Decisions can be hard to make and even harder when there is so much choice available. I reflect back on my own childhood and remember the times when decisions were either really easy or some of the hardest things I’ve ever had to contemplate.
Making decisions on our own is the end result of many years of guidance from parents, family members and educators. As a child it was often easy to decide the simple things – stay outside and play for an extra hour or come in and complete homework? The consequences of our decisions were all part of the learning experience.
The decisions became complex as we got older. I remember the many hours of discussions and pondering choices that would shape life beyond school. Would I go straight to the world of work, complete further study at a university, or begin a trade? These kinds of decisions can feel heavy, stressful and overwhelming – often for parents as well as students!
At the recent PROPEL Discovery Evening, Year 10 students had the opportunity to choose the ideal food and drink for a study break. Parents looked on with a mixture of amusement, horror and pride as students piled their plates high with marshmallows and hot chocolate, biscuits and cake… and finally some fruit and bottled water. It was a fun reminder that when students reach an age where they need to make decisions about their future, parents can find it hard to know when to step back and when to step in. Thankfully, choosing HSC subjects and thinking about careers are decisions that students don’t need to make alone.
There are so many choices now in education and many more choices to come. Recently, NESA announced, “NSW students will have stronger pathways from high school to their future careers as part of the NSW Government’s push to overhaul and modernise the HSC.” Students will have a wider range of subjects available to them and pathways which no longer lock them into a single career outcome.
It excites me to see PROPEL being offered at Avondale School next year as another choice and pathway for students to follow their passion. PROPEL enables career-minded students to achieve their HSC without sitting exams, with a focus on VET subjects and with weekly industry immersion to help make the transition from school to work with confidence and relevant experience.
Last week, Year 10 students met with teachers to discuss their career goals and to receive some support to make decisions about subjects and the broadening range of options available to them to reach their goals. Avondale School’s careers network includes Mrs Lindsay (Careers Advisor), Mrs Nevell (VET & PROPEL Coordinator) and Mr Martin (Secondary Academic Coordinator).
Choosing electives and a pathway to the HSC may not be a piece of cake, but there are certainly supportive and knowledgeable people available to help with the decision making and connecting students with opportunities that will enable them to find fulfilling careers.
Mrs Donna Nevell
VET Coordinator / PROPEL Coordinator
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