A TOUGH time at school doesn’t have to be an impediment to finding a rewarding career, according to speakers at an Aboriginal employment day.
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The Koori Careers Pathways Day was hosted at the Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation in Wodonga on Thursday.
About 40 students from Wodonga Senior Secondary College, Murray High and the Too Cool for School program heard from guest speakers.
Kaisee Neutert graduated high school two years ago.
She told attendees their score at the end of their studies didn’t have to define their future.
“I talked about how although I didn’t apply myself 100 per cent through high school, I did engage in a lot of traineeships and other programs the school was running for Indigenous kids,” Ms Neutert said.
“Even though I had an extremely low ATAR when I graduated, that’s not the be all and end all like it’s often pushed across as.
“You can go on and do other things.”
Ms Neutert undertook a traineeship with the Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service and became a qualified dental assistant.
She is now studying nursing two days a week at Wodonga TAFE.
“It can be a struggle to find the right pathways,” she said.
“But there are people out there who can help you with that.”
The event featured representatives from the Navy, Charles Sturt University, Wodonga TAFE and more.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Aboriginal corporation and Wodonga Senior Secondary College for student work placements.
Another guest speaker, Linda Ball, had been a hairdresser and hospitality worker before making her way into nursing.
“I talked about my journey through education,” she said.
“I went to a number of different primary schools.
“Even if your family are transient and you're moving around from school to school, you can still find a place for yourself.”
Ms Ball now works in the maternity ward at Albury Wodonga Health.
“You don't have to know what you want to do when you finish school,” she said.
“You can chop and change.
“I was in hairdressing and had my children early.
"Having kids early doesn't mean you have to stop and not go back to work.
“Each opportunity you get, each opportunity you're given, grab it and have a go.”
Mungabareena workforce development officer Trish Cermina encouraged students to take their education as far as they could.
“There a many, many opportunities out there,” she said.
