Career Services
Welcome to the Student Services department. Our vision statement is to help students develop and excel to their potential in living the Grammar values at School and beyond. For any inquiries or referrals, please contact us via email at studentservices@ags.school.nz.
Careers team members
- G. Martin – Acting Head of Student Services and Counsellor. Phone 09 623 5572 or email g.martin@ags.school.nz
- J. Doolan – Counsellor
- E. Peacock – Counsellor
- P. du Sart – Counsellor
- S. van Deventer – Student Services Office Manager. Phone 09 623 5445 or email s.vandeventer@ags.school.nz
Student Services Update – March 2024
Student Services Support
We are excited to announce that during the holidays, counsellors who do both careers and wellbeing work have relocated to the Student Centre, and can be found in the old library.
We extend a warm welcome to Graeme Martin, who is serving as the Acting Head of Student Services for 2024. Graeme is no stranger to Auckland Grammar School, having taught and worked in counselling previously.
We are also delighted to introduce our new counsellor, Pierre du Sart. Pierre brings a wealth of experience from the health sector which students will benefit from across counselling and careers.
Ensuring the wellbeing of your sons remains our utmost priority. Whether they have questions about their career paths, require support with anxiety and depression, or simply need assistance, our dedicated team is here to help remove barriers to achieving to their potential. Please encourage your son to reach out to Student Services. Appointments can be scheduled by emailing studentservices@ags.school.nz.
Careers
Subjects have now been selected and loaded for 2024. Students need to ensure that during the year they follow up possible career pathways or industries to get a feel for which subjects prerequisites and skills and experience are needed to help them plan. Investigating options early helps to inform subject choices leaving the widest range of opportunities open.
This month on SchoolTV: Exam Jitters
Performing under pressure is a challenge we all face, but understanding how to move through that nervousness is a vital skill best learned early. SchoolTV has a huge range of resources around this, low mood, dealing with big changes and is a fantastic resource accessed through GrammarNet for our students but, also their parents to access any time. Click here to read more.
International University Applications
A first reminder to all students who register with Student Services for any overseas university application support that there are two deadlines they must complete:
- The School deadline – This starts with a registration of interest in Term 2 following a first briefing. With the large number of students applying around the world, the team need time working with students around matching their goals with universities and then to gather and process documentation. Students must demonstrate a clear focus in their choice and that their grades to date support their choices
- The university deadline – Some universities, particularly in the United States, have more than one deadline date which have different processes. Both school and university deadlines need to be supported by the student and discussed with their application counsellor early. USA sports applications often have a NCAA compliance process as well.
Auckland Grammar School will only send completed applications directly to a university email address.
Gateway – What is my career path?
Placements are now underway for the 2024 Gateway work experience programme, overseen by Head of Vocational and Assisted Learning Graham Edwards. Gateway is designed to strengthen the pathway for Senior students to progress from school to the workplace or Tertiary study. It provides students with structured workplace learning, across a range of industries and businesses, while they continue to study at school. Click here to read more.
If you have any queries, please do in the first instance. Contact Student Services Office Manager Sam van Deventer via email at s.vanderventer@ags.school.nz.
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The Careers staff can help with exploring interests, strengths and aspirations then helping a student match these to possible career options. This can be for short term goals (for instance, choosing an option in Form 5) or it can include prerequisites for a pathway towards an application to a university, hall of residence and where to access overseas assessment opportunities like the SATs.
We can help your son explore the networks they have, as well as help them find Career role models to aspire towards. Careers Counsellors can help with employment (both full and sometimes part-time positions), as well as trades training opportunities, student allowances and access to STAR and Pathways courses.
Book a careers appointment after having a look at some information first on websites, newspapers and in brochures available from Student Services. Each student must manage their own learning and application processes.
Ensure that you are aware of closing dates for applications and follow up appointments. The School is very keen to see every student placed in the tertiary and career path of their choice but are not responsible for ensuring application deadlines are reached.
Scholarships
The MoneyHub Scholarship page is a comprehensive list including scholarships offered by every university as well as those specifically available to local students. A list of privately-funded, Maori, Pacific and International university scholarships completes the list.
For students wishing to apply for scholarships to New Zealand universities, they can refer to either the individual University page by clicking on the links below or visit the Scholarship page under Careers on GrammarNet – these are updated on a regular basis.
Key contacts for various New Zealand universities
If you are interested in finding out more about studying at different universities across New Zealand, click here to download a PDF document with contact information for each of the universities. To find out more information about what is needed for New Zealand universities, click here.
Finances and Study
The StudyLink website is a great place to visit to get you thinking about what it will cost to live and study. StudyLink can help you work out if study is right for you and how you can support yourself. StudyLink can also help you apply for your Student Allowance for the upcoming academic year.
You don’t need to have your NCEA results or have locked down all your plans in order to apply. It’s more important to allow enough time for all the steps in the application process to be completed.
Careers Studies at Auckland Grammar School
Careers Studies is offered as an option subject for senior students (those in Forms 5, 6 and 7) – please see the Pathways staff for details on eligibility.
The Careers department is open before school, interval, lunchtime and after school for inquiries. If you like to make a booking, send an email to studentservices@ags.school.nz.
Careers Resources – we have a number of different websites that will help you in your career or tertiary study path:
- CareersNZ, a great website for general planning and information
- CareersQuest, found via the Careers website
- Just The Job – information about tertiary studies and careers
- MBIE (Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment)
- Information on universities
- ITF (Industry Training Federation)
- If you are thinking about joining the Police or the Armed Forces, check out the New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Defence Force websites for more details
- Preparing for a job interview – click here for the list of the top 10 most typical interview questions and how to answer them
Students can think about working on their CV before assessments and exams come on the horizon. MoneyHub has some great guides to walk them through, step by step.
Universities and polytechnics, government organisations, and industries have funding opportunities available for school-leavers. More information can be found at the Futureintech website.
If you choose to continue with tertiary study at an overseas university, click here – the ‘student’s road map to studying abroad’. Note: this website is purely around US-based universities.
Form 4 Programme
All Form 4 students will complete two careers seminars designed to initiate students to research options and build information around how option choices and career paths are linked in the short term, but also how lifestyle choices influence career pathways. All students are invited to take specific inquiries to Careers during interval and lunchtimes. Senior students can make an appointment with a Careers counsellor at any stage of the year.
Pathways provide valuable work experience and Unit Standard credits relevant to employment. Topics range from CVs to job interview skills and site safety.
STAR Courses are government-funded short courses available to senior students that give a taste of a future career. Students can gain credits towards their NCEA qualifications.
Gateway offers work placements to broaden the range of job options and students can gain credits towards a NCEA qualification.
Gateway can help your son explore the networks they have, as well as help them find Career role models to aspire towards, then take concrete steps to step up. Careers Counsellors can help with employment (both full and sometimes part-time positions), as well as trades training opportunities, student allowances and access to star and Pathways courses.