Last Thursday’s Inspire Me Day! offered Kuranui College students the chance to hear from career specialists about the world of work, and local business leaders about the wide range of career opportunities on offer after leaving school.

The day was split into two main steams of activity, the first focusing on showcasing the range career options to Year 9 students, and the second, helping Year 13 students to prepare for leaving school and entering the world of work.

Lead teachers Kathryn Homes and Rachel Butler-Peck were keen to create a conference-style event that provided unique inspiration for their students. “We’re excited to offer our students a chance to link the learning and skills they develop at school with future careers,” said Homes.
 

Junior students spent the morning taking part in mini workshops from a broad range of sectors. Amongst the presenters, former Kuranui student Rama Tapp talked about his career in circus performance, parent Minty Hunter highlighted his experience of owning his own IT business, and teacher Cheryl Craig described running a dairy farm and highlighted other opportunities in the dairy industry. In the afternoon, students took part in an Amazing ‘Career’ Race.

Yete Ambassador Maria McKenzie encourages students to get in touch to get help with employment

Talking to Year 13s, Youth Connect and Youth Education, Training and Employment Wairarapa (YETE) Ambassador, Maria Mckenzie, said that the job landscape was changing rapidly “There are jobs that haven’t been created yet, that haven’t even got names, we don’t even know what those jobs will look like,” explained McKenzie. “We want to make sure that you have the best possible chance of obtaining employment when you leave school.”

The focus for senior students was on ensuring that they were informed about what to expect when they leave school, from surviving and thriving in halls of residence to understanding tenancy agreements when flatting, as well as getting the most out of Kiwi Saver and living on a tight budget.

They also heard from a number of other presenters including Mel Keatch at Dress for Success Wairarapa, as well as learning basic car maintenance from Mark Shepherd and how to develop a curriculum vitae from Kylie Brady, Work and Living Skills Facilitator at REAP.

Written by Catherine Rossiter-Stead Article added: Tuesday 20 October 2020