Stepping Out, Stepping Up: Our Year 10s Discover the World of WorkEach year, our Year 10 students have the opportunity to take part in work experience. This program continues to prove its immense value as a powerful expression of our broader educational program, offering students the chance to grow, explore, and step confidently into new opportunities. Work experience is far more than simply a week away from the classroom. At its heart, the program encourages students to step beyond their comfort zones and to REIMAGINE career POSSIBILITIES. Work experience transforms uncertainty into insight, sparking a curiosity about the future and inspiring students to see the possibilities that lie ahead; whether in fields they had already considered or in directions entirely unexpected. For many students, it is their first step into the professional world. It offers a genuine sense of accomplishment and fulfilment as they rise to new responsibilities, test their abilities, and discover the confidence that comes from navigating unfamiliar situations and how they adapt in a new environment. The rewards are personal, practical, and significant. Students gain confidence in their skills, earn respect for workplace expectations, and return with stories of resilience, initiative, and achievement, and an appreciation for the discipline and effort that different roles demand. The inevitable challenges, whether it is learning something new, working alongside people they have never met, or stepping into the unfamiliar, all help to shape character, resilience, and independence. Crucially, this program also inspires curiosity about the future. It provides opportunities for students to reflect on their gifts, and envision doors that may one day open before them. In doing so, they learn to step beyond their comfort zones, leaning on integrity and faith as they walk into new possibilities. Our students have experienced a diverse range of work experiences, including car mechanic, pharmacy customer service assistant, metal fabrication and welding specialist, physiotherapy assistant, Primary School teacher aide, painter, insurance receptionist, school maintenance worker, and funeral mortician. Colossians 3:23 - 24 reminds us that work shapes character when we give our best effort, and that attitude matters as we take on tasks wholeheartedly; even small jobs can honour God and reflect His character when done faithfully. ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.’ - Colossians 3:23-24
As a school, we are proud to see the confidence, maturity, and motivation that develops through this program each year. Year 10 work experience is not only a glimpse into the working world or simply about career preparation; it is the beginning of a journey towards independence, responsibility, and possibility. It is also about building character, strengthening values, and recognising God’s unique calling on each life. It truly embodies our mission at Emmanuel: to reimagine life’s possibilities with courage, hope, and above all, love. David Witcomb – Head of Secondary
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