By Jessica Ingham
A guide to the millions of possibilities post-high school, based on real-life case studies of Year 12 students.
Whether you are an eager Year 7 student or a stressed Year 12 soon-to-be graduate, everyone at some point in time has had doubts about their future. Perhaps you were convinced that engineering was your one true passion, until you watched Suits and started googling ‘law entry marks’. Or, maybe you’ve never really known what your future holds, either way, here are a few examples of Year 12 students with a (rough) plan for their first year out of high school.
Hopefully, their journeys and ideas will inspire you to find a passion or even just a new option for life after Loreto.
To Gap
Liana Niezabitowski – The OG Gappie
Where are you going next year?
PGL Liddington - ENGLAND !!
Are you applying to uni/deferring a course?
I am applying to University courses as usual to still keep my options open and stable for next year, then deferring for a year to start my course at the beginning of 2026. My top courses are the double degrees Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Forensic Science at UTS.
Why did you want to take a gap year?
Coming out of the first exam block of year 12, the burn out was real!! The desire for a break only grew throughout the year and a Gap year was an opportunity for me to have an extended, paid and international break in the year following the HSC instead of entering Uni straight away. It will give me time to take a breath, travel and experience a side of the world and a job that was otherwise not possible if I was to go to university straight away.
When did you start thinking about taking a gap year? When did you start applying for gap programs?
At the beginning of the year, the reality of a Gap year became very possible. It’s easy to begin applying as soon as possible to have access to as many opportunities as possible, so I began applying in February-March as many options are solidified by July-August.
Anna Newsome/Ishbel McBain – The Pair of Au Pairs
An Au Pair is a person from a foreign country who lives with a host family to provide childcare and light housework in exchange for room, board, and a small allowance. This arrangement focuses on cultural exchange, allowing the au pair to experience a new country while the family receives affordable childcare. (Chat GPT Definition)
Where are you going/what are you going to do next year?
I am going to England next year where I have a job working as an assistant groom at Breen Equestrian. This is a show-jumping stud in the south of England in Sussex and is heavily associated with the show-jumping course Hickstead, which is renowned as one of the premier show-jumping venues in the world.
Are you applying to uni/deferring a course?
Yes, I have applied for university at UNE (Bachelor of Rural Science), UTS (double degree in Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science and Bachelor in International Studies) and USYD (Bachelor of Applied Science: Occupational Therapy). I plan on accepting an offer and then deferring the course to complete in 2026 following my gap year.
Why did you want to take a gap year?
I think that the HSC is an opportunity to really push yourself to fulfil your potential, it is the culmination of 13 continuous years of schooling so it is a lot of pressure and expectation on yourself to do the best you can. So, at the end of this time, I think it is important to reward yourself with a little break, as I think that I would struggle to re-motivate myself to continue into another course for 4 years following the HSC. I also think that it is an opportunity to build independence and have unique experiences while you are young with few responsibilities, you can meet amazing people and learn about yourself and who you are away from school. I think it is important to also give yourself the opportunity to really think carefully about what you want to do at this time, because you may get to the end of your gap year and realise that the Uni course that you were set on doing in school is not actually something that interests you anymore.
When did you start thinking about taking a gap year? When did you start applying for gap programs?
My Aunty is very close friends with the owners of Breen Equestrian and Hickstead, so I asked her in the 2023 Christmas holidays for their contact details, she then arranged an introduction, and I got the position in early June 2024. However, I do not intend on staying at Breen for the full 12 months of my gap year. I also would like to do Au Pairing with a family, I registered through the organisation Au Pair World in about April 2024, and I found out about this through a family friend who is Au Pairing in England currently through this company. I received a job offer in May following an interview process but did not end up accepting this job, so I am now looking again for another family to Au Pair for.
Olivia Clancy – The Working Class Girl
Where are you going/what are you going to do next year?
Next year I plan on working at a before and after school care in West Ryde, so that I can make some extra money to save for travel.
Are you applying to uni/deferring a course?
Yes, I have applied to ACU (Australian Catholic University) to do a Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary School Teaching in hopes of becoming a primary school teacher. If I get an offer, I will defer for a year and then go to uni in 2026.
Why did you want to take a gap year?
I wanted to take a gap year so that I could make some money and eventually go away on adventures to different countries and explore the world.
When did you start thinking about taking a gap year? When did you start applying for gap programs?
I had mixed feelings about taking a gap year, and assumed I would go straight into uni. But after considering that I would be going from 13 years of school and right back into a learning schedule it was just a bit too much. However, I didn’t have enough money to go and travel immediately, so I thought it was wise to work, get paid then travel on uni holidays.
Phoebe Zammit – The Foreign Volunteer
Where are you going next year?
Next year I am going on a gap year volunteering, travelling and working.
Are you applying to uni/deferring a course?
I am deferring uni for a year, probably Aerospace Engineering or Biomedical Engineering at USYD or UNSW.
Why did you want to take a gap year?
I want to take a gap year because I feel like I need a break from study and I’m super excited to get new life experiences all around the world. I started applying for the gap program a couple of months ago.
Not To Gap
Kaya Verma – The Finance Bro
What degree is your first choice? Which universities and why?
I'm mainly interested in doing a Bachelor of Economics, but I might pair it with a Bachelor of Sustainability and Environment so I can specialise in Environmental Economics. I would prefer to go to UTS or USYD, mainly because of their exchange programs to Europe and the U.S. for economics degrees.
What interested you in this career area?
I really enjoy Economics as a subject and learning about policy work, trade, and the global economy. I also have family and friends who work in corporate economics who really enjoy it.
Do you think the subjects/extra-curriculars you do now will help you in this career area?
I did a stint in Green Team in Year 7 so possibly. Doing economics in Year 11 and 12 has also helped.
What is your dream career/job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I would love to work for institutes like The World Bank, who try to help developing and poorer economies reduce poverty and increase the living standards within their nation.
But if I do end up specialising, then I would like to be an environmental economist! It would probably take a while before I can specialise in this, so hopefully, in 10 years, I will have enough experience to do so.
Nikie Yang – The Shopaholic
What degree is your first choice? Which universities and why?
Bachelor of Media and Communications is my first choice, at USYD or UTS preferably. The USYD Media/Communications degree sounds exciting and is theoretical-based, which would be interesting to learn about. They also have a well-known reputation and a lot of industry connections which attending would bring. UTS is also well known for its communications degrees due to the variety of majors that are offered, all of which appeal to me, as well as the hands-on learning approach that helps establish industry connections.
What interested you in this career area?
The flexibility of media/comms and the career options provided being a journalist appeal and align with the lifestyle I desire where I get the opportunity to travel and not be confined within a 9-5 desk job.
Do you think the subjects/extra-curriculars you do now will help you in this career area?
I think they definitely will – I do a lot of essay-based subjects which have helped with my writing and thinking skills which are vital for journalism. Moreover, being a part of extra-curriculars such as the Mary Word will help me in the media industry as I have had the opportunity to develop insights into how newspapers work.
What is your dream career/job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Being the editor-in-chief of Vogue is my dream job, and hopefully in 10 years (when I’m 27) I will be the youngest editor-in-chief of Vogue!!!!
Tahlia Moses – The Prime Minister
What degree is your first choice? Which universities and why?
I would like to start by working in corporate, through either a business or law degree, as a pathway to working in politics when I’m older.
If ATARs weren’t an issue, my number one course would be Law and Commerce at USYD. (However, I definitely don’t think I have the capability to get a 99.5.) Otherwise, I am looking at Law and Commerce at UNSW or Law and Business at UTS. For UNSW I also have to sit the LATs (Law Admissions Tests) and receive a high enough score to be looked at for entry.
I’ve always wanted to study law, ever since I was younger, but now I can understand that law is also such a versatile degree – especially for working in corporate, which I think will really help me in the early stages of my career.
What interested you in this career area?
In the long run, I would like to go into politics, however, I see it as more of a long-term career achievement and would like to start in the corporate workforce initially. To me, it doesn’t make sense for a young person to make political decisions until they experience the world and have a greater understanding of the people they are representing.
I am mainly interested in politics because I see the culture of fake news and one-sided ‘labels’ that are attached to politicians now, especially as it is so heavily influenced by the media and wants to create the change that allows opinions to actually be heard before being ‘cancelled’.
My interest in politics really sparked as I was so frustrated by the way perspectives are being misconstrued and I want to see a political future where every person’s opinion can be heard, because in politics there is really no such thing as wrong and right, just 2 beliefs.
Do you think the subjects/extra-curriculars you do now will help you in this career area?
I definitely think my Year 12 subjects (even though I don’t do legal – which is a massive regret of mine), are very helpful. Specifically, business because I’ve heard many things about business degrees at uni being very similar to the year 12 course, and just being an in-depth version of what is taught in Year 12 business anyway.
I also love Economics, it’s probably my favourite subject, and I think it’s given me such a great foundation to understand everyday economics on the news.
Also, all of my participation in Youth Parliament, debating, mock trial and all of those other areas probably were the driving force behind my initial interest and love of politics in the first place. Without doing all of those extra-curriculars in the first place, for example, going to Parliament for ‘My First Speech’, I might never have found a passion for politics in the first place.
What is your dream career/job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I see myself either working in parliament for a politician (behind the scenes—i.e., policy legislating or advising MPs) OR still working in the corporate world (specifically in finance).
I hope that I have gained some work experience, networking opportunities and an extensive portfolio 10 years from now in order to help propel my career prospects in the future when I have more experience and knowledge under my belt.
Catherine Ye – The Lawyer
What degree is your first choice? Which universities and why?
My first preference for degrees would be Law and International Studies at USYD (or any university really), because I like the idea of doing a double degree, so I’m not locked into just one area of study. I think International Studies and Law appeal to me because I find international affairs really interesting, especially international law, so the two degrees paired together would be my ideal degree. ATAR aside, USYD would be my first preference honestly just because it’s the ‘hardest to get into’, but I’m not really too fixated on a certain university and would be happy with most universities that offer this course.
What interested you in this career area?
I was first interested in this career because of Legally Blonde (the movie) and Suits (the TV show), however then I actually started learning information about the legal system at school, which got me really interested in law.
Do you think the subjects/extra-curriculars you do now will help you in this career area?
Yes. Doing Commerce and Legal studies in high school has definitely made me interested in this field and I think that doing extra-curriculars such as Model UN, debating and mock trial have also fostered my interest in international relations/law. I would like to think that these extra-curriculars will be useful in the future by helping with communication and thinking on the spot, but mainly they have just been useful in giving me a small insight into law/international relations and also given me the opportunity to speak with those currently in these career areas.
What is your dream career/job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Not entirely set on a dream career/job, however, I would love to be a corporate or an international lawyer. I would also love to have worked overseas in 10 years time!!
Laura Nutt – The Woman in STEM
What degree is your first choice? Which universities and why?
Civil/Construction Engineering at UNSW. UNSW is the first in Australia for Engineering. I've completed a few engineering workshops at UNSW, and I really like how they place importance on practical application rather than focusing solely on theory. They also have a number of scholarships and programs for women in engineering in order to achieve greater gender equality in the construction industry.
What interested you in this career area?
When I was in Year 5 a female engineer came to my class and spoke to us about her occupation. She spoke about how she got to drive massive trucks and use explosives like dynamite, majorly sparking my interest in civil engineering. I also really enjoy problem solving in Physics and Maths which are key aspects of engineering.
Do you think the subjects/extra-curriculars you do now will help you in this career area?
Physics and Extension Maths will definitely be useful as Science and Maths are key components of engineering.
What is your dream career/job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
My dream career is to be a civil or mining engineer. I hope to be driving massive trucks and using explosives and contributing to the development of sustainability within the construction industry.
In Summary
Hopefully a few of these ‘case studies’ inspired your own ideas of what your future might look like. Or maybe all the different options just made you more confused. Either way, take it from a stressed Year 12 soon-to-be graduate, there is no such thing as ‘a plan’. Forget the ‘Plan A’ and ‘Plan B’, there are thousands upon thousands of paths you could take. Even if in 10 years, your career doesn’t look exactly how you thought it would in high school, if you want to get somewhere, you’ll make it eventually.
So, forget about the ‘career plan’. Just have a ‘dream career’.
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