Careers and Transition

Welcome to Term 2

Wow, what a busy term it has been so far. Many students have been coming to see us with questions about university, TAFE, work experience and job applications. We have also been organising a variety of interest courses and training courses to offer the students. 

UNISTEPS Program

Year 8 Livesaver Drone Outreach Program

On Tuesday May 28, 10 Year 8 students participated in the Lifesaver Drone Outreach Program (LDOP) as part of the UNISTEPS program. The LDOP introduces microdrones to the classroom setting. Students explored the various applications of drone technology, safety and drone regulations, and they learnt how to fly and program drones while tackling a geospatial challenge.

Year 10 Criminolgy 

On Tuesday April 9, Mrs Andrushack took 21 students to the University of Newcastle to attend the Criminology Workshop as part of the UNISTEPS program. Students had a great day learning about criminology and the media, anthropology and fingerprinting. The day involved lots of hands on activities and the students got to speak with student ambassadors who are currently studying criminology. They learnt about the different career paths within criminology and the different entry pathways for this course. 

Westrac Girls Can Too Program

On May 6, the Regional Industry Education Pathway (RIEP) funded Girls Can Too program kicked off with 10 female students from the Hunter Valley joining in. Three of our students Faith Neely, Jemma Farrell and Emily Manning are part of this amazing program. The girls attended Westrac delving into various career paths including Plant Mechanic, Auto Electrician, Fitting and Machining, Industrial Spray Painting, Fabrication and Warehousing. Following this exploration, they will then have the opportunity to engage in work experience tailored to their preferred trade. Westrac sees the Girls Can Too initiative as a direct pathway for these students to transition into their 2025 apprenticeship program. 

St Nicholas Childcare Immersion Program 

On May 9, 9 Year 10 students began a 4 week Immersion program with St Nicholas Early Education. The program, provided students with an introduction to the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. Participating students engaged in a range of practical and theoretical opportunities within a fully functional play session environment.

St Nicholas Childcare will offer School Based Traineeships for 2025 and this program helped students prepare their applications should they wish to apply and also prepared them for job interviews. All students enjoyed the program with a couple of students intersted in pursuing Childcare as a career pathway. 

First Aid Training

This Term,  a number of students successfully completed their First Aid Course. The H&A Training team who deliver our first aid training are a gorup of highly skilled health-care Trainers and Assessors who combine teaching and medical qualifications with a wealth of practical experience. They combine theory with real world applications which students report makes the training interesting. 

White Card Training

This term, 20 students participated in the White Card Training Course. White Cards (or general construction induction card) are required for workers who want to carry out construction work. People who need a White Card include site managers, supervisors, surveyors, labourers and tradespeople, people who access operational construction zones (unaccompanied or not directly supervised by an inducted person) and workers whose employment causes them to routinely enter operational construction zones. 

Our next White Card Training Day will be held on Wednesday September 11. Students must be 14 years or older and the cost is $100. Permission notes will be available from the CAT Team. 

Apprenticeship Pathway Explorer Event 

The Apprenticeship Pathways Explorer, held at Maitland Town Hall, accommodated a growing number of attendees. Over 631 school students and parents/carers connected with 23 employers actively recruiting for positions across various industries in the Hunter Region. The event highlighted the increasing interest and importance of vocational pathways while supporting students to gain knowledge in industry pathways. Mr Penglaze attended this event and said he was pleased to see some FGHS students in attendance gaining valuable insights into diverse career opportunities and the benefits offered by local industries. 

Work Experience 

We have had a number of students engaging in work experience this term. Students in Year 10 have been preparing for work experience by completing work readiness activities in their Futures lessons. Work Experience is not compulsory, but we recommend that students engage in a placement to explore the area that they might be considering for their future pathways. 

If students wish to engage in work experience they must ensure that their Graduate Portfolio is up to date. They should then come and speak with a member of the Careers and Transition Team to discuss which career area they would like to explore and where they would like to complete a work experience placement. 

Willa Kennedy

Head Teacher

Careers and Transition Faculty