Careers expo and information session

Just got back from a careers expo and information night at my son’s college. The night was very informative but very very daunting!! My son is half way through year 10 and this expo and information night was in preparation of Year 11 and 12.
There were stalls from all the leading Universities and Tafe’s in Victoria, along with The Police force, VACC, The Army, William Angliss, Real Estate agents and others, too many to remember them all.

We collected so many books /career guides, pamphlets and flyers that there is just no way we can get through them all. 

School based apprenticeships looked quite good too and for a second my son seemed to consider a school based apprenticeship in the automotive industry but ultimately health science is were we are heading I think – exercise physiology , physiotherapy etc. 

To get into one of the better Universities for Health Science you need an Atar score of 60ish with a 30 in English which is achievable I think/hope. 

I spoke with the senior school curriculum coordinator about my son dropping Maths next year he struggles with it so much, and her suggestion was to continue basic maths in year 11 because many courses only need unit 1 & 2 Maths.

I walked away feeling a lot better and I think George did too, at least we have some idea were we are heading now. 
Best part of the evening was the year 11 curriculum coordinator who was George’s English teacher last semester (and who is just the loveliest man ever ) went over and sat with George and was talking to him about university and subjects and life and i really think he got through to him, he is such a cool man the boys all love him . I was so appreciative. The year 10 coordinator also called George into his office earlier today and had a quiet word to him as I had requested. But Mr Burt (the English teacher – year 11 curriculum coordinator did it all on his own accord. As I said he is just lovely.

I think we will both sleep better tonight, it is very hard being a teenager these days, things are just so different now!! There is more competition out there, more pressure and if you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to do – and let’s face it who really does at 16 – then it’s just so stressful and I’ve gotta say draining.

Relief!!!

Feeling very relieved, the presentation for the innovations workshop is behind me now. I am happy to report that I somehow managed to pull it off and deliver my presentation without freaking out and completely forgetting all my lines. I even managed to answer the audience questions without choking. Feedback from everyone at the workshop was very good and very encouraging, I’m feeling a little drained but very happy and so very relieved!!!   

Nervous

I have a presentation on Friday at an innovations workshop in front of 300 CEO’s and other heads of agencies, and I am sooo nervous it’s just not funny!!
I have these images in my head of getting all tongue tied and going completely blank, despite that fact that what I am presenting on I know well, it’s what I do.

I would so love to be one of those people that can just get up in front of a room full of people and just look and sound so confident – but that is so not me.
The only solace I can find is that I’m scheduled to go on third, so at least I won’t be sitting there for hours with my nervousness building. Hopefully it will be quick and easy kind of like ripping off a band aid.