Kia ora,

What a strange and challenging year this has been for our community of learners and none more so than Year 13 as they navigate their way towards 2021.

Term 3 has seen a constant stream of Year 13 students to the Careers office for course advice, help with applications and sometimes just a chat as they look at their achievements thus far, consider their options and make decisions. Mr Bartlett and I have been impressed with the number of Year 13 students who are asking the important questions and making well-informed choices.

Some of the most important events are visits to and from the tertiary providers who come at this time of the year to actually sit with the students and plan their first year of tertiary study. Sadly, the visits to the institutions have mainly been cancelled due to the Covid19 restrictions but the providers have been proactive with zoom meetings and we have been able to squeeze the local course planning sessions in face to face between covid levels. Victoria University, Otago University, University of Canterbury and Lincoln University will all have completed their visits by the end of this term and so far, we have had some very positive feedback in relation to numbers of students engaging and in the quality of the conversations with visiting academics.

The careers staff are very keen to see every student leave school with a destination. This could include tertiary training and study or employment, obviously, at this stage, the idea of an overseas Gap year is more problematic but there are some creative options for more localised Gap years nationally.

The important thing is not to leave firming up on a destination until late January next year given the growth in numbers expected to enter tertiary study and training and the competition for employment in a less than ideal job market.

The Careers staff are here to help students with their plans and to provide information or link them up with the appropriate people in the community who can help.

Ellen Cashion

HOD Careers and Future Pathways