Careers News

Visit to the Head Office of Optus

On the 24th May, Mrs Carren Brennan and Mrs Sharon Bourne took a group of 23 Year 10 students to visit the head office of telecommunications provider Optus in order to investigate the wide variety of roles offered in their workplace. This was made possible through our partnership with Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN) and the efforts of Mrs Carren Brennan, who organised this excursion for our students. ABCN is a not for profit organisation that connects business with education through mentoring and partnership programs.

The aim of our participation in this program is to provide students with the skills and work experience they require to make sound personal, educational and vocational choices. this is achieved through structured programs that involve corporate volunteers, such as Optus, mentoring students in the workplace and business partnering with us.

Our students were able to sit in on Optus business calls and learn about the opportunities available to those employed by Optus. Students were able to chat to the head of Human Resources, Personnel involved in business analytics and their Social Media manager and leaders. It was a great day which ended with a workshop on how to answer questions in an interview before students participated in their own mock interview.

The whole experience provided our students with real world exposure to Optus and the world of work at Optus. It was a great day and our students were keen and enthusiastic participants who upheld the values of Cranbourne Secondary College through their excellent behaviour on the day.

2018 Monash Champions

Congratulations to our Monash Champions who represented our College with great pride and maturity at the Monash Champions Induction Day on 9th February

Our Monash Champions are:

Holly Allen, Eirrah Bautista, Emily Bridgeman, Tyler Bushell, Kasey Davis, Renae Hartney, Chelsea Kimber, Meredith Leviston, Thomas Macauley, Jaymi Muzzicato, Taylah Rasmusen, Caitlin Zealley

Our Champions participated in a range of different workshops on leadership, communication and research with students from 15 different schools. They contributed in an intelligent manner and impressed all present. They are currently working on their Monash Champion Projects alongside their Monash Student Ambassadors. The program is off to a great start and will no doubt see our students shine even more as they progress throughout the year.

VCE and Careers Expo

The Senior VCAL students attended the South East Careers Expo at the Cranbourne Racing Centre which was held in April, this event is eagerly attended by students from schools all over the South Eastern Region. Senior VCAL students attended in order to conduct some research for their skills for Further study assignment, and got to do some hands on activities along the way. Our VCAL students are very familiar with the courses offered by Chisholm, since many of them already complete their VET studies with this institution, but the Career Expo was an opportunity to find out about other courses and organisations. Students spoke to representatives from Holmesglen and Kangan TAFE's, The City of Casey Council, VFA Learning, The Melbourne Coffee School, Victoria Police - just to name a few. In doing so they were able to broaden their understanding of what options might be available to them post school.

Unfortunately due to TAFE restrictions, not all of the Senior VCALS could attend on the day. Luckily the "Spot Jobs Careers Expo" will be held in July, with over 200 exhibitors, Workshops, displays and hands on activities.

On the 4th May, we took all of our Year 11 VCE students to the VCE and Careers Expo. Students were supported and encouraged to find answers to their questions about tertiary study from the 100's of providers present on the day.

Mr Ross Huggard, Ms Jade Vernon, Mr Keith Merry and Mrs Sharon Bourne accompanied the students to the venue, the Caulfield Race Course, and were all impressed by the Willingness of our year 11 students to ask questions and complete their own research into the many options available to them after they finish school. Thanks must be extended to these teachers who willingly gave up their time to accompany the students . As part of the program, we then took our students over to the Caulfield Campus of Monash University where Mrs Sharon Bourne delivered a career education lecture. The students asked pertinent and thought provoking questions at the end of this lecture about the costs of tertiary education and the options open to them after they complete their schooling. Students also completed their Career Action Plans on the day.

It was a huge success as our students learnt more about the options available to them in the tertiary education sector.

Deakin University

On Tuesday 29th May, 50 aspiring University students travelled to Deakin University to find out about life on Campus and get some insight into some of the courses offered. The students were chosen to attend based on recommendations from teachers, their results and their Career Action Plans, and there was strong competition for places on the excursion. Students met with a number of student ambassadors from a range of University courses and enjoyed a campus tour before getting down to activities in a number of workshops. Students interested in the Psychology course learnt about how to tell if a person was lying before enjoying a robust game of "two truths and a lie" whilst Digital Media students gave the low down on memes, and others learnt how to improve their digital photography skills with the curator of the Deakin Art Gallery. In the afternoon, a large group of students vigorously debated some legal cases in the Law workshop, with determined speakers for both defence and prosecution. Those with more of a Science flair investigated environmental concerns, and finally a group of would be Education students argued over how they would spend the money if they were setting up a school.

Cranbourne Secondary College has had a long relationship with the Deakin Burwood Campus and we consistently receive positive feedback about this activity. Students enjoyed the opportunity to ask real questions about the university life from people who are currently studying. Fun fact: some of the ambassadors are undertaking a full time university course with fewer than 10 hours contact a week ! The Year 10's were impressed by this, bot not as impressed as they were by the fact that in some faculties, all the lectures are online and those students don't even have to get out their pyjamas in order to study !

Another fun fact: All of the ambassadors who hosted the day are actually paid university employees who combine their studies with the role of hosting secondary students and promoting university life at Deakin.

Carren Brennan / Sharon Bourne

Careers