Year 10 students were inspired to learn the career journeys of 13 industry leaders at the second annual Careers Breakfast at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, held on Tuesday, 28 February.
The event enabled students to have mini ‘speed’ discussions with the guest speakers, moving around the room in small groups to ask questions and practice their networking skills.
During the morning, students discovered what it’s like to study for and work in a range of roles, including as a dentist, psychologist, specialist physician, physiotherapist, rail project and engineering manager, electrician, real estate agent, lawyer, academic, accountant, general business manager and financial advisor.
Flinders Careers Advisor Kathryn Rooke-Jones said the students enjoyed speaking with a range of people from a range of industries as they consider some of the career decisions they will make over the next few years.
“Our Flinders Careers Breakfast is designed to inspire and challenge our Year 10s at this exciting stage of their lives when the world is their oyster,” Kathryn said.
“We were delighted to present our students with an incredible line-up of 13 speakers who generously acted as mentors,” she said.
Speakers included Dr Mia Murray, a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist; Mr Adrian Megaw, a rail project and engineering manager; Dr Dominique Moritz, Associate Dean at the School of Law and Society at the University of the Sunshine Coast; and Old Flinderian Mr Tom Revell, an electrician.
Kathryn said, “It was fascinating to learn the diverse and varied career journeys the speakers had taken and what motivated them to excel in their respective fields.
“Gaining clarity about their future career path helps our Year 10 students when it’s time in Term 3 to select their subjects for Years 11 and 12,” she said.
“We encourage students to select the subjects they enjoy, are good at and are interested in for their future career paths.
“It’s also important that our students develop skills and character traits that will future-proof them for tomorrow’s workforce, such as how to be innovative, collaborative, proactive and responsive.
“And chatting to industry leaders at our careers events helps students understand how valuable these soft skills are – no matter the career path they take.”
The Flinders Class of 2022 graduates pursued tertiary courses in many areas of the Health industry, including Medicine, Nursing, Paramedicine, Sonography, Exercise Science, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology.
Other popular courses were Business, Engineering, Science and the Creative Industries including Design, Architecture and Film.
In closing the event, Kathryn Rooke-Jones thanked the guest speakers for generously offering their time and expertise to support the Year 10 students through this formative stage of their schooling journey.
The Flinders 2023 Careers Breakfast speakers
Dr Mia Murray - Clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist
Dr Tanya Gray - Paediatric Emergency Physician
Dr Dominique Moritz - Associate Dean School of Law and Society, UniSC
Ms Penny Williams - Portfolio Specialist
Ms Zoe Leonard - Nurse and Midwife
Mr Adrian Megaw - Rail project and engineering manager
Mr Peter Gowers - Real estate agent
Dr Peter Jorgensen - Dentist
Ms Peta Grenfell - Accountant and Partner of Bentley's Sunshine Coast
Mrs Alison Newman - General Manager, People and Culture
Mr Angus Cooper - Managing Director, Accru Wealth
Mrs Claire Mahoney - Paediatric Physiotherapist
Mr Tom Revell - Electrician and an Old Flinderian alumni
