Alumni Program
Koonung Secondary College
ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT
Luke Whitebrook, Class of 2018
Qualified Court Registrar/Court Clerk with Court Services Victoria (CSV)
Where has life taken you since graduating from Koonung Secondary College?
Since graduating from Koonung Secondary College, I have studied a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice. I had always had the goal of using the degree to make my way into the police force. When that didn't work out, I looked for jobs in the industry that would gain me valuable contacts within the police force, as well as experience.
I am currently working as a Court Registrar/Court Clerk with Court Services Victoria (CSV).
The court is a unique and perfect blend of gaining contacts within the police force via Police prosecutors and in gaining experience through working with court users; with the side benefit of seeing the paperwork police file with the courts to initiate charges.
What memorable experiences or achievements have shaped your life since graduating from Koonung Secondary College?
Since leaving Koonung there have been many things that have shaped my life. I flung myself at a few opportunities at university and sat on the board of the university’s futsal group as an assistant leader of the group, helping create and maintain the universities social futsal team.
I would say the most impactful thing I have done though was rejoining the youth group I am a part of - Scouts. It has provided me with the perfect opportunity to hone my leadership skills in a setting where my peers are easily able to support me. I owe a lot of my most memorable experiences to the rover unit I am a part of, as they have allowed me to pursue all sorts of travelling and outdoor adventurous activities such as travelling overseas to Portugal with 5,000 other 19–25-year-olds.
What does a typical day look like in your current role?
A typical day in my current role at the moment is quite stressful. I generally arrive to work at 8.15/8.30am for an 8.45am start. After a morning meeting I would set up the courtroom I would be clerking in, then head back out to the registry to deal with admin registry work such as initiating criminal charges, answering emails and other admin.. At 9.30/9.45am I head back downstairs to brief a magistrate on what will happen on the day, and what matters are in the courtroom. I would then head into the courtroom, where depending on the day it varies a lot as to what I would be doing.
Some days I would have time at the bench, so I am required to use that time to do more registry work whilst paying attention to the court proceedings. Other days, I am in a court which means it’s too busy to be doing registry work as well.
We have a lunch break at 1:00pm until 2:00pm, and then we head home at 5:00pm. Most of the time we have time to pack up the courtroom as well before 5pm, but sometimes court runs a bit overtime, and we end up staying back a bit.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
The most enjoyable part of my job is that I get to see backstage firsthand of what is happening at the court.
I have a lot of unique experiences due to the role I'm in and I wouldn't change that for the world. The most rewarding part is that it is very mentally challenging. Having a role that stimulates you mentally is very important. It may not be noticeable when you are stressing about your job, but when you finally leave that behind it can leave a bit of a void that needs filling. Whilst it may not always be fun, having a sense of purpose can be more important than having fun one hundred percent of the time at work.
What specific skills are important in your line of work?
You need some particularly good time management skills, persistence, degree of resilience or the ability to switch off when required. Sometimes we hear about things or see things that can either be very wacky, or very sad and it is important in my line of work to be able to compartmentalise it so you can get the job done, until the job is done and you have time to speak to someone who can help you. Sometimes we do not even want to tell our colleagues anything to put them at risk of vicarious trauma, so we need to save it for a therapist.
What advice would you give to current Koonung Secondary College students who are interested in pursuing a similar career?
Go for it! It is an extremely rewarding and mentally stimulating career path. Working as a court registrar can be a stepping stone to so many different careers in the criminal justice industry. You can use it for corrections, police, legal aid; the list goes on. I have seen many colleagues use the role to leapfrog themselves into new roles.
If you could go back & give advice to your Year 12 self, what would that be?
Relax because it will work out. ATAR isn't everything and there are workarounds for anything you wish to do in life. Also whatever you do, remember to never forget who you are. Don't get lost in trying to achieve all of your career goals that you forget your interests and passions, and use the career you have in the end, to do the things you feel passionate about and enjoy doing.
ALUMNI CAREER INSIGHT SESSIONS
On Thursday, 3 April, we were thrilled to welcome the return of Koonung Secondary College alumnus Joel Tobin-White (Class of 2012) to speak at our Year 7-9 assembly.
Joel, an Athlete/Coach, ex-Pro Triathlete, and co-host of the 'For The Kudos' podcast, shared powerful lessons with our students: goals can change, stay flexible, follow your passions, work hard, and HAVE FUN!
Joel’s journey from Koonung to success is a true inspiration, and we’re so grateful for the wisdom he shared with our students. Check out the podcast 'For The Kudos' for professional athlete training insights, race predictions and recaps, a star studded guest list, and more from Joel and co-host Brett Robinson! Instagram @forthekudos
ALUMNI CAREER INSIGHT SESSIONS
On Friday, 2 May, we were thrilled to welcome Koonung alumnus Mati Edwards (Class of 2018) back to Koonung for the Year 9 assembly.
Mati is a qualified teacher, surf instructor, guitar teacher, musician and disability support worker; a true multi-talent with a cool, calm and positive vibe to match.
He spoke with openness and honesty about his pathway since graduating from Koonung Secondary College and encouraged students to follow their passions and to choose a path doing something they enjoy.
A proud advocate for positive masculinity, Mati challenged the boys in particular to rethink what it truly means to be strong, not through toughness or bravado, but by showing respect, kindness, and courage in how they treat others. His message landed powerfully: “When you’re doing what you love and lifting others up along the way, you’re winning; no need to tear anyone down.”
ALUMNI: WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE YOU IN AN ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT.
Koonung Secondary College alumni spotlights showcase the various pathways our alumni have taken since graduating from Koonung and the professions they are currently pursuing.
We feature these on our school website (image below), in our school newsletter, and on our social media pages (with your prior approval, of course).
If you’d like to get involved, please email our Alumni Program Coordinator at alumni@koonung.vic.edu.au OR complete the online ‘Alumni Spotlight’ form HERE.
ARE YOU AN ALUMNI OF KOONUNG?
If you are a Koonung alumni (went to or graduated from Koonung Secondary College), we would love you to join our alumni program. It's FREE to join.
FOLLOW THE ALUMNI PROGRAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ARE YOU AN ALUMNI ON LinkedIn?
If so, we’d love you to please update the education section of your LinkedIn profile to include the correct Koonung Secondary College LinkedIn page. Our college LinkedIn page now includes an ‘alumni’ tab, and once you've added Koonung Secondary College to the education section of your personal profile, you will be added to the alumni stats on our official LinkedIn page. We'd be so grateful for this! See image below for reference.
KOONUNG PARTNERS WITH OURSCHOOL TO DELIVER ALUMNI PROGRAM
The alumni program at Koonung Secondary College is part of a broader, not-for-profit program called Ourschool (https://ourschool.net.au/).
Ourschool helps government secondary schools build thriving alumni networks to benefit current students and school communities. Koonung began it's partnership with Ourschool in 2022.
Click on the link below to view a video of the Ourschool CEO talking about the program.
CONTACT US.
Koonung Secondary College
Alumni Program - Nancy Manders