From the Futures Team
Which pathway is ‘right?’
This question is tricky to answer! The Futures team whilst supporting students in Career Education, also incorporate factors such as Cliftons Strengths Profile, Motivational Mapping results, academic success and areas of passion. We also consider scholarship opportunities, industry skills gaps and help students to identify a pathway that will be suited to their needs and aspirations.
Think back to when you were 15 years old, did you know what you wanted to do? If so, did that change? What role did your parents have in helping you to decide on your post-school pathway?
Our Futures Team were pleased to meet so many families at the Subject Selection Evening this week who were deeply invested in supporting their student to find a pathway that suits them. It is wonderful to be part of a school community that embraces growth mindset and encourages students to ‘step out of their comfort zone’ to explore the possibilities on offer.
We’ve put together a Subject Selection page on the Futures@Pymble site to help you navigate questions that may arise in relation to pathways. Please visit the page here.
Masterclass with Dr Ray from MedEntry
We had the pleasure of hosting Dr Ray Boyapati from MedEntry for a Medical Pathway Masterclass. MedEntry is an organisation that supports students to pursue a Medicine pathway and prepare for the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). You can view the recording of the session here.
Please note: MedEntry is an external support service provided by a private company. Any fees associated with service are the responsibility of the student and families.
University Open Days
Each University hosts an Open Day to help prospective students and their families to explore the campus, facilities and ask questions about courses and opportunities on offer.
We highly recommend students in Year 11 and 12 to visit at least two open days to compare and contrast the offerings between tertiary institutions.
If the institution you are looking for is not on the list below, please visit https://myfuture.edu.au/assist-others/open-days
New South Wales
Work Experience Stories : BESIX Watpac at Barangaroo
Seven students from the Senior Geography course recently had the opportunity to explore a Careers in Construction day at the Barangaroo site for the new Sydney Metro line. BESIX Watpac, the construction company in charge of building Barangaroo Station hosted this experience for the students.
The GBE department have actively explored connections between Geography and how it connects to multiple career pathways such as construction. This opportunity was delivered in partnership with the NSW Department of Education Regional Industry Partnerships program and helped students to observe and meet experts within the construction industry. Students are able to partake in an engineering challenge, listen to impressive female presenters speaking about different facets in the construction industry and explore the construction site.
Providing work experience opportunities like this is is crucial in addressing the issue of diversity within the workforce, particularly in industries where women are under-represented. By exposing young individuals to career pathways in these sectors, we empower them to envision themselves as part of a more inclusive future.
Work experience not only allows students to gain practical skills and knowledge but also challenges preconceived notions about gender roles in specific industries. By bridging the gender gap and encouraging more women to explore non-traditional career paths, we foster a diverse and dynamic workforce that thrives on a range of perspectives and talents.
Below are some reflections from the students of their experience:
I found the entirety of the experience so interesting because it opened my eyes to the practical side of construction as well as the theoretical part of design and engineering. I also enjoyed learning about the new opportunities that are being given to women who join the industry and the importance of breaking the typical tradie stereotype. – Catherine Walker
The Barangaroo metro experience was a very exciting and thought-provoking experience. It really allowed me to understand everything that goes into such a big project and broadened my perspective on all careers that are available in construction pathways. – Alicia Slobodian
At the BESIX Watpac work experience, I learnt that construction is not just about working is sites and building, it includes design, management and so many other different jobs. I loved seeing the behind the scenes of the metro being built in Barangaroo and this opportunity has inspired me to look into future opportunities surrounding construction and architecture! – Lux Fritz
At the BESIX Watpac work experience, I had a great time viewing the metro. It was great to see everyone’s unique individual roles in creating the Metro station at Barangaroo. This opened my eyes to the broad range of opportunities available within the area of construction such as law, finance, site management and civil engineering. I am excited to go back to Barangaroo Metro station and see it when it is complete. – Isabel Aveling
The Barangaroo metro work experience allowed broaden my perspective on women in construction. In particular, the pathways available to undertake for future careers in engineering. I am very grateful for this opportunity. – Megan Wood
We got a live site tour of the site which was really interesting to see because there was so much more going on underground than we expected on the surface level. We also did an engineering activity where we worked together to build a bridge from craft materials. Overall, this experience was very rewarding as it taught me that construction is not only about doing labour, in reality it is a really rewarding experience that involves a diverse range of careers that is future-safe, and no two jobs are the same. I also learnt more about apprenticeships which I didn’t know much about before, and the advice from the staff there and visitors really helped me in thinking about what I want to do in the future. – Carrie Luo
Kim Maksimovic
Director of Futures and Partnership (K-12)