Independence Day 2018

One of our key areas of focus at McGlashan is helping our seniors transition effectively out of the college environment, and into tertiary study, apprenticeships, or other forms of paid work. On Wednesday 8 August, we decided to dedicate an entire school day to the process of transition. Our rationale behind this was to provide our young men with the resources, the information, and the support, to move forward with confidence in themselves, and their pathways. 

John McGlashan has partnered with YouScience, creator of the innovative programme that generates a YouScience profile. The online, scientific program takes students through a series of assessments and interest questions, designed to determine their results in the nine key aptitudes utilised in the working world. The results include a review of the student’s strengths, suggested environments where they will succeed, detailed information on possible careers that match those skills and interests, pathways that map to those careers, and much more. You can find out more at www.youscience.com.

Old boys, from the class of 2017, came to present on the programmes they are studying at the University of Otago or the work they are doing in apprenticeships. We had representatives from law, commerce, health sciences, physical education, and the automotive industry. This was one part of the day that our current students valued the most highly, as it gave them a genuine insight into what next year could be like for them. Our old boys were very generous in giving up their time to give advice, share their experiences, and to offer future assistance too.

We had presentations on the experience of first years at universities, a mock lecture, Studylink, finances and budgeting, the trades, time and stress management, halls of residence, and a session to sign the paperwork for the government's fees free initiative. 

Preliminary feedback from the class of 2018 has demonstrated that the initiative was a success, and there are definitely areas we can expand, and develop further, for 2019. A huge thank you goes to everyone who made this day a possibility.