CAREER DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION One of Christel House’s unique interventions is its career education and exposure. From the moment students begin their time at Christel House in grade RR, and for five years after graduating with a matric certificate, they receive personalised guidance and support through our College & Careers programme. Traditionally, the Career Development team interacts with students and alumni face to face, but 2020 changed all of that. In the Junior School, the annual career day took a new and exciting turn. Alumni gave Zoom presentations to our youngsters, met with CLICK TO WATCH them online and sent A VIDEO OF OUR LITTLE ONES HERE them encouraging WhatsApp messages. At high school level, students are grouped into 16+ careers areas or industries, according to their personal career plans. Normally, they have the opportunity to develop their competencies through career workshops, questionnaires, visits to workplaces, and subsequent curriculum vitae (CV) and report writing.
The ‘career learning journeys’ offered by the programme include online visits to companies to see how they operate, and these proved popular, but the highlight of the year was a virtual speed interview event. Human resource professionals from leading organisations interviewed the school’s Grade 12 students, with the goal of preparing the students for the new world of work by honing their interview skills. “This event aimed to give our Grade 12 students CLICK TO WATCH some experience in A VIDEO OF THE EVENT HERE compiling their own CVs, conducting themselves professionally in interviews, and having the opportunity to talk one-on-one to experienced professionals,” says Louise de Marillac st Julien, Career Development Manager at Christel House SA. In 2020, our alumni hosted virtual workshops on personal finance, brand image, CV writing and the changemaker challenge. Our alumni leadership committee has been established with the aim of coordinating alumni activities and involvement with our students. It is of critical importance that our students have positive role models who are drawn from local communities – and who better than their peers in the form of previous students.
CHRISTEL HOUSE SA 2020 ANNUAL REPORT | 19
