It has been a very busy term in the Careers department.

We have had the following events during this term:

• Year 12 visit to the Careers Expo and many students visited independently.

• Year 12 Discovery Day at the University of Canterbury where students sat in lectures and experienced being a university student.

• Many different year group students have completed taster days at Ara this term, such as for Nursing, Medical Imagery, NASDA, Music Arts, Beauty Therapy, Art and Design, Early Childhood, Painting and Decorating. These taster days allow them to experience being a student for a day and also consider if this is a subject and career pathway they may want to consider in the future.

• We were able to have onsite information visits for senior students from the Student Liaison staff from Lincoln University, Waikato University, Ara, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, Victoria University of Canterbury. We held online information sessions for both Massey and Auckland University and also the Defence Force.

• Year 13 students, Amber Gascoyne, Glenn Swaine and Nathan Archbold, flew to Wellington to visit Massey University campus and took part in the Creative Arts Experience Day.  Here is what Amber  had to say about it: I was lucky enough to be selected by Massey University, along with two other students from our school, to go up to Wellington for the creative arts college open day. The highlight of my day would be the photography workshop. We created our own 8 paged photo book, working in collaboration with another student from the workshop, and we were able to take it away with us. It was so cool to have something physical to show for our day and see our photos come together into a small book.

• Hamish Lawson, Y13, was selected to attend the Airforce Experience in Blenheim.

• We had ex-student Holly Duff visit to tell us about her experience so far living and studying at Victoria University of Wellington.

• Year 13 students who are considering university next year are currently preparing and writing their scholarship applications. Next term they will apply for Halls of Residence if they are moving away, and then they will make some big decisions towards the end of the term and start to select their final papers for their degree.

• Many students are also busy applying for Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor degree courses at Polytechnics, such as Ara for Trades, Business, Bakery and Beauty.

• Six students considering a future career pathway in nursing/medicine applied and were selected to be a part of the The Kōwhai Programme is a new initiative, the first of its kind in New Zealand. The students have followed a programme to train as volunteers to spend one on one time with older people in Burwood hospital who are vulnerable, for example they may have dementia. The volunteers will be known as Kōwhai Companions are trained to engage in activities with patients, such as card games, reading to them taking them out in the fresh air for walks, if appropriate, and encouraging and prompting them with eating and drinking. These simple measures can have a significant impact on positive patient outcomes. Similar programmes have been implemented in Australia with great success. I look forward to following their progress on this programme.

• It is great to hear from ex-students and Liam Duckmanton, who completed Year 13 last year, is having a great time in North Carolina USA working for Camp America. He will be back to visit school to talk to interested students in September/October this year so interested students keep checking the notices. Some photos of his experience to date are included. 

• An important date for next term is Tuesday 16th August from 4-6 pm, when we will be holding the Subject Selection Evening in Karetu. This is a great opportunity to talk to subject teachers and also many tertiary providers around required subjects for future career pathway, along with future study and employment opportunities.

Andrea Williamson, Careers Advisor