Over the next two weeks, Heritage College students take part in Work Experience as part of their Core Year 10 study.

Developing further independence at the Senior Secondary level, the Work Experience program sees students working with local industry across trades and retail to health and higher education, childcare and aviation.

Over the course of the next two weeks, teaching staff visit each student at their workplace and check in on their progress. We spoke with Year 10 student, Tasharni this week about her first day of Work Experience.

What is your chosen workplace for Work Experience week?

Heritage College Early Learning Centre.

Why did you want to choose this work?

I've had a lot of experience with kids in my church. We have a childcare program over the holidays, so I already have some experience from that program. It helps that it was at my school and somewhere that I was familiar with. I feel like I’m surrounded by children, I have a baby sister and lots of cousins!

I wanted to choose two things that I didn’t really know much about. The electives I have chosen this year have definitely helped me to build skills in those areas. ~ Tasharni, Year 10 Work Experience student

What are you hoping to do in the future after you leave school?

I am not quite sure about what I want to do just yet. I want my work to be enjoyable, though.

What have you enjoyed about your experience so far?

The children! They are so funny - we have a lot of interesting conversations about what’s going on in their heads.

What electives did you choose as part of your Year 10 studies?

I’ve chosen Metal Tech and Food Tech as my electives. I wanted to choose two things that I didn’t really know much about. The electives I’ve chosen this year have definitely helped me to build skills in those areas. I’m getting better at cooking.

I have never really done Metal Tech, so I wanted to try it out. Lots of my friends were doing it and they encouraged me to do it too.

I chose Food Tech as I wanted to get better at cooking. I really enjoy cooking. The first time I made curry, I burnt the vegetables, but my friend suggested putting coconut milk in. It ended up tasting pretty good with my friends asking for the recipe!

At the start of the year, I didn't really know any of the names of the tools in metalwork, or what they could do. Now I’m getting better at knowing what each tool does and I’m currently making an electric scooter with two friends, Esther and Jessica.