Good mates Jack Burke and Sam Benjamin-Donnelly had a great time learning about career pathways at the Futures Expo.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
Students and stallholders gathered inside the Cobram Civic Centre this week for the fourth annual Futures Expo.
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Leaving school is an exciting time for many, and, for the students who attended it, the Expo was an opportunity to find out more about what pathways they could take after finishing their studies and entering the community.
Cobram and District Specialist School captains Sam Benjamin-Donnelly, 17, and Jack Burke, 18, came down to check out the services and providers in the local area.
Outside his school commitments, Sam works two jobs, one at a cafe in Tocumwal and the other at IGA.
He said he came along to the Expo to look out for a third job.
“I’ve already got two jobs, but a third maybe might be the charm,” he said.
Meanwhile, his friend Jack said he would like to be a cropping farmer and truck driver.
“It’s been an interest I’ve had since I was a kid,” he said.
“My uncle’s a truck driver. I also have an uncle who’s a farmer, so it sort of flows in the family.”
He enjoyed his time at the Expo, and was impressed by the crowd interaction.
A fixture of the school’s calendar for the past four years, the aim of the Future Expo was to connect students to local NDIS support organisations in the community.
Cobram & District Specialist School wellbeing officer Bec Einsporn said students eagerly looked forward to this year’s Expo.
“It has been a highlight for them and allowed them to engage with different people in the community with confidence,” she said.
Bec Einsporn with colleague and school Occupational Therapist and Mental Health Practitioner Celine Collins Bye.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
“It allows the students to get out of their comfort zones and ask questions of what they offer.”
Since it started, the Expo has grown larger and more popular each year.
“Originally, it was aimed at students exiting out into the wider world and focusing on different pathways, whereas with this, we’re trying to make it more inclusive for other students at school and give them the opportunity to see what’s out there,” Miss Einsporn said.
A range of service providers attended this year’s Expo, including Services Australia, Cobram Community House, Shepparton Access, the NDIS Local Area coordinator and Peer Assisted Learning Support.
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