Vanessa Lam
15 December 2016: High school students from across regional NSW have experienced university life first-hand as part of the University of Canberra’s UC 4 Yourself Experience Days.
More than 300 Year 9 and 10 students from Mulwaree and Goulburn High Schools, Cootamundra High School, Junee High School, Mount Austin High School in Wagga, and Monaro High School, visited the University of Canberra on 29 November.
Now in its fourth year, the UC 4 Yourself Experience Day, hosted by the University’s Widening Participation team, gives students from regional, financially disadvantaged and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds the chance to experience a university environment first-hand and to experience a course or degree they may not have considered before.
-
Students from Goulburn High School put their nursing skills to the test at the University of Canberra’s UC 4 Yourself Experience Day. Photo: Vanessa Lam.
Goulburn High School teacher Rachel Iverson said the day was a great way for students to get inspired and to start thinking about what they might want to do once they leave school.
“Some students know what they want to do once they leave school and so they’re interested in learning what the university has to offer. For those that aren’t really sure, it’s a kind of taster for them to see what takes their interest,” she said.
Students had the opportunity to speak to University staff about the wide range of courses on offer and took part in faculty workshops including a nursing simulation exercise where students treated a patient who presented to the ward with a leg injury. The exercise also tested the students’ ability to work together under pressure as a team.
Caleb Croker, 14, from Goulburn High School described it as an interesting experience.
“They showed us what it’s like to be a nurse and showed us how we would have to communicate if we were studying nursing,” he said.
The students also toured student accommodation and explored the campus through a scavenger hunt. An expo was also held in the Refectory featuring interactive demonstrations by staff and students, a gaming station, paper plane demonstration and faculty stalls.
Year 10 Goulburn High School students Krystal Allport and Indy Herrett, who are interested in studying film production and journalism, said they enjoyed the atmosphere and exploring the different options available for study.
“I just love the environment; everyone’s really open and are ready to answers your questions,” Ms Herrett said.
“We went to a communications and media lecture and we learnt about different career pathways we were interested in.”
The Faculty of Business, Government and Law (BGL) also welcomed students from Boorowa Central School, Karabar High School, Ulladulla High School and Eden Marine High School for its BGL for Yourself Experience Day on 30 November.
Students took part in a range of workshops provided by academics including a realistic war game workshop with director of the University’s National Security Institute and former Chief of Army Peter Leahy and visited the University’s Moot Court.
