When you look back at your own career journey, what were the things you wish you knew when you were at school? How much did you know about the real world of work? Who offered you the most useful career advice when you were trying to make decisions about your future?
Investigating future career pathways when you are at high school can seem overwhelming and scary. Contemplating work, study and life beyond school starts with understanding your own strengths and interests. Finding and navigating career information certainly helps develop preferences and refine possible occupational areas of interest, but nothing can compare to people who are actually engaged in an industry area speaking directly to you.
Access to career and industry mentorship and speakers can be a powerful determinant of a young person’s career pathway choice, workforce opportunities and aspirations for their future. This is why at Kenmore State High School we are expanding our Career and industry events in 2024 so that our Year 10, 11 and 12 students meet and engage with industry mentors who can talk to them directly about their occupation. More importantly, we are asking these community members to include their own personal story of how they got to where they are now, as well as insights into the industry.
We also know that students in the junior school can get positioned to make great career choice when they know their interests and strengths, and can link them to the ‘real world’. Our Year 9 students will be involved in some career profiling later this year to broaden their perspectives and help them realise their personal attributes. Families of Year 9 students will also be invited to an information evening to inform them of all things related to success in the Senior School in Term 3.
This term the Year 10, 11 and 12 cohorts will get the opportunity to hear about the working world that they will one day be a part of from various key note speakers, including a presentation from SCIPS, our community partner that brings students and work places together with work experience placements. Next term all students will be selecting the industry areas they are interested in so that they are hearing from the people representing their areas of interest as they investigate their career options.
It is in these moments where some of our students may get that ‘future connection’ or epiphany that begins an investigation to a career that they otherwise would not have considered.
Thinking of being involved?
If you have an industry you would be willing to represent and would like to be one of Kenmore Industry Mentors, it would only take about one hour of your time at our school. Please let us know at IndustryConnections@kenmoreshs.eq.edu.au