Future and career study options explored

The Year 13 Focus group and Careers Expo are two of the initiatives helping to expose St Andrew’s College students to a wide range of possibilities for their future and prepare them for life beyond school.

Each Monday, during Period 1, Year 13 students gather for the Focus group to hear inspiring guest speakers share their personal experiences and insights into different tertiary and career paths. Careers Counsellor, Richard Webster, starts each session with information about career events and opportunities, before introducing the guest speaker. Recent speakers have included Gary Haugen from the International Justice Mission, former Police officer and dog trainer, Tim Radcliffe, and Elle MacEwan and Bex Fittock from Pillars. Sam Wilkinson from Tesla, visited with his electric vehicle and talked to students about how they can best position themselves for a future in an ever-changing technological work environment.

The Focus programme is sowing seeds for the students’ future, says Head of Senior College, John Ruge.

“Each speaker is invited to talk about their own career path, so that students get a sense of the range of pathways that are available, as well as the fact that things don’t often happen in straight lines. It’s inspiring to hear stories of how our guests ended up in their current roles, and to see how experience, qualifications, and serendipity combine to shape what happens over the years.”

The annual St Andrew’s Careers Expo for Years 11–13, held in early May, was another opportunity for students and parents to explore different pathways. This year’s event was attended by 26 exhibitors, including universities, Ara and SIT (Te Pūkenga), industry training organisations, and private training providers, along with staff from the NZDF, ETCO, Air New Zealand, and Telford.

Richard Webster says feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. “Parents and students alike are grateful for the opportunity to ask questions directly to providers and gain valuable insights into potential pathways. We encourage parents to get involved in the decision-making process, as they are still the number one influence on their child's future.”

Right: Harris Steel (Year 12) checked out options at the Defence Force stand at the Careers Expo.

Bottom: Year 13 students and Senior College Office Administrator, Jocelyn Simmons, with Focus group speaker, Sam Wilkinson, from Tesla.

The Careers Department at St Andrew’s provides a range of additional support including careers counselling, the StAC Careerwise website, and keeping students and parents up to date with news and events run by tertiary and training providers.

Nikkita McIntyre (Year 13) attended the Otago Open Day and had nothing but positive things to say. The trip gave her the freedom to visit residential colleges and get a taste of what university life would be like. She attended course expos and gained valuable insights into what her years of studying would involve. “I highly recommended the Open Day to anyone thinking of going to Otago for their university studies. The trip solidified my decision and made it clear where I will be studying.”

Business Studies and Economics students at St Andrew’s College have been enjoying success in recent competitions, which have given them the opportunity to showcase their skills and entrepreneurial spirit, says Teacher in Charge of Business Studies, Steve Aldhamland. “These opportunities all but dried up during COVID-19, so it is great to see them resurface. The students get to apply the skills they’ve learnt, mixed with their ability to problem-solve about things they are passionate about. Working collaboratively nurtures teamwork and encourages students to think innovatively, which are other big things to come out of the competitions.”

A group of three Year 13 students, Jedd Bright, Annika MacDonald and Lachlan Odlin, won fourth place at the Boost Economic Growth Challenge, a new national initiative introduced by the University of Canterbury. Students did a virtual presentation of their ideas aimed to stimulate economic growth under the theme, ‘Ka titiro whakamuri, ki te anga whakamua | Guided by the past, shaping the future’. The students’ innovative concept was a horizontal and hydroponic farm in the Red Zone, which utilised unused land and created employment opportunities for people in the east of Christchurch. “Their proposal for sustainable agriculture included some traditional Māori planting ideas and values such as kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga. It was an exciting concept,” says Steve.