Visions for the future

BUSINESSES and future employees connected and shared their stories at a breakfast in Dandenong this month.
City of Greater Dandenong’s Youth and Family Services team partnered with South East Business Networks (SEBN) to host the event at Dandenong Civic Centre on Thursday 7 May.
Year 9 and 10 students from six secondary schools joined with mentors to explore career options and pathways to reach their goals.
“It was one of those special moments where it was just a great feeling in the room,” SEBN manager Sandra George said.
“It was terrific because we had almost as many mentors as we had students. I think it was up around the 40 mark.”
Ms George said businesses were very willing to help with two 20-minute mentoring sessions.
“We didn’t have to do any chasing. In fact we had a waiting list of mentors,” she said.
“The mentors said at the end of the session they would have liked longer with the kids.
“They valued the fact that these young people were their future workforce.”
Dandenong High School, Sirius College, Carwatha College P12, St John’s Regional College, Minaret College and Keysborough College were involved.
Students discussed their mentor’s career journey and what they did at work each day during the first mentoring session while the second focused on students’ career paths.
“It gave employers a better understanding of how young people think and therefore how they can connect with them,” Ms George said.
She said the event also exposed students to the job opportunities in the region.
“Often a lot more than what they think there are,” she said.
“Don’t be persuaded by media that manufacturing is dead and gone. It’s very much alive, it’s different and it’s exciting.”
– CASEY NEILL