seen by anyone, whether it's employers, co-workers, or customers. With more and more organisations introducing social media policies that staff need to follow, there could be serious consequences to what you post.

But don't start stressing yet - we're here to explain the dos and don'ts of social media so you can maintain a good reputation online while still enjoying the benefits on offer.

What counts as social media?

What can be defined as "social media" is actually quite broad, and includes more sites than you'd think.

It's not just Facebook and Instagram - in fact, almost any online platform where content can be shared could be considered social media. Some common examples include:

Social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter, WEChat, WhatsApp, etc.)
Professional networking platforms (LinkedIn, etc.)
Discussion forums (Reddit, Whirlpool, etc.)
Media sharing platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.)
Content production and blogs (Tumblr, WordPress, etc.)
Wikis (Wikipedia, wiki.gg, etc.)
Gaming platforms and environments (online games, Discord, Steam, etc.)

While many of these sites and platforms allow you to post under a username or anonymously, it's likely that it can still be tracked back to you in some way.

Take this as a general rule of thumb: if you're putting something on the internet, always think twice before you hit post.

What's good social media conduct?

While rules and policies can vary, there are some basics most people tend to follow. Even if the place you work or study has no specific social media policy, these are some good guidelines to follow to make sure your online presence doesn't cause any conflict.

Appropriate behaviour

This one's fairly obvious: make sure you behave appropriately online. There are real people behind the screens, so treat people online like you would treat them in person. And maybe think twice before letting your mate post those embarrassing photos.

Other things that could get you in hot water include:

Cyberbullying and harassing others online
Posting obscene or offensive things
Spreading information that is false, misleading, or deceptive

Can I post about my job?

Be extremely careful if you make any sort of post or reference about your job (even if it's to say something nice).

If you're posting a photo or video wearing a company uniform or on work premises, make sure this is OK according to your workplace's policy.

And if you're unhappy with something that's happened with work, don't vent about it online; we know it can be tempting to badmouth your annoying colleague or a frustrating customer experience, but this can get you in a lot of trouble. Your workplace should have an appropriate channel you can take these concerns, like talking to your manager.

There are even some cases where posting about your job on personal social media sites is not allowed at all - you'll see more about this below.

Can I post about my school?

Remember, policies and rules surrounding social media aren't just for workers to follow.

Universities, schools, and other education providers usually also have rules about what you post that might be associated with them as well. Your behaviour online could potentially lead to some serious consequences, like having your enrollment cancelled.

If you'd like to take a look at an example, here's Bond University's Social Media Policy - it applies to both staff and students at Bond.

Using social media to find work - Be professional

Social media can be a useful tool to put yourself out there to potential employers. These days, it's becoming more and more common for people to find work through social media channels, so making a good impression is always important.

So, what's the long and short of it? If you're going to use social media, privately or professionally, make sure you use it the right way. Be considerate, positive, and mindful of what you put out there and the way you interact with the online world - it matters more than you might think.

Want more?

You can find heaps more resources about the world of work here.

Jobs & Careers

11 careers you may never have heard of

There are thousands of jobs and careers out there. Do you think you really know all of them? It can be fun reading about jobs, whether they existed in the past, right now, or might even exist in the future. So here are 11 careers you may never have heard of - hopefully this list sparks your curiosity and gets you thinking about your own potential future.

Ethnobotanist

Like other botanists, an ethnobotanist studies plants - but more specifically how people have used and interacted with them throughout history. Think of it a bit like biology crossed with anthropology.

In Australia, for example, this job might involve identifying (and preserving) plants used for food, medicine, tools, utensils, and weapons by Indigenous people over thousands of years.

Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory therapists help people who suffer from breathing issues, including those who have had heart attacks, live with sleep disorders, and even premature babies.

These specialists interview and examine patients, provide emergency care, and work with medical teams to provide the best care for their patients.

Industrial Psychologist

Industrial psychologists specialise in solving mental health issues that arise in or from the workplace. Not only do they help increase productivity, they also improve the mental health and wellbeing of employees and create better working environments for everyone.

You might collaborate with management to plan policies, carry out employee screenings, provide training, or even work directly with employees who need help.

Genetic Counsellor

As our understanding of genetics develops and testing capabilities improve, we’re able to diagnose (and even predict) genetic issues. That's where genetic counselling comes in.

In this job, you would inform and educate individuals or families about genetic factors that might affect them or their loved ones, as well as advise them about their options and the outcomes that treatment might have.

Ocularist

An ocularist is a trained professional who crafts prosthetic eyes for people who were born without them or have lost an eye due to injury or disease. They fabricate and paint them to look as realistic as possible, and also help clients with fittings.

These days, this kind of work is more likely to be done by a 3D printer, but there are still some experts who do things the old-fashioned way.

Doula

Doulas aren’t medical professionals, but they are informed and trained workers. Their main goal is helping and supporting people during major transitions in their lives. They're most commonly hired by women to help them through pregnancy and birth. They might support new mothers and their babies with post-natal care too.

It’s becoming more common for Doulas to help people who are near the end of their lives by providing emotional, social, and practical support. They might also provide bereavement support to family and friends who’ve been affected by the loss of a loved one.

Chief Listening Officer

A relatively new and niche role, your job as CLO would be to gather intelligence on behalf of your organisation in order to help them become more competitive - almost like a corporate spy.

You'll find out out how the company is viewed by customers and competitors, then pass on this feedback to help improve client relationships (and make more money, of course). You could also be listening to employees' concerns to create better working environments based on feedback, grievances, or suggestions.

Global Mobility Consultant

With the rise of remote work, packing up and moving no longer means you need to leave your job. Global mobility consultants help organise and oversee the movement and relocation of employees and their families, both within the same country or internationally.

You could be organising visas and plane tickets, shipping furniture, finding homes or schools, settling employees into a new work environment, and making sure they know what’s expected of them.

Greenskeeper

If you think you already know about this job, we actually have a surprise for you. Greenskeepers don't just look after sporting fields and gardens - this job can also refer to a member of a production team on a film or TV set.

In this role, you'd be responsible for finding, buying, and taking care of anything that’s "green" or natural to be used in a production, like plants, grass, trees, or flowers, and other natural and landscaping materials like rocks, gravel, or sand.

Parabolic Flight Crew

Similar to an astronaut, just without the going into space part. No, really. In this job you’d be working on aircraft that simulate low or zero gravity environments, helping to train astronauts, pilots, actors, or just provide thrill seekers with an experience.

Or, as professional Tim Bailey puts it, "teaching people how to throw themselves to the ground and miss".

Futurist

Futurists, as the name might suggest, specialise in making predictions and researching possibilities about the future based on data, historical facts, technological advances, and more.

These predictions are used to help out businesses, community organisations, and even government departments.

Find more careers that might interest you

If these unusual careers aren't quite right for you, there are heaps of other job options you might like to explore on our website.

2025 Music Lessons

It's never to late to sign up for Music Lessons in 2025! Group and Solo lessons availble, if you have any questions please see Mr Gellert!

SORA

At Lara Secondary College, students can access our eReading library, which provides 24/7 access to library books.

eReading is ideal for reading on iPads / tablets / phones.

Download the Sora app. Set up an account using your Compass login. Select Lara Secondary College as your library and you are ready to borrow.

Log into Sora using your Compass login

Books available 24/7

Over 700 titles to choose from

Easy to use

No overdues

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