We’ve had another busy start to the term with several workshops and micro-credential courses taking place.

Week 1 saw another group of students start their Gateway work experience programme in the coffee cart. This is a popular micro-credential qualification that enables students to apply for part-time work in the Hospitality and Retail sectors.

In Week 2, we ran another successful workshop with the Year 12 cohort and Young Workers Resource Centre. The workshop is aimed at our senior students who are currently working, or about to start part-time work and covers minimum employment standards, wages and agreements, trial periods, workplace unions, types of leave and work breaks.

The workshop objectives are to help students understand their rights as young workers, and develop their confidence and communication skills when dealing with an employer.

Earlier this term, we participated in a combined vocational Pasifika Day with Tauranga Boys’ and Tauranga Girls’ colleges at the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

Each year, Aquinas Alumni Kennedy Wiltshier runs a Scholarship presentation for our senior students. This gives them valuable information on how to write an effective scholarship application to gain financial assistance for further tertiary study. This year, we had another great representation of Year 13s wanting to give themselves the best chance of gaining a scholarship.

Also, we recently offered two Justice of the Peace document verification sessions for senior students.

This month, we took our Year 10 students to the CANVAS Careers Expo at Mercury Baypark stadium. This was a great opportunity for them to see what Tertiary providers and courses are available when they leave school. The objective was that this would inspire them and to get them thinking about their subject choices ahead of our Options Evening.

We currently have a Defensive Driving course in progress and these students will have completed the course and be ready to sit their full drivers licence test in the next month.

Over the last three weeks, we’ve had visits from all Universities to help our Year 13s plan their courses and papers in preparation for starting university in Semester A, 2024. Anyone who has missed these sessions needs to get in touch with us to arrange an online meeting with our Student Liaison.

Looking ahead to the rest of the term, we have our final Health & Safety course for the year on Wednesday, Sept. 20.

If anyone needs advice on their subject selection for next year please see your Dean or come and see us in the Future Pathways office (in the Library).