Week 9, Term 3, 2025 | Friday 12 September

World Ready futures in Allied Health and Building, Construction & Engineering 

Across Queensland, two workforce needs are set to grow sharply over the next two decades: Allied Health and Building, Construction and Engineering. This matters for students in our classrooms today. It shapes subject choices, work experience, post school pathways and the skills that will make our graduates genuinely World Ready. 

Why these two fields?

Allied Health is expanding as our population grows and ages, as disability and rehabilitation services increase, and as preventative care becomes a stronger priority. This means more roles for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, radiographers, medical lab technicians, mental health workers and practice managers.  

At the same time, Queensland’s infrastructure pipeline, Olympics projects, housing demand and renewable energy transition are lifting the need for designers, estimators, project managers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, civil and structural engineers, surveyors and construction site leaders. These are skilled, future proof careers that combine technical knowledge with problem solving, teamwork and communication. 

What this means for students now

Students do not need to have every detail decided. They do need a strong foundation in literacy, numeracy and digital fluency, plus the habits of curiosity, resilience and service that sit at the heart of a World Ready approach.  

Many pathways are possible, including traditional university degrees, TAFE, school based apprenticeships, traineeships and hybrid routes that combine study with paid work. 

How our Student Futures team is responding 

• Pathways advice that joins the dots. Individual guidance sessions map subject selection, ATAR or VET choices and entry requirements for allied health degrees, engineering pathways and trade careers. Our full suite of more than a dozen Certificate and Diploma level qualifications that can be completed whilst at school add flexibility for our students in navigating post-school pathways. 
• Real world experiences. We are expanding work experience placements with clinics, hospitals, allied health practices, engineering firms, builders and subcontractors. Site visits and guest speakers bring industry into our classrooms. 
• School based apprenticeships and traineeships. Targeted opportunities in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, civil construction and health support services give students paid experience while completing school. 
• Micro credentials and short courses. First Aid, CPR, White Card, basic CAD and project tools help students build a portfolio that stands out to employers and universities. We will continue to expand the microcredentials ecosystem in years to come. Our Year 9 and 10 students have enjoyed this opportunity just this week. 
• Partnerships and pipelines. We are strengthening links with hospitals, allied health providers, universities, TAFE Queensland, major contractors and industry bodies to create clearer entry points and mentoring for our students. 
• Signature programs. We will soon be launching the groundbreaking “Health and Medical Studies Pathways Program” which will be an Australia-wide first for a school. This will create tangible pathways for students for a range of healthcare courses and careers. 
• Parent and student information. Regular subject selection and QTAC information demystify prerequisites, aptitude testing, scholarships and the differences between degrees, diplomas and apprenticeships. 

How families can help

Encourage your child to keep options open, lean into maths, science and strong writing, and say yes to experiences. Ask them what problems they want to solve for their community. Support part time roles and volunteering that build customer service, teamwork and reliability. 

A final qualifier: every student is not excited or motivated by careers in Allied Health or in Building, Construction and Engineering, and that is okay. There are many other exciting pathways to pursue. At the same time, we know that many Canterbury students have pursued and are currently considering these fields. I also know that parents are anxious to ensure their sons and daughters are pursuing future pathways that are in demand and open opportunities.  

Our Student Futures team will continue to support every young person to be World Ready by finding the right pathway for them. 

Years 9 and 10 Micro Credential Program: Building Skills and Boosting Employability

This week, our Year 9 and 10 students successfully completed Canterbury’s Micro Credential Program, a two-day experience designed to develop key competencies, ignite passions and prepare students to be World Ready.

Students chose from a wide range of short, skill-focused courses, each targeting areas such as leadership, compassion, creativity, collaboration, and character development. The learning was hands-on and project-based, often involving real-world scenarios and industry-supported challenges that brought concepts to life.

One of the outcomes of the program is the awarding of digital badges for each completed micro credential. These badges will be visible on MyCC and can be added to resumes or LinkedIn profiles, giving students a head start in showcasing their skills to future employers, post-schooling educational institutes and training providers. These credentials are more than just symbols, they represent verified, practical capabilities that are increasingly valued in today’s job market.

Importantly, the program also focused on developing essential soft skills, those personal attributes that help individuals thrive in any workplace. Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, empathy and initiative were embedded throughout the micro credential experiences. These are the skills employers consistently rank as critical and our students had the chance to practise and reflect on them in meaningful, real-world contexts.

For many students, the program was also a journey of self-discovery. By exploring different areas of interest, they gained insight into what motivates them and where their strengths lie which is valuable knowledge as they begin to consider future study and career pathways.

We extend our sincere thanks to our external providers, expert teachers, and support staff for their invaluable contributions to this enriching program. A special thanks goes to Mrs Amanda Von Kanel, Head of Student Development, whose leadership and vision made this program possible.

Congratulations to all our Year 9 and 10 students for their enthusiasm, engagement, and achievement. You have not only earned badges, you have built confidence, capability and a foundation for lifelong learning and employability.

On Thursday 4th September, our Year 6 students took part in Living History Australia, a memorable history incursion that focused on the Federation era of early 1900s Australia. The CEC was transformed into a lively theatre of the past, with students trying on period clothing and examining fascinating artefacts that included historic toys, weapons, and everyday treasures.

The highlight of the day was a series of interactive dramas, where students joined Living History Australia presenters on stage to reenact the stirring moments that shaped Federation. One student became a determined Victorian-era businessman, advocating for a united Australia and discussing the urgent need for legal reforms, a national defence force, and solutions to a confusing colonial economy. Another took on the role of a Suffragette, voicing the call for women’s right to vote, while classmates engaged in lively debate, echoing the conversations that built our nation.

By playing these roles and tackling challenges faced by people of the time, like immigration and law enforcement controversies, students gained a deeper, hands-on understanding of why Federation mattered and how it shaped Australia’s journey towards equality and nationhood. It was an exciting and meaningful way to bring history to life for everyone involved!

Career Pathways

The QTAC process is well and truly underway, and it’s been fantastic to see the thoughtful planning our Year 12 students have put into their course preferences. Many have carefully balanced their dream goals with realistic backup options, showing maturity and a strong sense of direction. It’s also reassuring to see students understanding that it’s perfectly okay to change their minds — career journeys are rarely linear, and flexibility is a valuable skill.

For those students not applying through QTAC, it’s great to see they are on track with apprenticeship applications, other post schooling courses, and/or job applications, highlighting that there are many valid and exciting pathways beyond university.

For our Year 11 students, career pathway exploring has begun. Through their CaRE lessons, students have been exploring their strengths, interests, and future possibilities using the Career Central, an online platform. This exploration is a vital part of their personal and academic development, helping them build self-awareness and confidence in their decision-making. In Term 4, every Year 11 student will have an individual pathway meeting with me to discuss their ideas and begin shaping a plan for post schooling years and beyond.

I would like to encourage both students and parents to continue these conversations at home. Career exploration is not just about choosing a job — it’s about discovering who you are, what you value, and how you want to contribute to the ever-changing world. The more students engage with this process now, the more empowered they’ll be to make informed, meaningful choices in the future.

YEAR 4 RAVE – HOLY COMMUNION

This term has been a wonderful journey with the Year 4 students as we explored the sacrament of Holy Communion during RAVE. It has been fascinating to witness their growing understanding of how something as simple as a family meal or tradition can hold deep spiritual significance.

From learning about the Passover meal to discovering that the Last Supper was also a Passover celebration, the students have come to appreciate that Jesus was not a Christian, but a person of the Jewish faith. They’ve also explored what makes an altar more than just a table – what gives it sacred meaning.

There has been so much to learn from just this one sacrament, and the Anglican tradition has seven!

It’s always a blessing to welcome students from both the Junior and Senior Schools into the chapel each term. What’s been especially meaningful is how Chapel time complements their RAVE learning. Together, our Chapel program and RAVE work hand in hand to give students a deeper, more holistic understanding of spirituality. I truly believe we do this in a respectful and thoughtful way. I am looking forward to watching students, staff, and myself continuing our growth together.

Blessings
Fr Dan Talbot
College Chaplain

YEAR 10 RAVE – UNDERSTANDING OUR WORLD

With the rise of social media and AI fake news, it has become even more important for our students to understand what is going on in the world around them. In Year 10 RAVE this term, we have discussed leading news stories and learnt about using trusted, reliable news outlets.

However, this is certainly not a media studies course, as students have had to apply different religious beliefs and teachings to topics raised in news stories. In classes we have explored moral dilemmas raised in events and students have posed thoughtful questions and considered their own opinions on issues. Our unit has had a particular focus on Australian identity and the potential for religions to shape a community’s values and identity. For assessment, students had to select a recent news story and discuss it through a religious lens of their choice. Some of the stories that captured students’ attention have included the ‘mushroom murder trial’; the protests against the war between Israel and Gaza; a range of environmental issues from Brisbane Olympic developments, rare earth mining to endangered species; as well as regular news about robberies, violent attacks and fires. Students have been fascinated to learn there is much more going on beyond their narrow algorithm-designed news feeds and to also see how religious beliefs and principles can positively shape people’s attitudes and actions.

Helen Tani
Head of Faculty – Global Studies

This term our Prep students have been learning about the external features of animals and plants. They have been exploring how these features help living things survive in their environments and comparing similarities and differences between a variety of creatures.

We have linked this learning in Science with our English lessons. Students have been drawing different animals and plants, labelling their external features such as leaves, shells, fins, and claws, and then writing sentences to describe them. This has supported the children in creating their own informative texts while also practising sentence structure, vocabulary, and the conventions of non-fiction writing.

Throughout the unit, students have also explored different text types to understand how information can be shared in a range of ways. They have looked closely at simple reports, fact files, and labelled diagrams to inspire their own creations.

A highlight of the learning was when the Prep kids had the opportunity to see and touch some sea life. This hands-on experience deepened their understanding of external features and gave them real-world examples to include in their work. The excitement and curiosity from this activity flowed straight back into their writing and drawings, making their informative texts richer and more meaningful.

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