July and August are busy months for the Enhance Training and Hessel Group Team. Almost everyday we are attending a careers event at a school in metropolitan Adelaide. We love meeting with students and teachers to talk about careers, training, pathways and lifestyle.
The preparation alone is a big task ensuring we have enough flyers, merchandise and staff to ensure we are ready for anything. Schools are passionate about providing this service to their community, they understand the many options available to everyone and want to expose their students to all the pathways on offer. Staff at schools are welcoming and grateful to businesses who take the time to share their service offerings with the students with many commenting that they wish this was around when they were in the later stages of their schooling.
Schools are well prepared for their careers expos, they are organised and communicate with businesses about the days agenda, requirements and expectations. Businesses are grateful for the hospitality too, speaking with students is thirsty work. At Adelaide High School's Expo, we were treated to a gourmet smorgasbord prepared by their year 12 Food and Hospitality class. It was certainly appreciated and of an extremely high standard with many of us going back for more.
As exhibitors, we have all become familiar with each other and enjoy connecting on the day to share our knowledge and insights about what is happening in the industry and what is new within our businesses. We connect on Linkedin, exchange flyers or business cards and you can see minds ticking thinking, how can we work together or, 'I wonder where those stress ball came from'. These valuable relationships mean we can refer to each other where appropriate and we often have students come over and say they were sent to us by another exhibitor.
Course Advisor, Fiona at St Columba's Careers Expo
The waves of students are also very different.
- Year 10's are just starting to understand that they really need to start thinking about their futures, they may know the industry they're keen to explore but not so much the role or pathways on offer
- Year 9's are looking at the different colour pens on offer at the stands but when you speak with them, they are inquisitive and eager to learn more
- Year 11's enquire about money, hours, courses, options and many ask about the pathways us as exhibitors have taken
- Year 12's many are certain of their plans but are looking around for 'back-ups'.
This is very general of course but certainly a trend.
A favourite from Adelaide High was a student who came up and said:
"Hey, my mum works for Hessel Group and she loves it. She is a Disability Support Worker and enjoys working with her clients and the flexibility of the hours".
We thank all the students, teachers and families for visiting us at the expos, the schools for inviting us and our staff for working on the day, we enjoy answering questions and listening to the dreams of all the students.