oct-dec 13 issue

AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL LEAVERS ONLINE MAGAZINE

...for your best future.com.au

schoolLeavingLeavingLeaving

money lessonsand resumé tips

profileHarry James Angus:

from the cat empire...being a musician

why I love my job

interview withRebecca Maddern

what you shouldknow before

leaving school

Oct-DecEDITION

2013

ONLY $12.95

what now?life after school

how your brain works!

HOW YOUR BRAINREALLY WORKS

How the brain works andhow to best take controlof what we can control.

KIRSTY SPRAGGONWhat you shouldknow before youleave school.

WHAT NOW?Further education?

Work? Both? Explore your after

school options.

4

14

16

.com.auschoolLeavingLeavingLeaving

PUBLISHER

leavingschool.com.auCREATIVE DIRECTOR

Stephen SutherlandGRAPHIC DESIGN + LAYOUT

Rhiannon BrownEDITOR

Jeff GillingSUB EDITOR

Jessica HoweCONTRIBUTORS

> Bruce Simons > Rebecca Maddern> Kelly Rothwell > Kirsty Spraggon> Debi K Moore > Cherryl Hanson Simpson

ADVERTISING

[email protected]

LEAVINGSCHOOL.COM.AULeaving School (leavingschool.com.au) is a joint publicationof macintype design pty ltd ABN 73 071 622 707 andgilling.com.au ABN 91 751 007 982Level 4, 24 Lexington Drive | Bella Vista NSW 2153PO Box 7483, Baulkham Hills Business CentreBaulkham Hills NSW 2153 | Telephone 0432 011 600Facsimile 02 9836 4088 Email [email protected]

LeavingSchool.com.au is produced and fundedby the participating companies listed herein. All product claims and specifications mentionedin the text are those of the parti ci pating companies.

The authors and publisher of LeavingSchool are notresponsible for any actions taken on the basis ofinformation contained herein nor for any error oromission contained herein. The publisher and authorsexpressly disclaim all liability in respect of anythingdone or not done in reliance upon all or any part of thecontents of LeavingSchool. Copyright in this publicationis vested in the publisher LeavingSchool. All rightsreserved. No part of this publication may be reproducedin any form or by any means without the writtenpermission of the publisher LeavingSchool.Copyright © 2013 Leaving School.

PRIVACY NOTICE: This issue of LeavingSchool maycontain items which require you to provide informationabout yourself or your company if you choose to takepart in them. If you provide information toleavingschool.com.au it may use information to sendyou details of services or offers. LeavingSchool may alsogive your information to other organisations that areassociated with LeavingSchool. Unless you tell us not toleavingschool.com.au may give your information toother organisations that may use it to inform you aboutother products, services or offers. If you would like togain access to the information leavingschool holdsabout you please contact our Privacy Officer [email protected]

PRINCIPAL’SCORNER

10

25WHY I LOVE MY JOBInterview with Channel7 news presenterRebecca Maddern.

34

MONEY LESSONSKey principles of how tomanage, multiply andmaintain your money.

KEEPING THINGS INPERSPECTIVEThe world does not oweyou a living. It owes youan apology.

52

RESUME TIPSRules and tips to helpyour resumé stand out.

30 SAMOAThe new kindof schoolies.

3820

SURVIVING YEAR 12A few tips for

parents.

44HARRY JAMES ANGUSOn being a musician.

are fundamental to human fulfilment.The essence of these needs is captured in the phrase

The need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need tohave a sense of meaning, purpose, personalcongruence, and contribution.

certain thingsthere are

that

‘to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy’

– Dr. Stephen R. Covey

5

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

We live in an era of exponentialchange when it comes to careers. When I wasa teenager, life was far simpler for youngpeople than it is now. Alternatively, it mayhave been that I was blissfully unaware of thechoice in careers that lay before me. In myday, our access to course and vocationaladvice was limited, though some schools gavefledgling careers guidance. Most of my friendsknew however what they wanted to be from ayoung age; urged, cajoled and even, in somecases, directed by our parents. Once auniversity course was commenced, it was

October–December 2013

usually completed. For us, universitycosts were confined to merely payingour token student union fees (tuitionwas free!). Many of us who livedthrough this era will retire at around65 years of age, and most of us willhave occupied the same career for ourworking lives.

Times have changed. Career advice isplentiful in most schools. The internetprovides a smorgasbord of advice andinformation. Courses are no longer free yet a growing percentage ofundergraduates change courses mid-stream and, in many instances, do notpursue the career they have actuallytrained for. Research shows that young people are more uncertain thanever about their future directions. The plethora of choice has created

uncertainty, and with this uncertainty,emanates anxiety. It should not be so,yet it is, meaning that advice andinformation that impacts upon futuresmust now be, more than ever before,clear, guided, comprehensive andconsistent. Schools have a greater roleto help each student discern betweencourses of interest, identify andnurture academic capacity, and fosterpersonality and character in order toassist young women and men to choosethe right pathway that will suit theirunique makeup.

Despite this mood of uncertainty,young people above all face aprosperous and exhilarating future.This generation of youngsters has only ever seen a growing economy inAustralia, noting that this great land’s

One of themost powerfulwellsprings of creativeenergy, outstandingaccomplishment andfulfilment seems tobe falling in love withyour dreams and yourimage of the future.Mr Bruce Simons

6

7October–December 2013


last economic recession occurred backin 1991. Our medical facilities aresecond to none and our healthylifestyle means that many of thoseAustralians born post 1990 will have an average life expectancy, their Godwilling, of close to 100. Our newgeneration of school leavers will more than likely have several career(not just job) changes in their lifetime.The careers that they may occupy in 10 years’ time may not yet have beeninvented. Those careers that alreadyexist will appear very different to howthey look today. One only has toexperience for example how schoolshave changed in the past 20 years,

where teaching has evolved, facilitieshave improved and learning hasbecome more inquiry based, to realisethat those aspiring to enter the greatprofession of teaching will encounterchange for the better.

I have a strong faith in young people,believing that they possess betterinterpersonal skills, greater flexibilityand confidence than ever before. They are able to multi task, though this optimism for our youth issomewhat tempered by their growingobsession with media based socialinteraction, distracting people fromimproving efficacy and timemanagement. That said, my faith


8

pertains to and exudes for young menand women able to adapt to, welcomeand initiate change, as well as embracetheir international status as normalstates of events, and to aspire, to leadand excel in their chosen professions.

Leaving school is a big life change.Each boy and girl at this stage has been at school for 13 years; it isunlikely that they will ever againcomplete an academic course of thisduration. They have been guided,nurtured and cajoled. At home, they have a roof over their heads, good food, love, affection andunderstanding. Beyond school, withindependence, comes responsibilityand consequence, uncertainty andchallenge and ultimately, family andresponsibility. All of this is what life is all about. In conclusion, therefore,may I extend my simple but profoundwish to the readers of this magazine, as you venture beyond school, in asingle word; fulfilment.

American psychologist and author of“The Creativity Man”, E. Paul Torrance said that one of the most powerfulwellsprings of creative energy,outstanding accomplishment andfulfilment seems to be falling in lovewith your dreams and your image of the future. It is a multifacetedconcept, though for me it means to behappy, at peace, content and enthused.By determining what is important toyou, setting about achieving yourambitions, loving and being loved,making a difference, being involvedand giving your all, life, and all that it entails, is exciting, enthralling,uncertain, challenging, but mostof all fulfilling.

Beyond school, withindependence, comesresponsibility andconsequence, uncertaintyand challenge andultimately, family andresponsibility...

Australian Catholic University – CRICOS registered provider: 00004G, 00112C, 00873F, 00885BArts & Sciences | Business | Education | Health Sciences | Law | Theology & Philosophy

For support or info call 1300 ASK ACU

or visit acu.edu.au/youracu

STILL EXPLORING YOUR OPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR?

Discover the possibilities at ACU and

fi nd a course that’s right for you.

You can lodge your application now, so list ACU as a preference to develop the skills to make a diff erence.

HAMISH, Law & Global Studies student

10

really worksThere are so manythings I wish I knewbefore leaving school,and I believe I hadlearnt a lot as it was! One particular thingI wish I knew moreabout was our brainand how it really works.

how your brain


s a psychologist I learntthe basics of the human

brain during my studies at university,yet it was not really a great focus onunderpinning psychological theory atthe time (nor do I believe it is now fromwhat I am seeing). I also hear regularlyfrom clients things like ‘why did I notknow about how the brain works whenI was younger?’. Unfortunately I don’thave an answer for that one, yet whatI do now know and what I have seen inmy clients around the world is that themore knowledge we gain about how thebrain works, the more likely we are tobe able to use it in a more helpful way.

With some of the fundamentals ofneuroscience (and integrated withpsychological information andtechniques), I have developed The SETBrain™ Program to be able to best share how the brain works and how to besttake control of what we can control inthe most practical and applicable way.The SET Brain™ is based around3 general functions of the brain: theSurvival Brain, the Emotional Brainand the Thinking Brain.

a

12

THESURVIVALBRAIN

In a very brief sense, The SurvivalBrain talks to the most primitivepart of the brain and includesseveral structures that are all aboutkeeping us alive. Among its mainfunctions is to constantly scan forchange and / or threat to our lives.One of our challenges nowadays isthat the Survival Brain does notknow the difference between a threatto our life, or a threat to our lifestyle,it just picks it up as threat seeing ourwhole bodies kick into survival modewhere we are ready to ‘fight, freezeor flight’ – helpful when there is athreat to our lives, not so helpfulwhen a threat to our lifestyle as thisstress response in a prolonged sensecan cause significant damage to ourmental and physical health.

THEEMOTIONALBRAIN

The Emotional Brain is like a secondfilter to all the information cominginto our brain, whereby it connectsthe lower (Survival) and upper(Thinking) brain, filtering andmaking decisions based mostly onemotional input and prior emotionalexperiences. The Emotional Brain issaid to be powerful and helpful, notalways wise. This is the function ofthe brain, if we want to capture andHOLD people’s attention, we aremost successful when we talk to thispart. However, have you ever seensomeone overloaded with emotion,notice their responses, how theybehave – this is their EmotionalBrain taking over, shutting downfrom certain information, distractedby whatever the emotion is, not ableto ‘think clearly’!?

really workshow your brain


THETHINKING BRAIN

The Thinking Brain on the other handis the ‘wise one’, when it is switchedon. The frontal lobe, that whichcontains the prefrontal cortex, is theonly structure in the brain that seemsto be able to control emotions, evenacting as a damper for the moreprimitive emotions of the SurvivalBrain! It receives information from allother areas and sends out commandsto them, just as leaders needs tocommunicate with all people withinthe business and our customers. It isour Thinking Brain which separates usfrom other animals (most share theSurvival and Emotional brain). Theability to plan ahead, make decisions,organise, and control our impulses isat the core of the human braindevelopment. Being able to stop,reflect and think about how we arethinking is a remarkable gift thatenables the brain to monitor how it isdoing and then change according toour needs.

whatIwish

SCHOOLBEFORE I LEFTIknewabout leaving

wish I knew that schoolwasn’t the be all and end allof life. When you’re inschool it is your whole

reality in a lot of ways.We think that is what life is about,whereas the reality is, it is when weleave school that life really begins –when you get to be the captain of yourown ship, the director of your destiny.

I wish I understood that you don’thave to have all the answers the day

14Kirsty Spraggon

I

I wish I knew that school wasn’tthe be all and end all of lifeyou leave school and that you can makedifferent choices at any point along theway. If you start down one path andfind out it actually isn’t what you wantto do, that is ok. Change directions.Yes it can be an expensive choice, butwhat is the alternative? Staying in a jobyou loathe for 50 plus years? I think alot of people make bad choices becausethey are trying to please others, theythink there is no money in their truepassion, or they don’t know enoughabout the career they are choosinguntil it is too late.

I think it’s important to go and dosome work experience early on. At 15I went to a child care centre, an officeand a nursing home. It helps you geta feel for what you might like to do.

Some things can sound amazing.Like child care – but then the reality

of snotty screaming kids may notactually be your forte!

We can have an idea in our mindabout a dream career and the reality ofwhat it takes mentally to be a scientist,emotionally to be a fireman, stress wiseto run your own business etc. It canactually be very different to what youfantasize it to be. So go hang out indifferent work environments andindustries and get a feel for what youlike. Are you a team player or do youlike to work autonomously?


what now

Leaving School is both an exciting

and scary time. Often you are glad to

be leaving the regimented routine of study and

heave a sigh of relief that teachers in your life

are a thing of the past. You are now free to do

your own thing and start your adult life.

efore you jump intoo quickly withdeciding optionsfor yourself, think

about your future and where youwant to be in at least ten yearstime. This will put a perspectiveon your career and help you starton the right path to your goal.Do not worry though if you nevertook well to education and justwant to get a job to earn money.You have to choose what suitsyour personality and needs.

B17


18

IF YOU LOVEEDUCATIONY ou may have already decided that youlove learning and are consideringfurther education such as university ora diploma course at TAFE. Manycollege courses are dependent on yourexam grades, so do check out with yourchosen college what grades are neededto be accepted on courses. In the eventyour exam results are not high enoughfor the course entry requirements, youmight like to retake exams and joincollege later or alternatively look atdifferent courses that accept yourcurrent grades.

You will need your HSC to attendUniversity but again they will havetheir own level of requirements foreach course. Some Universities arevery difficult to get into e.g., TheUniversity of Sydney and RMITand need top grades. Also, take intoconsideration that often Universitieswill specialise in a specific subjectmatter; e.g., Medicine, Law,Engineering or Business.You can find more information bysearching on the internet or doing yourresearch before applying.

IF YOU JUSTWANT A JOBRegister as unemployed so you canstart claiming your unemployment/jobseekers allowance. The AustralianGovernment provides payments tosupport people who are studying,training or undertaking an AustralianApprenticeship. Income supportpayments like ABSTUDY, Austudy andYouth Allowance provide financialsupport while you study or train. If you are a student and you liveaway from home in order to study,Fares Allowance helps you cover thecost of travelling between yourpermanent home and the placewhere you are studying.For more information visit:http://www.humanservices.gov.au

whatnow?


IF YOU DONTMIND STUDYINGAND WANT TOEARN MONEYYou might want to think about anapprenticeship. There are many tochoose from. You could considerplumbing, carpentery, gardening,printer, electrical or even being a chefor hairdresser. Often apprenticeshipswill pay you a wage and you learn theskill as you work and whilst attendingTAFE once or twice a week.

ther optionsyou might liketo consider are:Charity Workabroad or at home

(often you have to pay for flightsout when working abroad butaccommodation and food arepaid for). Check the websitesof your favourite charity formore information.It is important to research andspend time searching for options:nothing will fall into your lap andyou must spend time every daylooking for jobs, career options oreducational requirements. It is upto you and only you can make yourdream opportunity happen.Opportunities can be few and farbetween and it makes very goodsense to have a flexible plan onchoosing your options whenleaving school.

O

20

money lessons I wishI had learned in schoolRecently, while planning fora trip to a Spanish-speaking country,I realised that I’d forgotten all thelessons I had learned in high schoolabout this foreign language.Although I had passed the subjectin examinations many years ago,I had no recollection of eventhe basic concepts.

nfortunately this problemis replicated with many ofthe subjects that I studied

in school from primary up to tertiarylevels. Although I may have excelledat them in class, the reality is thatI did not practise their principlesoutside of school, so their contentbecame distant memories.

I know my situation is not an isolated

case of ‘school-subject Alzheimer’s’.I have often wondered why our educationsystem focuses on teaching children somany obscure topics, while ignoringsome practical areas that are crucial tothe development of our students.I believe that more attention needsto be paid to imparting importantlife skills to help students cope inthe real world.

U


One vital lesson that is absent from thecurriculum of Australia’s school systemis personal finance education. Whetherwe aspire to become doctors, lawyers,nurses or policemen, we all need tolearn the key principles of how tomanage, multiply and maintain ourmoney. No student should leave schoolwithout attaining an age-appropriateunderstanding about money.

Looking back, all my financial lessonswere learned through making mistakesand trying to figure out how to get outof the money problems I had createdfor myself. If only someone had taughtme the basic rules of money whileI was in school, I would have savedmyself a lot financial stress overthe years.

Today, one of my goals is to promotethe inclusion of personal financetraining in the curriculum of primaryto tertiary level schools. Inconceptualising the ideal moneycourse, I thought about all thetopics that I wished that I had learnedin school, and created a frameworkthat could be adapted to differentage groups.

This issue, we will look at four moneyprinciples I think our children shouldbe learning in school.

WE ALL NEED TOLEARN ABOUT MONEY

Our consumption-focused culture ispartly responsible for many of thefinancial challenges that the country asa whole is facing today. ManyAustralian’s equate having moneywith the ability to spend it frivolously.To address this problem, we have toteach proper spending decisions toyoung children when they are stillimpressionable.

Some of the practical areas thatshould be covered include makinggrocery lists, comparison shopping forbest prices, finding sales via theinternet or press advertisements,calculating unit prices on goods,differentiating between wants andneeds, and learning how to savemoney by conserving.

SMARTSPENDING

BUDGETINGBASICS

One of the major problems that peopleface with their finances is they don’tknow how to allocate the money theyhave to pay all their bills. The conceptof budgeting is one that childrenshould learn at school because eventhen they have to make choices withtheir money.

Using practical applications, studentsshould be taught how to work out alltheir monthly expenses, fill out apersonal budget, calculate thedifference between income andexpenses and make adjustmentsin the budget to balance theirspending needs with their income.

22

Many people’s first response to havinga budgetary shortfall is to try toborrow money to make up thedifference. Along with our love ofspending comes our dependence ondebt. Unfortunately, this negativeattitude is being passed onto ourchildren, so it is important to equipthem with the tools to understand howto manage debt.

Key principles about debt that shouldbe taught include understanding howloans work, reading loan documents,assessing the capacity to borrow basedon a budget, using credit cards,recognising beneficial debt as againstharmful debt, and the responsibility torepay debts on time.

MANAGINGDEBT

The flip side of our high propensity tospend is our inadequate attention tosaving. If our thoughts are focused onspending money instead ofaccumulating it, is it any wonder thatmany of us live from pay cheque to paycheque, and never amass any realwealth? Children need to be taughthow to save, as many parents are notcarrying out this vital instruction.

This subject should teach studentssimple strategies to make regularsaving easier, such as putting asideten per cent of their income. Practicalexperience would be obtained bythem actually opening their ownbank or credit union accounts.They should also be taught thefactors that make money grow,such as compound interest andthe impact of time on savings.

SAVINGESSENTIAL


PATENTPENDING

N E O P R E N E

Fruit Bagwith freezer Gel Pack + Carabiner Clip

FOODSAFE

NONTOXIC

Take a healthy snack with you, where ever you go!

The new CHILLER2GO protects your fruit from bruising and the non toxic freezer gel pack keeps it cool so your fruit will last longer this summer!

Available in 3 colours.

© 2012 CHILLED OUT PTY LTD

COOL & PROTECT

Your FruitON THE GO!

BUY ONLINE NOWwww.chiller2go.com.au

why I It has beensaid if youchoose a jobyou love youwill neverhave towork a dayin your life

ucky break if you can get it.Most people I know selectedcareers out of high school

based on a rudimentary understandingof what the job would entail. The vastmajority swap and change degrees asthey find the niche destined for them.

I was fortunate; I found a job I likedand as I moved out of radio intotelevision, it was a job where I foundmy interest grew with its scope.

The daily ritual is never the same, thestory never as you expect. Differentplaces and faces. If you expect onething, you’re guaranteed another.

In television news, our days and

Llovemy jobREBECCA MADDERN

26

weeks are filled with contrasts. It is anexistence where I can be reporting onthe appalling deaths of six childrenin a house fire in the UK one dayand the next day be co-hostingThe Morning Show with Larry Emdur,laughing about the latest inentertainment gossip.

It is a job where you see the best andworst in people. Recently I hosted theDame Elisabeth Murdoch luncheonin Melbourne. It was a beautifulafternoon, where more than $70,000was raised for the research arm of theRoyal Children’s Hospital.

That afternoon, I went back to workand delivered the news of growingtensions between North Korea and theWest, alongside the plight of those inrefugee camps. It is those contrasts inthis role you grow to relish.

Those in the media have an importantrole to play. We are informationgatherers and disseminators, tasked

with a great challenge in giving ouraudience the best news bulletin we candeliver.But behind the cameras there issomuchmoreatplay.

OnGoodFriday,Channel7wenttoair–asithaseveryyearsince1957-withtheGoodFridayAppeal.AsIhaveforyears,IcoveredtheregionalandcountryVictoriatallyboard,announcingtherecordfiguresastheycameinthroughouttheevening.Itwas,asitalwaysis,anincrediblenight.

I would love to hope no reader hashad to visit the Royal Children’sHospital. But the reality is the hospitalhas borne the brunt of a rattled GPSfrom many Geelong families racing upthe highway with a sick child on board.

During the appeal we met kids fromacross Victoria who were staying in thewards of the RCH. No one, of course,ever wants to be in hospital, but if youhave to be, this is the very best place.

The new hospital is an exceptionalfacility of which we should all beproud. It is a place filled with light andhope and, as importantly, giantelectronic games on the wall. There arelounges for families and siblings aswell as beds for parents so toddlers andfrightened kids don’t have to sleepalone at night.

Many young people wetalk to during the daytell us about their hopesand dreams. Apart fromthe immediate goal ofgetting better, it’s aprivilege to hear abouttheir future aspirations

Many young people we talk to duringthe day tell us about their hopes anddreams. Apart from the immediategoal of getting better, it’s a privilegeto hear about their future aspirations –there were even some buddingjournalists in the mix.

They asked me what it was like to beone. My response to that question isalways the same. I tell them, it’s one ofthe greatest jobs in the world.

Throughout a journalist’s career,there is one word that is pivotal. It’svery simple and they will use it overand over and over again. Why.

It’s just three letters but in almostevery situation the answer to it willbegin to unravel the truth.

It’s often not an easy question toanswer, and when one little boy firedback at me: “Why is being a journalistthe best job in the world?” I’ve got toadmit I was momentarily stumped.

Jackson was just 10 years old, soI answered it by giving him a tickleunder his arm and said it was becauseit enabled me to meet people like him.To be honest though, it was only inpart the truth.

What is more fascinating than meetingand talking to people? Listening to theirtriumphs, their heartbreaks, their resolveor their struggles?

As journalists we become a conduitbetween their message and thosewho need to listen.

It is a privilege to be in that positionand that’s why I really do think beinga journalist is the best job in the world.

Throughout a journalist’scareer, there is one wordthat is pivotal. It’s verysimple and they will useit over and over andover again. Why.

28

For support or info call 1300 ASK ACU

or visit acu.edu.au/youracu

DECIDING ON A FUTURE CAREER?

Use our career profi ler to discover your

dream job based on strengths and personality.

LAURA, MediaCommunications student

Australian Catholic University – CRICOS registered provider: 00004G, 00112C, 00873F, 00885BArts & Sciences | Business | Education | Health Sciences | Law | Theology & Philosophy

In the heart of the South Pacific liesSamoa, where life ambles along in itsown measured pace; partly because of the balmy tropical weather butmostly because it’s the Samoan Way,known as Fa’a Samoa, a 3,000 yearold tradition and way of life foundnowhere else in the world.

30

Mother Nature’s playground is just a five-hour flightacross the Pacific. Welcome to the beautiful islandsof Samoa – clean, green, safe, mayhem-free and fun!

Fa’a Samoa is the Polynesian culture at its most raw and its mostauthentic and is a way of life adheredto by Samoans all over the world.Spend time with a local family in theirvillage and experience a culture thatcelebrates traditional family valuesbased on respect – respect for self,for family, authority and nature. It isa culture rooted in dignity and pride and defines what a Samoan is.

Fa’a Samoa is also a culture thatprotects the beauty of Mother

Nature’s creations. Experience Samoathe Samoan Way as you explore theislands and discover uncrowdedbeaches with dazzling white sand andturquoise waters, stunning waterfallsto leap into, lush emerald jungles toexplore and colorful coral reefsteeming with marine life.

With waves constant all year round,Samoa is a great destination for surferswhile its sheltered coves and lagoonsmake it an excellent destination forkite surfing. Inland trails leading to


fresh water swimming holes, powerfulblowholes or mysterious lava fields dotthe islands and offer soft adventure forthe adventurous traveler. Do little or asmuch as you like – Samoa is the idealplace to relax, unwind and reconnectin postcard-perfect paradise.

A visit to Samoa is not completewithout attending a Fia Fia night witha traditional buffet feast andentertainment. Expand your tastebuds’ horizons and sample the localfood offerings such as suckling pig,palusami (coconut milk baked in taroleaves), fresh seafood like oka – rawtuna cubes marinated in lime and

coconut juice. Join the party andcelebrate the Samoan culture throughsong and dance with the highlightbeing the spectacular demonstration ofthe fire twirling dance that originatedin Samoa called the Siva Afi.

From the moment he saw ourbeautiful islands and friendly people,Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottishauthor of the adventure classicTreasure Island knew he had foundtrue paradise to call his home. Buried at the top of Mt Vaea hededicated his home to the people, now a fascinating museum set amongst lush tropical gardens.

32

Hike up the mountain and enjoyspectacular views of the coast then cool down with a dip at PapaseeaSliding Rocks – Mother Nature’svery own water slides!

We have a range ofaccommodation to suit all types ofbudgets. From deluxe spagetaways, to family beachfrontresorts, city escapes but nothingbeats the Samoan beach fale.

Just a platform above the sand,steps away from the waterfront, a fale is a uniquely Samoandwelling. There are no words for‘walls’ in Samoan and there are nowalls in a fale. You want privacy?Just pull down the blinds.

Fales are the traditional way ofliving for many Samoans and are afun and cost effective resort break.For approximately $35 per personper night inclusive of breakfast anddinner, it’s beach camping theSamoan Way and is a fabuloussetting to connect and reconnectwith loved ones and potential lifelong friends.

Clean, green, wholesome,mayhem-free and fun – withguaranteed experiences to generatememories to last a lifetime.

THAT’S HOW WEHOLIDAY THESAMOAN WAY.

worldthedoes not owe you a living.

It owes you an apology.

ver the past decade,social researchers haveobserved one troubling

change amongst school leavers anduniversity graduates.

They have called it the confidence –competence gap. The confidence-competence gap refers to the situationobserved right across the country,which I have heard from manydifferent employer groups, professions,the trades – where new entrants to theworkplace display tendencies toalready “know it all” – they have

a level of misplaced confidence orability and an ill-befitting andunhealthy sense of entitlement.

It’s all very well for employers infrustration to bemoan this new realitybut it is important, I believe, not tosimply criticise without first seekingto understand.

So, how has this come about? When you peel back the onion, dig a

little deeper and explore what are likelycontributors to this social outcome,two contributory underlying trendsbecome apparent.

o35


As a social researcher, studying thedemographic, social and technological shiftsthat are shaping our changing world, onesocial change in particular has been mostapparent to me.

36

Overprotection

Over the course of the past 25 yearswe've become a nation of helicopterparents, gently hovering over you, ourchildren, in an overly-protectionistfashion to do our best to ensure youcome to no harm. This is not a trendconfined to Australia, by the way. InScandinavia and North America it'sreferred to as “Curling Parenting” –a reference to the winter sport of curlingwhere a large stone is pushed along theice track and two sweepers in frontvigorously sweep the path ahead,removing any obstacles to ensure thestone glides smoothly along the pathwaytowards its intended destination.

Author Brene Brown(www.BreneBrown.com) has said thereis a sense of underlying hopelessnessamongst many young people todaybecause most have never knownadversity. I hope this is not you.Perhaps somewhat counter-intuitively,there is strength to be gained fromexperiencing the vicissitudes of life.

So my message to you is this: Do notbe afraid of tough times. Do not beafraid of tough times coming your way.For as it is in the fiery furnace that thesteel is shaped and its strength revealed,so it is in life that your character will bestrengthened and revealed.

RewardWithout Effort21

From a very early age as childrenyou’ve been rewarded withcertificates for anything from “Greatwork tidying up” to simply “Great jobfor turning up!” This truly is only avery slight exaggeration. Perhaps thebest example is the children’s partygame, Pass the Parcel. It used to bethere was *shock horror* just ONEprize under the final layer and Mr –or Mrs – Music carefully coordinatedthe timing between music and parcelmovement, taking careful note howmany wrappers had been tornaway – to ensure the parcel landed inthe lap of the birthday subject intime for the final wrapper to beremoved, revealing the...packet ofstickers! I am a twin so the event wasrepeated a second time!

But how many prizes are theretoday? One under every layer. That’sright, today every player gets a prize.But you need to know: life is not likethat. In life, every player does not geta prize simply for showing up.

The prizes go to those who areprepared to roll up their sleeves, getstuck in and put their talents andskills to worthwhile endeavour. Inshort, to those who are prepared towork, to be productive and achievethe desired results.

So, as you reach this most importantjuncture of your life, transitioning fromlife at school to life after school, andyou embark on whatever futurepathways you choose, if you have beenshielded from all adversity and ifyou've been taught (or learned) it ispossible to have reward without effort,I say, Sorry.

I wish you well and I encourage youto be bold and of good courage, beresilient, be considerate of others, beenthusiastic and have high goals, butdo temper your sense of entitlement.

Importantly, if your academic resultsare not what you had expected orhoped for and you do not gain entry toa course that you had your heart set on,do not worry and do not bediscouraged. Though it may be hard tosee this right now, please understand:Life actually has a way of workingitself out.

Above all, seek to do somethingfulfilling with your life. For it is whenthe work you are doing is in accordwith your personal values that you willfind that which we all are ultimatelystriving for: a sense of personalachievement and inner peace.

38

School’s nearly finished!Leaving school usuallymeans you’re now a jobseeker and a realisationthat the hard work nowreally begins. Many schoolleavers who are lookingfor work don’t take thetime to create a goodCurriculum Vitae (CV).Whether you are a schoolleaver or looking for acareer change, thereare some rules and tipswhich will help anyresumé stand out.Let’s take a look at thisguide to get the mostout of your resumé.

resumétipsfor schoolleavers

behonest

Don’t make stuff up in your CV tomake yourself stand out becausechances are, you’ll be caught out.Be totally honest in your resuméabout your skills, achievementsand qualifications.

career objectiveState your career objective at thetop of the resumé. This is difficultbut it is important. It needs to bebrief, specific and personal. Statewhat you have, what you will giveand what you want to achieve. Forexample “To gain a retail managerposition where I can demonstrateand apply my customer serviceskills and develop my team workand communication abilities.”

12

resumé layoutA good resumé for a job seeker shouldhave a layout such as this:> Name, address, contact details> Career objective> Core strengths> Career history> Qualifications> Achievements> IT skills> Relevant personal information,

e.g., community service

3

don’t sellyourselfshort

A lot of school leavers omitgeneric skills in their resumés.For instance if you have beenpart of a committee at school oryou have had a part-time job ordone community service workthen you should be able todemonstrate team work, timemanagement, problem solvingskills. Expand on these a little inyour resumé.

4

Make sure your resumélooks good. Have aconsistent font,sufficient spacing anduse headings/titles todraw emphasis toimportant points.Consider using a borderaround the page. A goodtip is to have your nameand mobile number atthe top of every pageas a small header.

5visual appeal

tailor theresumé to

the job

If you are seeking different types of jobsthen it is a good idea to tailor your resuméto the position descriptions, selectioncriteria and requirements of each particularjob. A generic resumé looks lazy and mightbe quickly overlooked if it’s not relevant tothe requirements of the job.

6

less is moreA resumé should generallynot be more than two pages.School leavers should haveplenty of information to filltwo pages but any more thanthat will probably bedisregarded by employers.Say what you want succinctly.Bullet points are great andyou will have a better achance of getting that jobthan if you ramble on...

7


42

readit.thenread

itagain.thenget

someoneelsetoreadit.

Don’t expect to geta great job if yourresumé or CV is fullof spelling andgrammatical errors.Don’t rely on spellcheck; print theresumé out, give it tosomeone to read andthen read it again.

8

don’tstate theobvious

Too many school leavers put on theirresumés “Please contact me for aninterview.” This is a given anddoesn’t need to be stated. Leaveout irrelevant stuff so you fit moreof your skills, education andqualifications in.”

9only recentinformationA potential employerdoesn’t really care ifyou aced kindergarten.A general rule for yourfirst CV is to mentiononly your experiences,skills and achievementsfor the last three years.In other words themore recent the better.Many resumés getdiscarded when employersstart reading about juniorschool awards.

10

In Samoa you’ll find experiences to take your breath away. Stunning natural beauty and 3,000 year-old traditions you won’t find anywhere else. Adventures off the beaten track and off the diving platform. www.samoa.travel

SAMOA. FLY HIGH BENEATH THE GROUND.

To Sua Ocean Trench

MUSICIAON BEING A

44

THE CAT EMPIREharry james angus

careers advisors came to my school.Everyone wrote out their interests andtheir talents and their hopes for thefuture on a little form. The form wentinto a computer, and the computerprinted out your results: professionsthat you might be suited for.

When I looked into my future, I sawa musician. My trumpet teacher wasfeeding me cassette mix-tapes of greatold jazz songs. I was doing myresearch. I was getting serious aboutthis music. And I was good at it, too.But when my careers guidance formcame back, I was told that the threepotential career paths for me were: a) Music Teacher b) Music historian c) Music Therapist. That was it.No mention of becoming a musician.

For the next couple of years, right upuntil the end of high school, my desireto become a musician was tactfully andsympathetically discouraged. This issomething that lots of kids have to dealwith. All their life, they have been

celebrated for their creative talents.Even in kindergarten, the parentsboast to each other about how artistictheir kids are. Piano lessons from agefive, drama classes after school,paintings stuck in prime position onthe fridge - and then along comes theend of your school life, and you say:‘I want to be a musician/writer/painter/actor’, and all ofa sudden the adults around you beginfrantically backpedalling.

Are you sure you want to be amusician? Maybe you could studyteaching, and become a music teacher.Maybe you should study psychology, soyou’ve got something to fall back on?It’s just so hard to succeed as amusician... it’s not a reliable option.

Well, they’re right about that. It’sbloody hard. I’m one of the lucky ones,I make a great living from my music.Not everyone is so lucky. We all knowthat lots of musicians are poor. But letme paint a picture for you of what all

I remember when the


musicians are lucky enough to have,regardless of their financial situation:We live outside the walls of regularsociety. We can sleep in, we can stayup late on a Tuesday night. We lovewhat we do. We are a part of acommunity of wonderful people whoknow how to laugh, who love to dance.We are often inspired. We travel. Wechase our dreams. We are our ownmasters.

And the best thing of all: musicbrings everyone together. We meetpeople from all walks of life. Peoplein far away places, people from othercultures, people from differenteconomic backgrounds and peoplewith different political or religiousbeliefs, all brought together througha love of music.

We are deeply grounded in the fabricof human culture. Our trade is ancient,one of the oldest, up there with priestsand prostitutes, but much moresocially acceptable. And if society everfell apart, mown down by war ornatural disaster, all the life coachesand the IT consultants and the branch

managers and the lawyers would belost in the wilderness with a set ofuseless skills. The musicians will betraveling from town to town, singingfor their supper, helping people toforget their troubles in a moment ofjoyous song.

Of course, we can’t all be free-living,free-loving artists. That too would be anightmare society, the cafes and barsfull but nothing to eat or drink, thetoilets backed up, the lawns unmowed,the supermarkets empty, the streetsstrewn with rubbish and the airportclosed.

I remember a feeling of dread thatused to come over me. It wasn’t somuch when I was thinking about myexams, or my results, or any of thatstuff – it was more when I thought

Weliveoutside thewallsof regularsociety.Wecansleep in,wecanstayuplateonaTuesdaynight.We lovewhatwedo.Weareapartofacommunityofwonderfulpeoplewhoknowhowto laugh,wholovetodance.Weareoften inspired.Wetravel.Wechaseourdreams.Weareourownmasters.

48

about becoming an adult. Not just anyadult – those sad, moping, shambling,stressed-out, coffee-guzzling, repressedcreatures in uncomfortable shoes thatyou see on the train, and you think:They look like they really hate theirjobs.

How do you avoid becoming thatperson? I think that’s the question thatprobably keeps a lot of year 12s up atnight. What’s the answer? By becominga musician? Well… I’ve met enoughdejected, exhausted musicians by nowto know that’s not entirely true. Somepeople are happy and some peoplearen’t, for all kinds of reasons.Professional satisfaction is a big part ofit, for sure. But it’s only one piece ofthe puzzle.

Still, if you like late nights, crazytimes, singing, dancing and happypeople, I can recommend music as apath in life.

You can do it in your spare time, theway Einstein did, the way millions ofpeople do. I know bricklayer blues

guitarists and rapping lawyers, jazzguitarist doctors and opera-singingscientists. They’re all great artists. Or,you can do it full time, like I do.

To be a musician, you have to havetalent, and you have to have vision, andcontrary to popular opinion, you needto work hard at it too. And you mightalways be poor. But if you want to tryit, why not try it? I can’t understandwhy people are made to believe thatthe choices they make at the end ofyear 12 will determine the course of therest of their lives, with no secondchances. It’s simply not true.

50

To be a musician, youhave to have talent, andyou have to have vision,and contrary to popularopinion, you need towork hard at it too. Andyou might always bepoor. But if you want totry it, why not try it?

SURVIV

ING

year

A few tipsfor parents

twelve

The final weeks of exams can be just asstressful for parents as it is for students. One ofthe most important gifts you can give your childis to support them in studying smart. Below area few simple tips to help them increase theamount of information learnt and prolong thelength of time the information is remembered.

Guide, support and encourage your son or daughter.

Encourage healthy eating, regular exercise and plentyof sleep.

Take their efforts seriously.

Create an effective work space in the house if theycan’t study in their room.

Take a whole family approach to supporting thestudent.

Let them know you’re there when they need you.

Encourage them to believe in themselves.

Remind them of their goals.

Give them positive feedback whenever possible.

Don’t nag.

Remember the final year is about them, not you.

Don’t tell them they will fail if they don’t work harder.

Encourage them to take study breaks when necessary.

Help them put, and keep the year in perspective.

Keep an eye on their emotional health.

Don’t overload them with domestic chores.

2424medi

When you need it most!

Helping youlocate your nearestmedical service –all hours.

Medi24 gives you peace of mind from knowing medicalservices are near when needed. The app has been specifically designed for parents with young families, if you are travelling on holidays or have just moved to a new city in Australia...

Medi24 will be able to provide you with details to medical services 24 hours a day providing telephone links to confirm service availability, and also the location of services available during normal hours, after hours, and in emergency situations.

Within each time frame, either after hours or normal,Medi24 ranks the selected medical service by distancefrom your present or nominated location in Australia, providing you with name of medical practice, telephone number, opening hours, address, and location map.

For more information visit www.medi24.com.au

Telstra 12:34 PMTelstraTT 12:34 PM

Locate your nearestmedical service –

all hours.

atee yyoourLoca r nearestLocacatttetete yyyououourr n

2424medi

M diMMMMM l S iM diM diMediMediMediMedi llcalcalcalcal SSServServServServiiicesicesicesicesMedical Services all hours

M

ll hs all hourssssss llllallallallallall hhhouhouhouhouhoursrsrsrsrss all hours


RRRRRR ltRRResuResuResuResultltltsltsltsltsResults

LIST VIEW MAP VIEW

M

ssssss

MAP VIEW


RRRRRR ltRRResuResuResuResultltltsltsltsltsResults

1.6km Norwest Private Hospital11 Norbrik Drive, Bella Vista NSW 2153

5.4km Blacktown Hospital18 Blacktown Road, Blacktown NSW 2148

7.6km Westmead Hospital166 Darcy Road, Westmead NSW 2145

11.2km Norwest Private Hospital11 Norbrick Drive, Bella Vista NSW 2153

18.5km Blacktown Hospital18 Blacktown Road, Blacktown NSW 2148

22.8km Westmead Hospital166 Darcy Road, Westmead NSW 2145

LIST VIEW MAP VIEW

M

ssssss

SW 21SW 21W 21535353

NSW 214SW 21488

145

MAP VIEW


DIRECTIONS

D tDDDDD ilD tD tDetaDetaDetaDetailililsilsilsilsDetails

Feedback Form

Contact DetailsTelephone 02 9836 5088Emergency 02 8882 8555Opening HoursMonday 8:00am - midnightTuesday 8:00am - midnightWednesday 8:00am - midnightThursday 8:00am - midnightFriday 8:00am - midnight

Norwest Private Hospital11 Norbrick Drive, Bella Vista NSW 2153

Make sure you call before makinga decision to travel to this location.

CALL NOW

M

ECTIONS

sssss

W 2W 2153153

ore makikingss llocloc tiatioation.n.

oct-dec 13 issue

Documents

publisher of leavingschool

publisher leavingschool

issue of leavingschool

thecontents of leavingschool

youleave school

kirsty spraggonwhat

tips forparents

helpyour resum