Next Steps 2024
Every year the Department of Education reaches out to our graduates to gain insight into where our students transition post school. It is helpful and interesting for us to review this information in order to see the trends and patterns in our students’ post school pathways.
The first year after school, typically referred to as Year 13, can be a challenging time for some students. Whilst some know in Year 9 what pathway they would like to walk post school, many students do not know quite where they want to go in their future. Part of our role here at the College is to provide information and experiences that open the students’ eyes to different opportunities and ideas that they may like to think about for their future. The pleasing result to the survey this year is the very low percentage of students who have not continued with any form of training, employment or education. While the Ipswich average was around 14%, our percentage was only 3%. This result demonstrates that, while our students may not always know where they are going, they are trying things and experiencing the world of work and study.
Some interesting facts from the Survey:
- 97% of our 2023 cohort are currently engaged in work, training or study. With the majority – 71% - engaged in further study; 65% of these students were studying a Bachelor Level Degree.
- We have seen a decrease over time in engagement in Bachelor Degrees – most noticeably since COVID.
- Our student rate of seeking work is 0%, the Ipswich average is 7%, meaning that our St Peters Graduates are very employable and really find success in finding and keeping work, either casually, part time or full time.
- 16% of our University students are studying a Double Degree – the combination of two bachelors degrees into a single course of study. Importantly, this does not increase their University stress or pressure, but does increase their options post tertiary qualifications and has become very popular in recent times. A popular option this year was Engineering and Business, as a combined degree.
- Our biggest study area for the 2023 graduates, at 31%, was Natural and Physical Sciences. Followed closely by Health at 22%. An area we constantly see as a common study theme here at the College.
- The University of Queensland is our most popular tertiary choice – with almost 28% of our students heading there to study.
- Griffith University is our second most popular tertiary choice – with 22% of students heading to this institution.
- Almost 96% of students who progressed to University studies are in a full-time capacity.
- Perhaps representative of our SPOSA and St Peters connections, with many students employed as coaches after graduation, and the implementation of our Certificate III, our biggest employment area was in Coaching and Sport Instruction, at 16.7%. Continuing to demonstrate that our students remain active and focussed on fitness post school.
- As per Mrs Johnson’s recommendations, no students were undertaking a Gap Year, all students had moved into opportunities, and further, no students deferred their University place. As previously mentioned, no students are waiting for work to commence. The pleasing result of this reflects the commitment of our graduates to make the most of their pathways and post school opportunities by participating fully into whatever option they have chosen.
We are excited to share the statistics and outcomes above, but always come back to the fact that every person matters, every day. Each one of our young people has a unique journey, and it is our privilege to assist them to strive ‘ever higher’ in all they do, both when they are at the College and when they follow their unique pathway beyond.
Mrs Sarah Johnson
Careers and Guidance Counsellor
