Luke Polkinghorne is pictured on stage at the Upper Spencer Gulf Careers Promotion Roadshow 2012 at the Northern Festival Centre.
More than 150 students from John Pirie Secondary School and St Mark’s College attended an Upper Spencer Gulf careers roadshow.
The event, held at the Northern Festival Centre, gave students the opportunity to see truck drivers, nurses, retail workers, boiler makers, diesel mechanics, electricians, mine managers, environmental managers, builders, bankers, teachers and academics.
The aim of the event was to assist students to answer the question “So…what are you going to do for a job when you leave school?”
Speakers included Brad Ley of Nyrstar, Evvy Muldeeon of St Joseph’s Nursing Home, Adam Tee of Radio Rentals, Luke Polkinghorne of Oz Minerals and Allana Carn of One Steel.
The students and job seekers heard how these people got their jobs, what pathway they took, why they enjoy their jobs and how to get into the occupations.
Coordinator of the event and resources and energy program principal manager Sean Holden said he was very happy with the level of involvement from the schools.
He said the overwhelming message from presenters was that students should study mathematics and science and “do as well as you can at school”.
“Don’t worry so much about what job you might want but certainly complete your SACE so that your choices are much greater when you do seriously consider a career,” he said.
“There are pathways for students into careers such as trades, nursing, retail, graduate positions at mine sites and teaching that can be started while still at school.
“Just see your VET counsellor, PLP coordinator, careers counsellor or the apprenticeship broker Harry Moate, industry skills manager Reg Dennis or for mining and energy generation type jobs see Robin O’Dea, the industry skills manager for the Resources and Energy Program.”
Other speakers included Mayor Brenton Vanstone and Trade Schools for the Future state manager Tony Curtis.
