Students Shine in Mock Interviews
In celebration of International Women’s Day, a whole school assembly was held to pay tribute to the outstanding accomplishments of women in our community and beyond. A panel of three extraordinary women were invited on stage to share with the school community their personal journeys and insights on how they aim to inspire others.
Guest Speakers
Our panel of guest speakers were Annabelle Henzell, Lizzie Henebery, and Year 4 student Claudia McMahon.
Annabelle Henzell shared her vibrant career journey in the energy and resources sector, where she utilised her expertise in Chemical Engineering, Finance, and CFA. Her roles spanned crude oil refining, hydrocarbon supply chain optimisation, mining industry procurement, and the recent venture into commercialising carbon capture and storage projects. Annabelle highlighted the challenges of balancing her professional career with raising three young sons while currently on parental leave.
Lizzie Henebery, an acclaimed marketing and communications professional, presented her extensive experience as the Director of Sunny Comms. Lizzie excels in brand and communication strategy, content writing, public relations, and social media. Her passion for community engagement is evident through her role in the executive committee of the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network, where she collaborates with businesses nationwide and supports charities through fundraising events.
Claudia McMahon, a dynamic Year 4 student, brought a youthful perspective to the event. Expressing her love for reading and spending time with family and friends, Claudia demonstrated a keen interest in questioning and exploring the world around her.
The panel discussion was led by Head of Senior School, Nathan Reynolds. Nathan initiated the conversation by delving into Claudia’s love for reading and her distinctive approach to learning.
Annabelle Henzell shared her personal journey in the realms of engineering and chemical sciences, emphasising the significance of following your passions, even if you are unsure of the path ahead.
Lizzie Henebery discussed how her passion for reading, writing and love for words led to a career that brings her enjoyment and purpose. She spoke about the importance of finding joy in what you do and finding a way to create a fulfilling career by leveraging your innate talents. Meaningful work can be attained by aligning personal passions with professional pursuits.
The speakers encouraged the audience not to be afraid of trying new things and to embrace the evolving landscape of career possibilities. They highlighted the significance of leaning into one’s strengths, even when faced with uncertainties about the future.
The guest speakers were asked who they look to for inspiration. For Claudia it is her mum and teacher Ms Bennett. Annabelle said she loved meeting new people and drew inspiration from everyday people in the community and that we can all learn from our peers. For Lizzie, it is the local heroes she meets through a podcast that she co-hosts the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network as well as her business partner.
When it came to perseverance and GRIT Claudia recounted a personal story of overcoming a challenging hike, showcasing the resilience necessary to overcome obstacles.
Claudia’s advice to tackling challenges and difficulties was to keep going and activate the “positivity switch.” Annabelle said when faced with difficulties it was important to simply show up and confronting challenges head-on, while Lizzie advocated for stepping forward with courage before gaining confidence. She highlighted the importance of trying, even when uncertain about success, as it leads to gaining confidence through the journey.
At CCPS, we believe in providing students with experiences that develop transferable skills, lifelong learning, and readiness for the world of work of the 21st century. Recently, our Year 10-12 students had the opportunity to participate in mock interviews with a variety of external providers. These external providers dedicated their time and expertise by leading our students through the valuable experience of interviewing for a job.
The students were interviewed for 10-15 minutes. They were asked a variety of questions related to their skills, interests, and passions. This activity provided the students with the opportunity to learn or refine their interview techniques. The interviewers provided feedback which will be used in future lessons to further develop their interviewing skills so that our students can be confident with the process involved.
We are so proud of the quality of students we have at CCPS. One of the interviewers commented, “He is so confident, interesting, and articulate. He has a firm view of himself and of the world which is so rare in someone so young… he will make a great leader.”
We would like to say a big thank you to Claire Morris, Cheryl Haines, Helen Warren, Karen Young, Darren Carter, Kristina Stuart, Annick Spiclin, Verena Holmes and David Tanner. It was a pleasure seeing them interact with our students and provide valuable insight.
Our vision of developing transferable skills continues with Year 10 students who will be engaging in Work Experience from June 14-16. Students will have the chance to go to a place of employment for 3 days, learning what employers look for, and what it is like as an adult in the workplace. At the same time, students will build experience that they will be able to show on their resume and talk about in future job interviews.