Careers and Subject Expo
The St Catherine’s Careers and Subject Expo, held Thursday 24 July, brought together students from Years 7 to 12 and their families for an evening of exploration and planning. The Subject Expo encouraged younger students to begin exploring their interests and potential career pathways, while supporting older students to make more informed choices about their VCE program.
The Careers Expo showcased 17 tertiary institutions alongside 5 industry representatives offering students valuable information and guidance to help shape their study and career choices.
Combining the Careers and Subject Expo into one major event, enabled students to better understand how their subject selections align with potential career paths. This approach supports goal setting, encourages early planning for post-school options, and promotes exploration of opportunities such as university, TAFE, gap years, or entering the workforce.
The evening also welcomed back Eva Liang, Scarlett Song, Christina Wu and Lucia Tabbagh from the Class of 2023. Our graduates represented both the University of Melbourne and Monash University during the evening sharing firsthand their experiences of university life. We are incredibly grateful for their time and ongoing connection to our school community.
Some reflections on the evening from students can be read below:
| Olga Chen (Year 9) | The Careers and Subject Expo was a wonderful experience where I gained a clearer understanding of my future. Especially with subject selections coming up soon, I was able to ask questions at the Subject Expo about the different options and to rule out which subjects that were not my interests. The expo was very helpful and aided me to select the best possible subject in which I have genuine interests. The Careers Expo enabled me to have a better idea of the possible pathways available in the future. I heard personal experiences at the different universities, as well as advice from others. Overall, the Expo was a helpful and worthwhile opportunity to learn more about the different fields and options available to students. |
| Felicia Huang (Year 9) | I have come to know about many different universities, each with its own unique strengths and specialties. At the same time, I have become clearer about the career path I want to pursue in the future. |
| Charlotte Morris (Year 8) | This was the first careers expo I’ve been to, but it gave me a very good impression. Despite still being a bit unsure as to which direction to take, it helped clear up a few concerns and the enthusiastic representatives were extremely knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend always attending these things even if it’s just for a short time because they are informative and helpful. Each stand was tailored to different subjects and questions making it individually relevant. |
| Anna Roosenburg (Year 8) | The Careers and Subject Expo gave me confidence in my subject selections for the coming year and helped me understand which subjects are essential for my career path I hope to pursue. It turned uncertainty into a clear direction and made the decision process feel much more purposeful. |
| Parnian Hosseini (Year 9) | It was a very great experience that I believe truly supported me in deciding which subject I should accelerate and hopefully finish early in year 11. I am very grateful that this opportunity was given as both the careers and subject expo enabled me to learn more about my passions and how they can shape my future. |
| Zoe Katsambanis (Year 8) | I really enjoyed what the different teachers, and uni representatives spoke to me about, and how they explained. These expos have really helped me to navigate the different pathways for after Year 12, and I am looking forward to these two expos next year |
| Ally O’Mara (Year 11) | The Careers and Subject Expo was an extremely well-coordinated and helpful event at St Catherine’s School. Currently a Year 11 student, last year I was able to choose from a variety of different electives but was slightly unsure if some subjects were right for me. After talking to some teachers at the Subject Expo, I solidified my subject choices and became more confident that my choices were right for me. Additionally, the Careers Expo allowed me to ensure the subjects I want to do will allow me to enrol in the courses I want to do. Thank you to all the teachers and staff involved for making the Careers and Subject Expo so wonderful! |
| Milly Tulloch (Year 12) | I had a lovely learning experience, I look forward to the career expo every year to speak to new universities and to image my life after school. I often find the thought of not having structure quite overwhelming, attending the careers expo makes me feel slightly less worried as I always see that there is a path for me. As I do not know exactly what I want to do or the path I will take but I know I will have many opportunities to find my path. |
| Michi Chan (Year 10) | I found both the Career and Subject Expo extremely helpful. I left feeling much more confident about my subject choices and more informed about my future career options. The expo gave me a clearer understanding of alternative university courses I hadn’t previously considered, expanding my perspective beyond the options I was already aware of. |
| Tia Stefanovic (Year 7) | I really enjoyed attending this year’s careers expo and am looking forward to the 2026 careers and subject’s expo. It was amazing to meet all these new people and learn what University might look like for me. |
| Stephanie Gu (Year 8) | Everyone was very detailed, helpful and encouraging even though the lines were a bit of a wait, but I think the school should do more of this expo stuff to let us all understand more deeply about careers and subject selections. |
| Kaylen Lo (Year 8) | This year’s Careers and Subject Expo was truly eye-opening and reassuring. Going in, I felt the usual stress about choosing the “right” path for my future—but I left with a sense of clarity and calm. One of the most valuable things I learnt was that I don’t need to have my exact career mapped out just yet; having an idea of the field I’m interested in is more than enough. Speaking with the Melbourne University representative helped me understand that many medical careers begin with the same foundational degree, giving me time to explore options like veterinary science and dermatology. Though I only had time to speak to a few representatives due to the queues, I gained so much from the ones I did meet—especially the incredibly knowledgeable woman from Melbourne Uni and Ms. Tine, who was wonderfully supportive. The atmosphere in the black box, with passionate staff engaging in thoughtful conversations with students, made the evening feel vibrant, welcoming, and full of possibility. |
