Career Pathways

Careers

Welcome to the Cashmere High School Careers Department. We are located at the back of the Library and access to the Centre is via the Library.

Keep up to date with the latest student job vacancies, university open days, work experience and more, by visiting the Cashmere High School Careers Website. You can also sign up to receive a weekly email with the latest events, jobs and news from the Careers Department, or follow our Instagram Page #cashmerecareers  for on-going updates.

Deciding which subjects to take at school, making well-informed career and tertiary study plans can be challenging and even daunting especially when you don't know what is available or what you'd like to do. The answer is to invest time in yourself during your busy student life.

 The Careers Team can assist you in making decisions in regards to subject choices and offer guidance in deciding future study/job opportunities. Many students can be unsure of what it is they want to do when they leave school and often they just want to drop in and chat about what their options are.

Feel free to drop in and see us and pick up some information on all the universities and polytechnics, overseas study and GAP year options. Or make an appointment to see the Careers Team to decide and make plans, supported by skilled career guidance and counselling, find out about GATEWAY/STAR/Taster courses and scholarships that are available, receive help with CV preparation and handling selection interviews for jobs,

Careers Adviser: Mike Bennett

Careers Assistant: Nic Falloon

Gateway Co-ordinator: Ken Thomson

Gateway

Gateway is an exciting programme offering students in Years 11-13 an opportunity to experience workplaces first hand while engaging in structured workplace learning.  Gateway aims to make learning relevant to the needs of the student, and to ensure a smooth transition  from school to employment or further training.  Generally any Gateway training will feed into higher-level qualifications like apprenticeships or diplomas, within the industry.  While on Gateway a student will spend a day a week on a work placement as well as be working towards unit standards from the National Qualification Framework (NZQA).

Students will:

  • Learn practical industry skills and gain industry knowledge
  • Gain credits that contribute to NCEA
  • Have industry Unit Standards added to their record of learning
  • Gain Unit Standards that can go towards a range of national qualifications
  • Learn about the range of jobs available
  • Develop first hand knowledge of what it is really like to work in the industry
  • Gain useful experience in the workplace which will help them to find a job
  • Become confident about entering the workforce through better knowledge of the requirements an expectations of workplaces
  • Be able to make a more informed choice about tertiary study.

Gateway is more than a work experience programme, and is aimed at students who are motivated to achieve.  In order to be successful they need to be work ready and are able to undertake individual assessment for NQF in the workplace.

Gate way students have been placed in a wide variety of industries including hospitality, automotive, farming, tourism, engineering, childcare, hairdressing and building.

Cashmere High School has 25 Gateway placements this year.

  • Gateway provides long-term structured workplace learning for Year 12-13 students.
  • In consultation with the employer, a learning plan is specifically developed for each student including industry-based Unit Standards that contribute towards NCEA.
  • School attendance continues as usual, with students attending Gateway Placement one day per week for a period of time to be arranged.
  • Students gain valuable experience and learning in a career of their choice, building confidence for a smooth transition to the workplace.

Please contact Ken Thomson for further information if your son/daughter is interested in participating in Gateway.

Ken Thomson
Gateway Co-ordinator
Email:   tok@cashmere.school.nz



STAR

The STAR Funded Short Introductory Courses cover a wide variety of career paths from restaurants, electronics, childcare, building, reception, farming and many more. These are interesting courses lasting between 2 and 4 days. They are very practical and hands on.

Courses present job knowledge and skills but importantly, they also explain what is required to get employed in the particular work area. This includes qualification requirements and training possibilities.

STAR courses are offered by a variety of private providers mainly within the city. Students will also have the opportunity to gain Unit Standards and a certificate of course completion which will be useful to add to their CVs.

STAR courses are available mainly to Year 12 and 13 students. Course cost is covered by the school. Course choices are advertised in the Careers Centre and on the Cashmere High School Careers website - https://cashmere.careerwise.school. You can also come in and make an appointment with Mr Mike Bennett in the Careers Centre to discuss options.

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Mike Bennett
​​​​​​​Careers Pathway Coordinator
​​​​​​​Email:  bem@cashmere.school.nz