On Friday 18 September all Roncalli College Gateway students were invited to speak at St Joseph's Timaru and St Joseph's Pleasant Point as part of a primary school focus on Careers.

This is a programme where selected senior students try out a career while continuing with their academic programme at school. They attend a workplace for 1 day every week and have an individual learning plan designed just for them; they work on industry standards relevant to their particular workplace with practical skills signed off by their employer and theory work they complete in their Gateway class at school. It is a one year programme that can be taken in Year 12 or Year 13

I knew that I wanted to be doing something that included welding and engineering so when I got the opportunity to be in a workshop for Gateway showing what I knew and learning even more it was great!

I chose Mr Smith and Co for my weekly work placement, the staff were all nice and I enjoyed the tasks they gave me as they were more hands on jobs and not always cleaning.

The tasks I undertake are waking the residents up in the morning, helping with washing and other personal cares, meals and drinks, activities and keeping them company.

This year I decided to take Gateway as I wanted to explore jobs in the trade industries. I had three taster days, as an Automotive Electrician, Mechanic, and an Electrician.

In the Gateway class I am doing theory unit standards in barbering which help to understand being a barber and in the workplace there are practical tasks I have to get signed off just like an apprentice.

I participated in two taster days where I was able to work at Sopheze Cafe (Mitre 10) and Te Kouka Kindergarten. Overall I chose Te Kouka because I loved the experience of seeing children learn and grow.

There is a lot of variety in supermarket work, I liked all areas but the deli was my favourite.

For my placement I work at Phar Lap Cafe, I do many different jobs such as dishes, serving customers, preparing and making food and drinks.

Before starting Gateway this year I had heard it was a really good programme! I knew what I wanted my future to look like and I knew exactly what my career choice was. However I was still having doubts because cooking in a kitchen for your family is way different to cooking in a kitchen for about 100 people a day.

Working in hospitality front of house means I work with customers a lot, I serve on the till and take food and drinks to the customers and soon I hope to be making the coffees. I have also had some experience working in the kitchen, cleaning and also making food. I am working with Industry Training Solutions as a distance learning student.

My advice for future Gateway students is that Gateway is not just a course for ‘tradies’, it is great for any career pathway, it has helped me make decisions about my future career.

Overall Gateway has lived up to my expectations and I have figured out my desired career path which is plumbing.

I have been doing a retail programme which has given me a lot of experience and can help in my future jobs but nursing is what I would love to do.

I like farming as it has a range of jobs and every day is different. One day you could be driving a tractor and the next you could be fencing or fixing a building - you really never know. It takes a lot of quick thinking and a bit of DIY and hard yakka

Getting accepted into Gateway was a really lucky opportunity for me. I have had the opportunity to go out and gain really good work experience within the automotive industry.

Some of the things I have helped with so far are: servicing people's heat pumps, replacing people's filters, replacing a swimming pool heat pump, servicing a heat pump at Repco, replacing filters at KFC, and pre-piping a new house