PEOPLE who don’t attend university are able to build a quality future for themselves.
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That was the message yesterday at a forum aimed to introduce high school students to different pathways after school.
Australian Industry Group regional manager Tim Farrah said the You Have a Future forum supported the “majority who didn’t want to go to uni”.
Senior students from Albury High, Murray High, James Fallon High, Billabong High, Corowa High, Wodonga Senior Secondary College and the Beechworth and Tallangatta secondary colleges attended.
They learnt of their options for the future after Border industries banded together with the schools’ principals to stage the forum.
Mr Farrah said he hoped it would help break down preconceived ideas about bosses and certain industries.
“The students are people who in the not-so-distant future will be driving business,” he said.
Yesterday the students removed their ear plugs after a tour of the Wilson Transformer Company and gained advice from general manager Jon Retford about how to become more employable.
“It’s simple,” he said.
“Recruit for the attitude and train for the skill.”
Mr Retford said he was impressed by students who decided to see their schooling through to their senior years.
“Choosing to stay at school speaks volumes to me because it shows they can deal with the difficult things,” he said.
Murray High student Ethan Edwards, 17, said the forum changed his perspective.
“I’m seeing there are more opportunities than I thought and I see myself taking up a trade,” he said.
“I can see uni is not the only option — which is good because I’m not interested in it.”
Albury High principal Darryl Ward said students should understand post-school options.
A Hume Building Society officer spoke about managing money and Border Express managing director Grant Luff explained what his staff had achieved over the years.