At Nazareth, we believe in nurturing growth and development not just for our students but for our entire community, including staff.
Our Pathways & Partnerships team – Adele Broster (Leader of Pathways & Partnerships) and Claire Dodman (Careers and VET Coordinator) – are great examples of what it means to lead by learning. Through a series of recent professional learning opportunities, they continue to strengthen Nazareth’s approach to career development, ensuring our students are equipped with contemporary knowledge and real-world opportunities as they plan their future pathways.
Both Adele and Claire recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Careers Education and Development through RMIT University. This postgraduate qualification, supported by Catholic Education South Australia, focused on client-centred approaches to careers counselling – helping students explore their aspirations through narratives and divergent thinking.
“Attending the Grad Certificate was a great opportunity to share and network with Pathways leaders from other Catholic schools,” shared Adele. “We shared real-life examples from our own experiences in schools, industry and policy settings, which was a great context for our learning.”
She added, “I really enjoyed our deep dive into how to encourage students to have active, divergent thinking about career exploration, and the balance between setting goals, but not being limited to them.”
Both now eligible for professional registration with the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA), Adele and Claire are already applying what they’ve learnt – collaborating with educators across Primary and Middle Years to embed future-focused thinking earlier in the student journey.
Learning Impact:
Adele and Claire undertake regular professional learning to stay at the forefront of evolving opportunities across university, VET, apprenticeship, and industry sectors.
Claire was one of only two South Australian representatives invited to attend a two-day visit to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra. Gaining a firsthand insight into the rigorous academic and physical life of ADFA students, Claire returned with valuable knowledge about careers in the Navy, Army, and Air Force – information she now shares in career counselling sessions to support students considering a future in Defence.
Meanwhile, Adele was invited to the Bond University Gold Coast Campus as a representative of Catholic Education SA. There, she explored the University’s “Learn for Credit” Microcredential program, and as a result, Nazareth will soon be piloting Bond’s Money Matters course – South Australia’s first Microcredential offered through Bond. This will form part of Nazareth’s Industry Spotlight Sessions and Microcredential Modules for Year 11 students in Term 2.
Together, Adele and Claire also recently attended a Sports Industry Focus Day at Adelaide Oval, hosted by Catholic Education SA and AISSA. This experience provided a behind-the-scenes look at career pathways in sports management, events, hospitality, and tourism, while connecting with training providers and universities offering industry-specific programs.
Reflecting on their combined experiences, Adele shared, “It’s been highly motivating, and a great springboard for strengthening and growing career education across our College. We’re looking forward to building even more initiatives collaboratively with educators, particularly in the Middle and Primary Years. There is clear evidence that a strong awareness and sense of the future provides motivation for learning and supports wellbeing.”
Through strategic professional development and strong sector partnerships, Adele and Claire continue to grow Nazareth’s career education landscape – ensuring our students are supported, informed, and inspired to explore the many pathways that lie ahead.
