Learning
Our Theme – Be the Exceptional
Heathdale Christian College’s relaunched Careers Week is a fantastic opportunity for our Year 10 students to gain an insight into a broad range of training and career opportunities. Our theme is ‘Be the Exceptional’, which mirrors Heathdale’s educational focus of developing each student’s unique God-given potential. ‘Be the Exceptional’ encapsulates our desire for each student to develop their God-given potential to the fullest and be exceptional in their own way. That is the heart and hope behind our Careers Week.
Learning
Seminar Program
Led by our Student Pathways Coordinator, Vicky Bawden, and supported by our Principals and staff, our Careers Week begins with a wide range of seminars to prepare students for the years ahead.
Elevate Education Study Skills Seminars
These sessions are designed to achieve behavioural change amongst students. It isn’t enough that students simply understand what they need to do in their study. The challenge in any study skills program is getting students to use and apply the skills they learn. Elevate gets students using the skills from its seminars by using an integrated process that works. The Time Management seminar covers:
• Developing routines to balance study and lifestyle
• Working smart by completing high value work
• Utilising study groups to leverage time
• Techniques for overcoming procrastination
Coordinators Presentation — Pathways, VCE, VCE VM & VET
The schools Pathways team each present about their area and sit on a panel to answer any questions relating to VCE, VCE VM, VET, VTAC, university entry schemes and the ATAR.
Subject Selection Session for Year 11
Year 10 students are provided insight into how to select their subjects for their upcoming year. They are shown how to access the online platform and how to use the platform to preference their subject choices. The students are also be made aware of the timeline in which subjects must be chosen, and parents receive further information regarding subject selections at a later date.
Virtual Work Experience
Students will have the opportunity to complete virtual work experience over the course of three sessions to give them varied insight into the world of work.
Learning
Industry Immersion
Each year, our Year 10 students are asked to list several industry speakers they would like to hear from and the top seven were chosen. Industry Speakers provide an opportunity for students to hear from those outside the school system. These speakers bring with them a wide range of life and industry experience. Each of our guest speakers explain an aspect of their world of work or how they operate daily. They reflect on the pathway they took after secondary education and their career journeys through life. They may be sharing insights on a topical issue or something related to a subject the students are studying or would like to study.
Guest speakers expand young people’s horizons when having to make subject, pathway and careers choices. At Heathdale we believe that a diversity of speakers is beneficial – from the deliberately relatable (such as alumni from the local area or with similar backgrounds to the students) to the deliberately different – they all help to broaden outlooks and provide insight into how other parts of the world work. Guest speakers can bring out the human stories behind the reality of work that might feel abstract to our students.
We are privileged to welcome the following guest speakers, who have generously donated their time to grow the future of Heathdale’s current generation of students.
Click on the images below to read each speaker's bio.
Richard Boothby
Company Co-Owner/Director
Jasmine Cotton
Osteopath
Matt Wilson
Architect
Madeleine Parker-Hill
Animator
Jesse McCarthy
Scientist & Engineer
Jessica Carlin
Consultant
Madison Rex
Accountant
Ally Ibrahim
Legal Assistant
Andrew Blowers
Professional Athlete
Elena Tass
Registered Nurse
Company Co-Owner/Director
Richard Boothby is a Co-Owner/Director at Switch Telecom and his key responsibility is being the National Sales Director. Most of his time is spent communicating with Switch staff, new prospects, existing clients and associated business partners. He launched Switch Telecom in 2009 with his brother to provide a service that treats clients with care and respect and helps them solve problems, delivers specialised solutions and overall does things differently.
Osteopath
After graduating in 2016 at Heathdale, Jasmine Cotton went on to study Osteopathy at Victoria University. After a further 4.5 years of studying, she then graduated with a Master of Health Science (Osteopathy). Since completing her degree, Jasmine is now working in two osteopathy clinics and has recently completed a Reformer Pilates course, which she teaches at a Pilates studio. She has also begun further studies in Osteopathy for paediatrics and hopes to complete a course in Animal Osteopathy.
Architect
Matt Wilson is an architect for a firm in Melbourne working on large-scale healthcare facilities. He is also working on a PhD, researching how humanitarian teams responding to disasters and can better support the reconstruction and recovery of damaged healthcare facilities. Matt became interested in the field of healthcare architecture when he met his wife, Rahel, who is a nurse/midwife/paramedic. He was interested in how architecture can help people as they recover from surgery and illness through careful and sensitive thought and design. About this time, Matt also became more curious about the role of architects in supporting communities in crisis, specifically in the wake of natural disasters.
Animator
Madeleine Parker-Hill is a professional animator who has just wrapped up on working on the hit show, Bluey. She's been working in the creative field for close to ten years and has gained experience with companies such as Disney and Warner Brothers. She loves to inspire the next generation to keep creating and enjoys explaining the process of making a hit TV show and the exciting careers and opportunities it opens up. Madeleine likes to emphasise that you don't need to be the best to be able to get to where you want to go, and sometimes failing along the way makes for fun opportunities.
Scientist & Engineer
Jesse McCarthy was born and raised in Canada, and from a young age, had a keen interest in aircraft and things that fly. Jesse completed his Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering at RMIT University with first class honours, and subsequently went on to complete a PhD in Aerospace Engineering. Jesse is currently employed by the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group and works in Experimental Aerodynamics where he operates primarily as a scientist and engineer to support and serve the Australian Government and public. Jesse has also served in leadership roles at Planetshakers Church over the last 15 years and is passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders.
Consultant
Jessica Carlin has had quite the adventure throughout her working life, starting out in the hospitality industry while studying. When aspiring for her home loan, Jess worked at a car financing fleet management company, but found it wasn’t for her, and pivoted to a new job at People Plus, a recruitment agency in Ballarat. Jess is a big people person, and in time, she fell head over heels for the job. After taking a break to travel, she pursued other HR roles before landing her current job as an Apprenticeship Consultant at Gforce Group Training, where she passionately supports apprentices and trainees on their career paths.
Accountant
Madison Rex graduated high school in 2015 and studied at LaTrobe University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) in 2020. Whilst working full-time, Madison completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and is also working towards completing her Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting. Madison currently works for an accounting firm in the Melbourne CBD and is also an Accredited Mental Health First Aider. In her spare time, Madison likes to try different brunch spots, and is an avid podcast listener.
Legal Assistant
Ally Ibrahim completed her VCE in 2018 and completed a Bachelor of Laws at Australian Catholic University in 2022. Currently working on her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, which is set to be completed in July this year, she will soon be in the final application stage to being submitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria and will soon receive her practicing certificate. Ally currently works as a legal assistant in the Family Law department of a mid-tier law firm in the city. She also has prior experience as a paralegal for an immigration law firm and has assisted in an appeal to the United Nations on Australia's approach to dealing with human rights issues.
Professional Athlete
Andrew Blowers was a professional athlete for 15 years, playing Rugby Union in England, Japan, and New Zealand, including the All Blacks in the World Cup in 1999. With a proud Samoan heritage, Andrew has consistently worked with Pasifika and diverse cultural groups to empower cultural engagement and build leadership skills. After retiring, he partnered with former All Black, Sir Michael Jones, to establish the Sports Academy with the Village Sports Academy in Auckland. The program assists low or unqualified students transitioning into employment and further vocational or tertiary training, emphasising life skills, leadership, and aspiration-building. Now in Victoria, Andrew is working with the Melbourne Storm RLC as a Wellbeing Manager, as well as a Leadership Coach for the Melbourne Rebels Rugby Club.
Registered Nurse
Elena Tass attended Heathdale as a student from Year 7 and graduated Year 12 in 2015. She took interests in Biology, Science and Health, and decided to complete a Bachelor of Midwifery. After graduating university, Elena specialised in Paediatric Nursing and Emergency Nursing and currently works in a very busy emergency department. One of the highlights of Elena's career was in her undergraduate degree, where she had the admirable task and honour of delivering a baby by herself for the first time.