By Parkes High School work experience student LAURA BURKITT
Parkes High School students were out and about doing work experience in the Parkes community at the end of last year.
Forty Year 10 students experienced life in the workplace during the first week of December, exploring the different professions of plumbing, veterinary, floristry, librarian, real estate, mechanics, teaching, electrician, childcare, aged care, carpentry, and many more!
All these students were provided with great opportunities to increase their knowledge, learn new skills and meet new people. Their work experience will also guide them to which career path they may wish to follow.
Student Laura Burkitt completed her week with the Parkes Champion Post, where she covered a number of local stories in the footsteps of a journalist, including interviewing her peers about their experiences.
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These are their stories.
Laura Burkitt
I did work placement at the Parkes Champion Post to experience what it’s like to be a journalist. I had the opportunity to go around to community events, interview people, write stories and do photography.
This experience has given me a clear insight to the aspects and skills required for journalism and how to achieve a role in this industry.
My favourite part of the job was going around the community and getting to see and know everything that’s going on.
I can see myself doing this job in the future, however, I am still unsure of which career path I want to follow.
Olive Cope
Olive did work placement at Body Express Beauty Salon to shadow the role of being a beautician.
During her time at the salon, she observed some appointments and assisted in cleaning duties like laundry, dusting and vacuuming.
Olive describes her time as “a learning experience with lots of cleaning and observing”.
She said her favourite part of her job was meeting new people and getting to go on her lunch break.
Olive can see herself doing this career in the future once she’s fully trained to serve clients.
Manon Segara
Manon is Parkes High’s French exchange student and did work experience at Bellas Café & Licensed Italian Restaurant.
She has been able to experience multiple aspects of hospitality including waitressing, kitchen prepping and baristaing.
Manon said she enjoyed her time at Bellas, despite people finding it hard to understand her accent.
She said her favourite part of the job was “being with Mama Rose”.
Manon can see herself doing this job but only as a backup option for her career.
Lucy MacGregor
Lucy did work placement at Parkes Diagnostic Imaging to see what it’s like to be a radiologist.
She had the opportunity to observe the different scans and patient injuries that are assessed at the medical centre.
Lucy described her time as “a good experience in the health department, especially to see all the scans and how they operate”. She claimed her favourite part of the job was the x-rays and seeing all the aspects of radiology.
Lucy can see this being her future career as it’s of high interest to her.
Olivia Chambers, Aleisha Yeo, and Layla Quade
Olivia, Aleisha, and Layla got to do work experience at Parkes East Public School to assist the role of being a teacher.
Their tasks involved helping the kids with their work and assisting the teachers with jobs when needed.
Here’s what each one of them had to say:
Olivia: “It’s been very good, exciting, and fun”.
Her favourite part was hanging with the kids at recess and lunch.
“I’ve enjoyed it a lot," she said.
Olivia could see herself doing this in the future but with little kids only.
Aleisha: “It’s a good experience to have”.
Her favourite part was making special friendships and hanging out with the kids.
Aleisha is unsure about choosing this career in the future as she wishes to explore her options further.
Layla: “It’s been a great opportunity”.
Her favourite part was helping the kids solve problems and being able to teach them new things.
“It’s been interesting and exciting," she said.
Layla can see herself doing this in the future as she’s already undertaking a student-based apprenticeship at Parkes East as a school learning and support officer (SLSO).
