MORE than 240 Year 9 students from Bass Coast College stepped out of the classroom and into the world of work on Thursday for the annual Speed Career Conversations Event, held at the college’s senior campus in Wonthaggi.

The day gave students from both the San Remo and Dudley campuses a chance to sit down with more than 30 local professionals and chat about different careers, study pathways and the real-world skills that employers are looking for.

The setup had 24 tables spread across the basketball courts of the college’s senior campus, each with a professional ready to speak with a rotating group of curious students. Every ten minutes, the bell would ring, and speakers would move on to the next table to give a fresh perspective to a new group of students. 

Executive officer of the South Gippsland Bass Coast LLEN, Sarah Lawless, said the event is all about opening students’ eyes to the wide variety of opportunities and showing them that there’s no single path to success.

“This event is really the first taste students get with the wide variety of career opportunities that exist within our region and the different pathways they might take to get there,” she said.

“Career progression isn’t necessarily from A to B, and once you get there, that’s it. It’s more like a winding path with forks in the road that can lead to really meaningful things later on. It’s about being open to opportunities and not closed off to what might come up.”

Sarah also stressed the importance of soft skills like communication, teamwork and adaptability, especially in a job market that’s rapidly shifting thanks to automation and AI.

Students asked plenty of questions and seemed genuinely interested in what the volunteers had to say. From hospitality and health to trades, business, and community services, the professionals covered a wide range of industries and were enthusiastic about sharing their journeys.