So often today you hear young adults being confused about what to do after school; as there are so many career choices and study options available. Marist College Eastwood are fully aware of this and have set the standard in schools assisting students with Career Planning. So much so that their Careers Advisor, Mrs Colleen Bianchi, was recently recognised by the Careers Advisers Association of NSW & ACT for her work.
Ms Silvana Rossetti, College Principal, praises Colleen’s remarkable work. “Colleen serves as an invaluable resource for the boys, assisting them with subject selections, career decisions and entry into tertiary institutions.” Ms Rossetti proudly shares that all 170 Year 10 students secured diverse job experience positions this year and each departing student leaves the College with a well-defined plan for their immediate future.
The Careers Program at Marist College Eastwood starts early in Year 7 where an awareness of careers is established. Mrs Bianchi explains, “it isn’t until Year 10 that Careers become significant for our students and it can be very complex. In addition to their normal studies, they need to make decisions about their subjects for senior study which will impact on their future tertiary studies and careers, so a lot of time and effort is dedicated to helping the students.” Mrs Bianchi continues: “We attend the Careers Expo which is a huge event and can often be overwhelming for the boys so we provide many more opportunities where they can make informed decisions.”
Profiling and individual interviews are carried out which allows students to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. The boys also enjoy lunchtime talks with professionals from different sectors providing them with valuable insights into various careers. Some of these professionals include ex-students of the College who are always on hand to provide guidance and work experience opportunities.
Mrs Bianchi organises “TAFE Tasters” enabling students to attend TAFE one day per week for six weeks experiencing the various TAFE offerings. Later in the year, every student experiences real life work experience for one week and additional time in work experience is also available if students want to do more. Mrs Bianchi said “these work experiences are invaluable to the boys and some gain full time or part time employment as a result.”
Mrs Bianchi continues, “our Career program also involves resume building, interview preparation and guidance on professional etiquette and communication skills including writing an introductory letter and preparing a LinkedIn profile.”
“Careers education is embedded into everyday learning here at the College”, says Ms Rossetti. “For example, during science lessons, students explore real-life applications of theoretical knowledge including career opportunities in fields such as biotechnology, environmental science, and engineering. In Mathematics teachers discuss applications in engineering, in Technology careers in software development and cybersecurity are discussed, and so on.”
This approach helps students link classroom learning to future job prospects, making their everyday learning more relevant and engaging.
Mrs Bianchi says “This job is so incredibly rewarding. It is real, it is essential and aims to make a difference.”