Future Ready Day Connects First Nations Students with Industry Leaders in Sydney
More than 55 First Nations students from across NSW came together for an inspiring day of career discovery, practical skill-building and industry connection at Bandu’s latest Future Ready Day, hosted at Laing O’Rourke’s North Sydney office in collaboration with Bandu’s corporate partner Select Plant.
Future Ready Day is part of Bandu’s commitment to supporting First Nations students as they prepare for life beyond school, connecting them with real-world career insights and industry professionals.
For the students who attended, the day was a powerful opportunity to build confidence, explore career pathways and gain practical tools for the future.
Real-World Skills Students Can Use Now
Throughout the day, students rotated through a series of interactive workshops designed to build the skills they’ll need as they move from school into further study or employment.
Sessions included:
CV and cover letter workshops to help students prepare strong job applications
MoneySmart financial literacy delivered by Yasmine Turner
Career Speed Dating with professionals from Laing O’Rourke and Select Plant
Show Up Strong, an interview and presentation skills workshop delivered by Tanya Abbey
University Pathways and Possibilities, exploring different routes into tertiary study
A Graduate Panel, where young professionals and Bandu Tertiary students shared honest reflections on their journeys after school
The sessions were designed to be highly interactive, allowing students to ask questions, practise skills and connect directly with professionals working across multiple industries.
Students Left Inspired and Motivated
For many students, the experience opened their eyes to opportunities they hadn’t previously considered.
“As a Year 11 student it opened my eyes to a lot more opportunities and pathways I can go down to achieve my career goal.”
“I loved the Future Careers Day. It was such a cool experience that you would not get at school. It was very interactive and not sitting and listening the whole time. It was very interesting and exciting and you leave feeling reassured and motivated to do what you want to do. Very inspiring.”
Students also took away a powerful message about resilience and flexibility in their future planning.
“I learnt that if your Plan A doesn’t go to plan, have a second Plan A. There are so many ways to get into the uni or occupation you want. There is so much support around for First Nations students to help us achieve our goals.”
Guest speaker Dean Widders, Anaiwan Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer, now working with the National Rugby League as an Indigenous Pathways manager.
A Valuable Experience for Schools
Teachers attending the day highlighted the importance of programs like Future Ready Day in helping students connect their education with real-world opportunities.
“It was such a great day. The kids were engaged, it promoted relationships with other schools and had such a strong, consistent message – the help is available, but you need to chase it.”
“Extremely valuable day. My seven students are so eager to continue working with Bandu to map out their steps from here.”
By bringing together students from multiple schools, the event also created opportunities for peer connection and shared learning.
Bridging the Gap Between School and Career
Future Ready Day is designed to help First Nations students feel confident navigating the transition from school into university, training or employment. By connecting students with industry professionals and recent graduates, the program helps demystify career pathways and highlights the many opportunities available. Experiences like this are a powerful way to ensure students feel supported, informed and inspired as they plan their future. If you work with a school who would like to get their students involved, please reach out via the ‘Contact Us’ button below.
Interested in hosting a Future Ready Day?
Future Ready Days are made possible through the support of our corporate partners such as Laing O’Rourke and Plant Select who are committed to investing in the next generation of First Nations talent. By opening their workplaces and sharing their knowledge, organisations help students gain insight into professional environments while building meaningful connections with industry.
Bandu partners with organisations who want to support First Nations student career pathways while creating meaningful engagement opportunities for their teams. If your organisation would like to host or support a Future Ready Day, we would love to hear from you.
