22 Oct 2024
The POLISH Program is a powerful, practical program focused on confidence building. To build self-advocacy, young people learn how to identify and promote their skills to employers. Volunteer business mentors help young people understand how varied a career path can be, how valuable transferable skills are and what are common workplace expectations. POLISH ends with a fun and encouraging “mock” interview session.
The Beacon Foundation, in partnership with Spruson & Ferguson (Intellectual Property Law Corporate) Mentors, worked last week with 24 of our Year 9 students. We were also very fortunate to be joined Beacon Foundation Director, Rosemary Conn. Rosemary is an experienced CEO and Board Director, having worked extensively in both the not-for-profit and management consulting sectors. As the inaugural CEO of Schools Plus, she built a team to raise over $60 million in 8 years to impact disadvantaged children’s lives. She has a passion for social justice and has worked with NFPs, corporations, and the community through roles at the Beacon Foundation, Good2Give Australia and Deloitte. Rosemary’s achievements include being recognised in the Australian Financial Review’s ‘100 Women of Influence’ and The CEO Magazine’s 2022 Not for Profit Leaders of the Year.
Spruson & Ferguson is a leading intellectual property firm providing a range of IP services throughout the Asia-Pacific region. They have offices in Australia, China, Indonesia. Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Program Outline
Polish is a high energy one-day program facilitated by a professional Beacon Foundation Facilitator. The involvement of industry mentors in the afternoon gives participants an invaluable opportunity to meet and network with industry mentors from their own business community.
Module topics include:
• The new ‘world of work’
• Identifying and celebrating existing employability skills
• Personal presentation and pitching
• Communication and networking; and
• Interview techniques
Beacon Foundation work to create an Australia that understands, cares and is motivated to support young people to successfully transition from education to meaningful employment. They build connections between industry, education, and the community to create real world education in schools that is relevant and engaging for young people in the 21st century.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Beacon Foundation and their Corporate Mentors from Spruson & Ferguson (Michael, Stuart, Rachel, Leon and Ryan) for supporting our Plumpton High School students and contributing positively to Australia’s future workforce.
Tim Lloyd, Principal
