The surprising lessons learned from a high school careers day smorgasbord

For the first time, the high schooler saw the incredible wealth of opportunities waiting right on her doorstep, from careers in the Royal Australian Air Force to serving with the Local Aboriginal Land Council.

The massive, multi-venue expo gave hundreds of teenagers from Batemans Bay to Mallacoota, a hands-on look at their future, with 38 exhibitors showcasing everything from cabinetmaking to Bega Cheese.

The sheer variety on offer was a major drawcard for Bega High School students Sofia and Cooper.

Sofia walked away amazed by the "many amazing opportunities" available, while Cooper noted the day helped him see how his existing passions could translate into a future pathway.

Marty Burgess, CEO of Workplace Learning, said, "If you don't see it, you don't know it," adding that if today's adults had been shown these options as teenagers, "perhaps we would have made different decisions".

"So, if we can create a big smorgasbord of different career ideas, give them support and encouragement and a bit of a nudge, they can then be inspired," Mr Burgess said.

"It's about building community fabric. These kids are the next generation of people that will be community members, leaders and workers. Who knows what their potential is, until we provide them with a wide range of choices and pathways to achieve those choices."

Bega TAFE had immersive activities while UOW Bega Valley Campus hosted exhibitor taster sessions and outdoor exhibitors including emergency services, NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and the Rural Fire Service.

While many of the 600 students at the recent interactive careers expo were busy discovering new pathways, 16-year-old Abbey already knew exactly what her future looked like: a uniform in blue.

"I have wanted to do policing for a really long time," Abbey told Bega District News.

"I had a chat to them about the academy and getting in, and that was really fun. I remember having family members who were in policing, and it's just something I have always wanted to do.

"I will finish year 12 and then it's off to Goulburn to go into the police academy to do a bunch of training."

Similar to his peer, Claye, a year 10 student at Bega High, remained steadfast in his career choice, stating that he was just as intent on becoming a marine biologist when he left the career day as he was when he arrived.

"I have always been near the coast and I have always found marine life, currents and the ocean interesting. I also find it fascinating that only five per cent of the ocean has been discovered," Claye said.

But while some students had a clear destination, CareersFest revealed that the modern path to success was rarely a straight line.

With the average worker now shifting careers up to seven times, Paul Goodwin from Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) emphasised that modern careers were rarely linear.

"We know that students' roles will change over their life. You don't go into one role and that's it. People will change careers about three to seven times during their life," he said.

Mr Goodwin's own professional resume served as a prime example of this flexibility, reflecting the "career-shifting" pathways common in today's workforce.

After starting in construction, he transitioned into education, pivoted to agriculture and the equine industry, became a lecturer in higher education and served on regional development boards.

More recently, Mr Goodwin returned to education, acting as a vital conduit between schools and industry.

"I think the diversity in what you can provide at an event like this using different locations [is key], because what engages students is that interaction and hands-on activity, and that's what TAFE and university can provide as well," Mr Goodwin said.

Jacqui Walsh, TAFE's schools partnerships and growth coordinator, agreed that those flexible pathways were open to everyone.

She said there were several different sections students went through, from health, nursing, ageing and disability, to community services, TVET, hospitality, business services and its mobile VR training activity.

"I wanted to be a sign writer when I was younger, [but that didn't happen]. My parents said, 'You either get a job or you go to TAFE', so I went to TAFE and did secretarial school. That's where it started," Ms Walsh said.

"I got married, had children young, and then after that, I went back to TAFE. I started with a Certificate II, then III and IV, then went to university at 35 years old and did distant education for six years.

"Now, I'm doing diplomas and advanced diplomas and bachelors, all through the TAFE pathway. You can come to TAFE then grow into university."