Over the past 10 years Thomastown Secondary College has developed a strong relationship with the Australian Business and Community Network.
ABCN connects volunteers from a range of companies such as Microsoft, KPMG, Vanguard and Optus with our students to provide fun, workplace-based mentoring programs that develop students’ confidence, skills and aspirations vital for thriving in the workplace of the future.
ABCN provide a range of programs for our students throughout the year:
Innovate aims to inspire students in Years 7 & 8 to pursue learning and careers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Goals matches Year 9 students with a mentor from the corporate sector; they work together on activities to build communication, personal strengths, interview skills and goal setting. Students benefit from hearing the personal career journey of their mentor.
Interview 2 Impress gives Year 10 students the skills they need to succeed in a job interview; students work with a mentor on non-verbal communication, building rapport, interview structure and what sorts of questions to expect.
Future Thinkers builds creative and innovative problem solving through the process of design thinking. Small groups of students work in teams with mentors to create solutions to a problem and present their solution at the end of the program.
Focus provides young women with the essential leadership skills and confidence they need to engage in a successful, meaningful career and encourages them to aspire to senior roles in business and the community.
My Career Rules is an online careers expo; students are introduced to an industry and take part in a Q&A panel with panellists who share their career journey and the challenges they overcame.
ABCN also offers the Accelerate scholarship program which targets exceptional students and supports them to pursue their desired tertiary studies. The scholarship provides financial support through the student’s VCE and into their early tertiary studies as well as a mentor who guides and supports the student to explore their aspirations, challenges, achievements and areas for improvement.