Thandie, Nanni, Lila, Sophia and Kate attended Dunedin’s “Inspiring Young Women” breakfast on Monday morning, listening to six women who have achieved success in their chosen fields.

There were two main takeaways from all the speakers: first, that careers are usually windy and unpredictable as you are shaped by experience and opportunity. Not one woman speaking was still in the career they had envisaged in their last year of school. The second takeaway from all speakers was to believe in yourself and your worth as young women. As Emma Gilmour pointed out, she grew up in the 1980s with the Disney Princesses and the idea of waiting for that handsome prince. She concluded that she has been her own prince in recent years and that realising her own worth has helped her enormously in shaping her career.

Thandie was inspired by the policewoman who spoke and it was also fascinating to hear the varied pathways that the author Vanda Symon has taken. Many thanks to the organisers of the breakfast from Columba College for inspiring our students.