Setting Goals for 2021 and Beyond

During the Week 2 VCE meeting, Co-Founder and Director of Tripod Enterprise Education Pty Ltd, Betsy Tolmer, delivered a session that aimed to re-focus our VCE cohort members and encourage them to identify a collective set of goals for 2021.

These goals will be further explored at subsequent VCE meetings. However, it was encouraging for me to see the willingness of our students to acknowledge what ‘has been’ and the legacy they hope to create in 2021.

Goal setting is an integral part of the career development process. Having a career plan provides direction and destination, allowing students to target their efforts. As we return to campus after the six-day ‘circuit breaker’, I encourage students to proactively re-focus and set some 2021 goals (career or life).

Useful Career Resources

In a time when our motivation can be challenged, goals can provide hope and something for us to aspire to. Some useful goal setting/career planning resources include:

Career planning tips and tools: Youth Central, Casey Grammar Careers (‘for students’ section)

Career planning tools: Make a career plan, WA Jobs and Skills

Career and course exploration: Job Outlook, Myfuture

Catherine Follows her Passion into Teaching

Catherine Thornton – 2021 destination


Name: Catherine Thornton

2021 destination: Bachelor of Early and Primary Education (Monash University – Peninsula).

Subjects completed (VCE): English, Business Management, Drama, Legal Studies, History (Revolutions), General Maths (Unit 1 & 2).   

Favourite subject: Drama. Drama allowed me to take control of my studies and create a final solo that I was proud of and uniquely different to everybody else. Drama was the only subject that I had 100 per cent complete creative freedom over; I did not have a very specific marking criteria and expectation I had to fit into.

What made you choose this course? I have always enjoyed working with and looking after children as well as seeing people around me learn new things. Studying to be a teacher will help me put these two together and enter into a career I am passionate about and continue to learn every day.

Career goal: Be a teacher that makes each student excited to come to school every day (be that one ‘cool’ teacher that everybody had at some point in Primary School).

What are you most excited about as you make the transition from CGS to further study?
Moving on from high school is going to be a big change, but with half of my Year 12 being online, I feel more prepared for independent Uni life and online lectures than I would have been previously. I am excited to study what I am passionate about and end my studies with a qualification that allows me to enter a profession I will be excited about going to work every day.

Any final ‘words of wisdom’ for the Senior School community?
Your ATAR is not the end of the world. My ATAR was not quite as high as I was hoping for or what I should have needed, but still got into my top preference. After many months of anticipation and hard work, leading up to one number at the end of exams did not define my future. While the hard work and study is worth it, do not let it define everything.

Thank you Catherine. We wish you all the best with your future endeavours.

Seeking volunteers – Mock Interview and Guest Speakers

I am still seeking parent/guardian volunteers to support a number of career education activities that will be run in 2021. More specifically:

  • Year 10 Mock Interviews (Week 9 – Term 1)
  • VCE meeting/s (guest speaker/information sessions) (Terms 2 and 3)

If you are interested in supporting these initiatives, I would encourage you to email me directly. A current Working with Children Check will be required.

Take care,

Ms Sarah Blythman

Head of Careers and Student Pathways

Email: s.blythman@caseygrammar.vic.edu.au