Careers Education & Guidance

Careers Education

Our aim for Careers Education at Geraldine High School is to systematically help all students achieve personally satisfying and socially productive roles in their life beyond school through working alongside them to build up a detailed knowledge of their individual skills, attitudes, abilities, and interests, and helping them find out how these might be applied for future success in further education or the work place.

What Do We offer?

We provide comprehensive career education for students through individual counselling, a range of vertical form and classroom programmes, career-related subject options, and the provision for attending careers-related events and opportunities both on- and off-site. Senior (Year 11-13) subject choices include the opportunity to select Gateway, STAR, and other courses from outside providers which can help provide vocational training and experiences.

The Careers Team

An experienced team is available for the support of all students as they explore career options and begin to make future career plans.
Careers Advisor – Desiree McCaskill: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Guidance Counsellor – Mark Hayward: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Gateway Administrator – Anne Rawson: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Gateway Teacher – Mrs Margaret Walker: marg.walker@geraldinehs.schoool

Careers Room

The school has a well-resourced Careers Room and provides ready access to computers for careers enquiries. Students are encouraged to develop self-knowledge and construct individual career plans through subject-related programmes, the New Zealand Careers website, and the use of various planning and investigative tools. The Careers staff are members of the regional Careers and Transition Association. They also use the New Zealand Careers Service to keep up-to-date with current trends and best practice.

Careers Education Features Widely

There is special emphasis on the importance of careers-related decision making, including individual skill identification, subject choice, and how to access careers information and tools. This is fostered in an ongoing way for all students through regular discussion and individual conferencing with the vertical form teacher. Information from these conferences is recorded electronically to enable both students and staff to monitor the development of ideas as the individual moves through the school.

Active Support for Students

Deans and subject teachers play an active part in assisting students to make  informed decisions around subject choice and career ideas. All students from Year 10 to Year 13 are interviewed individually by a member of senior management or a year-level dean to assist in appropriate subject selection for their courses. Subject booklets and an information evening are also provided for students and their parents to help with this important process.

Careers Planning, Curriculum Vitae, and Leavers Testimonials

All Year 13 students and other school leavers receive careers planning interviews and whatever follow-up may be required during their final year at school.

There is an expectation that all students will leave school with a curriculum vitae underway. They are helped to construct this and encouraged to update it regularly in the future.

We also provide all senior school leavers with a detailed testimonial, outlining their special skills, qualities and future potential.