CAREERS WEEK 2020

National Careers Week is an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia and aims to celebrate careers, career development, career development services, and career development practitioners and to promote the economic, social and personal benefits of career development.

This week, we will be sharing stories from our Alumni, where they are now, and how Nagle helped them to achieve their careers goals.

What career are you in now? If studying which I know you are, what course & do you have a part time job?
I’m studying a Bachelor of Nursing through the University of Southern Queensland at Geraldton University Centre. I am currently in the second year of my degree. I have a part time job at the Regional Hospital as a Patient Service Assistant as well as still having my previous after school job at Northgate Pharmacy. I also volunteer with St John Ambulance service as an Ambulance Officer.
 
How Nagle Catholic College helped you?
I had the opportunity to attend TAFE in Year 11 and Year 12 as part of the VETDSS program. In conjunction with the Certificate IV in Nursing Preparation, I also was given the opportunity to complete my Certificate III in Business. Nagle Catholic College always supported me in my decisions regarding my future, especially the Careers staff who organise the TAFE courses and Information nights. I believe this support helped me to achieve my best and be the recipient of two major VETDSS awards. I have also received two scholarships to assist in my nursing degree from local sponsors. 

Luke Clarkson - Head Boy 2013

What career are you in now?
Currently, I work as a Management Consultant for Deloitte. After completing my Year 12 studies, I attended the University of Western Australia studying, a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance and Political Science and International Relations. During my time at Nagle, I studied Accounting and Finance with Ms Angela Tanham, Economics with Mr Kim Jackson, and Political and Legal Studies with Miss Jessica Wain (now Mrs Da Silva). 

How Nagle helped me?
Studying at Nagle has fundamentally shaped my career and who I am personally. My teachers were the difference for me. To have people recognise promise, nurture it and encourage it to take opportunities and risks, has shaped the attitude I take towards my career and my wins and losses.
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Joel Houwen - Head Boy 2015

After graduating Nagle Catholic College in 2015, I moved to Sydney to train and pursue a career in the Performing Arts/Entertainment Industry. For 2 years, I studied dance and musical theatre at one of Australia’s leading performing arts schools, Brent Street, where I was awarded an all expenses paid scholarship to live and study in New York City at Broadway Dance Centre for four months.
Upon returning, I was offered teaching work at Brent Street as a ‘side hustle’ - this gives me the security to make a living teaching some of the most talented dance students in the country, but also plenty of time outside of this to focus and work towards my dream to perform. I attend multiple auditions for musicals, TV commercials, plays, backup dancing opportunities, TV series etc etc.
Since starting my journey in the entertainment industry, I’ve been lucky enough to dance on broadway, as well as for various artist’s such as Paulini, Casey Donovan, Vanessa Amorosi, John Paul Young, Rove McManus, etc. I’ve featured in and also choreographed National Television Commercial’s (Tic Tac, The Bachelorette, Best n' Less, Nickelodeon Slime Cup). And I’ve performed in various show’s both in Australia (The Nose - Sydney Opera House, Catch Me If You Can) and around New Zealand (Cats, the musical). This career path is very unpredictable and sometimes you’ll book job after job, and sometimes you’ll have nothing. It can be very hard and both financially and emotionally draining. But the feeling you get when you are on that stage/in front of the camera, makes it all worth it.
My focus while I was attending Nagle was on dance, and going through high school as a male dancer can be very difficult. However, once I shared my talent with the Nagle community in a Rags to Riches dance (choreographed by the wonderful Miss Mittoni) which I was very nervous to do, I felt an overwhelming amount of support. Mrs Gummery, and a bunch of teachers, particularly in the Arts Department were thrilled, everyone wanted to see more which fuelled my fire. I began performing for the school every chance I got - every year at Rags to Riches, Nagle’s Got Talent, even at our graduation ceremony at the QPT. I quite quickly realised that performing was what I
wanted to pursue and if it hadn’t have been for the support of the Nagle Community, my
wonderful, and very understanding Year 12 teachers (Mrs Da Silva, Miss Grose, Mrs Negri, and Mrs Mines) then who knows? Maybe that fire and drive to perform would have burnt out? 
Once you’ve found whatever it is that you’re passionate about, fight for it, work hard for it, and don’t be afraid to share it with others. Seeing someone do what they love is inspiring - show the world what you love and it’ll show you love right back.

Jamie Young - Class of 2018

What career are you in now?
I am currently completing my electrical apprenticeship with S&K Electrical. A great component of my work is having the opportunity to travel within the state and gain a variety experiences and skills needed for the completion of my apprenticeship.

How Nagle helped me?
Nagle Catholic College offers a number of great career focused programs aimed at helping students gain the required experience and knowledge before entering their chosen career path. My participation in the ‘Try-a-Trade’ program helped me to decide to pursue a career the electrical industry. During Year 11, I attended work experience with S&K, where I was given the opportunity to decide if the electrical trade was for me. I also gained the necessary knowledge, experience and skills when completing the Pre-Apprenticeship in School program offered to students at Nagle, which helped when attaining my apprenticeship immediately after graduation.

​Overall, through the completion and participation in these programs and the guidance from the VET staff at Nagle I was given the opportunity to choose career that I enjoy and gain my apprenticeship with S&K Electrical.

My Tien Dang - Head Girl 2009
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After finishing Year 12 in 2009, I moved to Perth the following year to study BSc (Science) Medical Imaging Science at Curtin University - graduating with Honors in 2013.
I first worked at the Geraldton Regional Hospital and then got offered a job specialising in infant, paediatric and women’s imaging in 2014. I worked at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth Children’s Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital for the next seven years.
Radiography in a hospital setting is one of the most job satisfying things you can do, especially when you work to make sick kids feel better. We are frontline workers that allow physicians and specialists see what the human body is doing that is cannot be seen on the surface.
The technology I use is amazing and constantly advancing. In the last seven years of my career I have already seen the eradication of film x-ray, CT machines using dual source cameras instead of one, and complete digitalisation of human anatomy, so it is easier, faster and simpler to get to the source of patient pathologies.
An opportunity came for me then came at the end of 2019 to open a new private radiology practice called ChestRad with some of Western Australia’s leading radiologists in chest and cardiac imaging. One thing you never stop doing is learning. And the best way to learn, is from people that are well versed in areas that you are not.
I am now the Chief Radiographer at ChestRad and so happy to be now starting this business venture and learning a new field of cardiothoracic, respiratory and cardiac imaging. I am also building on my leadership skills managing a brand-new clinic. It is a very special feeling being able to help people and be at the forefront of new technologies.
It’s a challenging career and great for anyone who is caring, loves problem solving and dynamic job role.