Guide to Decide

Red, Orange or Green? How Big Is This Decision, Really?

Recently I came across Naomi Gleit’s work on decision-making, where she breaks decisions into colours.

It’s brilliant. And freeing.

Not all decisions are equal.

Some are:

🟢 Green - everyday, low-impact decisions
🟠 Orange - meaningful but reversible
🔴 Red - big life decisions with real long-term impact

The problem?

We often spend far too much mental energy in the green.

What should I wear? What should I eat? What time should I study?

This is why meal plans are so popular (hello, batch decision making).
Why Steve Jobs wore the same black turtleneck every day.
Why highly successful people focus on reducing small decisions.

Mental energy saved.

We’re actually doing your a favour by giving you a school uniform. Decision made. You’re welcome.

But when it comes to career and degree choices?

Many of you told me in your survey that your biggest fear is:

“Making the wrong decision.”

So let’s zoom out and calm that down.

First: Some Peace of Mind

Choosing a degree at 17 is not the same as choosing your career for life.

In fact, huge numbers of students change direction after first year at university. So many so that universities have:

• Internal program transfer systems

• A team of dedicated career advisers

• Academic transition teams

Movement is normal. Exploration is expected. Adjustment is built into the system.

Please remember, you are not signing a 40-year contract. You are choosing your next step. And next steps can be redirected. Are there financial implications? Yes. But you have entered into an exploration age and we don’t always get it right the first time. Sometimes that’s the whole point.

So How Do You Make An Informed Decision?

Let’s go back to basics.

Before you convince yourself there is only “one perfect degree,” and you must find it NOW… ask:

• What does my personality suggest?

• What subjects energise me (even when they’re hard)?

• What strengths keep showing up?

• What did I enjoy during work experience?

• What conversations make me stop, pause and think?

• What skills come naturally to me?

• Which of the 18 UAC identified industries appeal (or don’t!)?

These are clues.

Not instructions. Not guarantees. Clues.

You do not need your entire life mapped out by September 2026. But you do need your head out of the sand.

One of my favourite quotes is: “You can’t steer a parked car.”

You have to move… in any direction…in order to course assess and correct.

So move.

• Attend the Industry Insight Nights

• Join online university webinars

• Talk to family friends about their jobs

• Organise work experience in the holidays

• Explore the 18 industries on the Careers website and start eliminating the ones that don’t fit or feel right. Start working backwards.

Sometimes clarity comes faster from ruling things out.

This doesn’t mean the decision will magically arrive tomorrow. But something shifts when you start moving. My hope is that the process will begin to feel lighter, less dramatic and more manageable.

And here’s the key:

If you’re in a red emotional state — exhausted, anxious, overwhelmed — that’s not the moment to lock in a big decision.

Get yourself back to green first.

Then decide.

You are not behind.

You are in the middle of becoming.

And that is allowed to be messy, exploratory and unfinished.

Always happy to talk it through.

COMING in 2026

COMING in 2026

COMING in 2026

Caringbah Careers Events

• Year 12 Parents Information Session: Careers Spotlight - 20th December 2025 (5pm - 6pm)

• Industry Insight Night - Medicine - 27th November 2025 (5pm - 6:30pm)

• UCAT Online Workshop - TBC
  

University Events & Webinars:

• Coming in 2026

University Events & Webinars - On Demand from 2025

• USYD - Studying Medicine at Sydney (On Demand) - Watch HERE

• USYD - Admission to Medicine & Dentistry at Sydney (On Demand) - Watch HERE

• USYD - Studying Dentistry at Sydney (On Demand) - Watch HERE

• WSU - Discover Western Webinar: Scholarships (On Demand) - Watch HERE

• WSU - Discover Western Webinar: Early Offers, Pathways and Alternate Entry (On Demand) - Watch HERE

• WSU - Discover Western Webinar: For Parents & Supports (On Demand) - Watch HERE

Student Opportunities

• USYD Schools Innovation Challenge Hackathon 2026, delivered on-campus at the University of Sydney in partnership with HEX, , an award-winning EdTech innovator known for empowering future leaders through entrepreneurial thinking and real-world problem solving. See Mrs Poppett if you’re interested in participating.

The LEAVERS Passport was built after years of working with students applying for early entry, scholarships, cadetships, medicine, competitive pathways and interstate opportunities.

And the results? Students who use this scaffold properly don’t just apply better, they decide better.

LEAVERS stands for:

• L – Leadership

• E – Extra-curricular

• A – Academic Enrichment & Achievement

• V – Volunteering & Community Contribution

• E – Employment & Work Experience

• R – Relevant Industry Experience

• S – Student-Led Projects

It’s not a form.
It’s not homework.
It’s not a list for the sake of a list.

It is your clarity tool, your strategy tool, and your storytelling database.

The Passport helps you:

• Identify your skills

  • Communication, teamwork, leadership, initiative, problem-solving, empathy, digital & AI literacy. The skills universities and employers look for.

• Map your experiences

  • Sport, volunteering, part-time work, school roles, creative projects, competitions, tutoring, church involvement, family responsibilities. Everything counts.

• Spot your gaps

  • Where could you get more exposure?

  • What experiences would strengthen your resume?

  • What stories would help you in interviews?

  • Where could you grow next year?

• Explore new opportunities

  • Once you see the gaps, you can set goals:
    “Try a workshop.”
    “Do work experience.”
    “Join a program.”
    “Attend an industry night.”
    “Start a mini passion project.”

This is how you build a powerful, authentic story!

Strong Applications

Early entry, scholarships, cadetships, medicine … all ask the same questions:

• Who are you?

• What have you done?

• What have you learned?

• How have you contributed?

• What do you care about?

• Where do your experiences point you?

Your LEAVERS Passport helps you answer every single question with confidence.

BUT ALSO…

It helps you make meaningful decisions about your future.

When you track what you’ve tried, what you’ve enjoyed, what you didn’t enjoy, and where you’ve grown, your next steps become obvious.

• You learn about yourself.

• You notice patterns.

• You discover what energises you and what drains you.

• You figure out what kind of lifestyle certain careers involve.

This is how students make informed, mature, strategic decisions… not last minute, guess-work ones.

Over the summer break, your only job is to complete the Skills & Experiences Stocktake:

1. List everything you’ve done so far - big and small.

2. Highlight moments you enjoyed - and those you really didn’t.

3. Circle the gaps you’d like to explore in 2026.

4. Start thinking about the stories behind your experiences.

Because that’s what universities, employers, scholarships and interviewers want: your story, backed by real experiences.

The Bottom Line

• Your LEAVERS Passport makes your resume glow.

• It strengthens your interview game.

• It gives you clarity and focus.

• It reduces fear.

• It opens doors.

• And most importantly - It helps you make decisions that actually reflect you… your interests, your strengths, and the experiences that shaped you.

This is your foundation for the year ahead. Let’s start building it.

These programs look for students who can show:

• genuine passion

• direction and purpose

• resilience and commitment

• leadership or initiative (formal OR informal)

• service and contribution

• industry-relevant experience

• balance (yes, wellbeing matters in applications!)

Not to sound like a broken record… But, this is exactly why your LEAVERS Passport exists.
It helps you build, and showcase the experiences, skills, stories, and reflections that make your application powerful, compelling, and memorable.

For Medicine especially, preparation matters. Your story matters. Your service matters. And yes… the UCAT matters.
… But don’t panic, we’ll break the entire process down for you in 2026.

Think of this section as a starting point. A spotlight on some of our most popular competitive pathways, why they are exciting, and why starting early gives you a HUGE advantage.

One of Australia’s most prestigious (and competitive) scholarships. Full financial support, leadership development, a cohort of incredible young people, and opportunities that extend far beyond university. They want students with initiative, service, academic strength, curiosity, and a genuine desire to contribute to their community.
Starting early = essential.

Industry-linked, highly competitive programs that blend study, internships, mentoring, and real-world experience.
Think: commerce, engineering, IT, actuarial studies, business… and a graduate CV that gives you so much more than just a foot in the door. They look for leadership, community involvement, commitment, and direction… all built through your LEAVERS Passport.

Paid corporate experience while you study, sometimes with your uni fees subsidised. Finance, tech, business, engineering… you work part-time in a professional role AND complete your degree. Strong applications require initiative, work experience, strong direction and curiosity about the industry, and excellent communication skills.

Academic strength + UCAT + interviews + personal qualities + service = a big, exciting challenge.
These pathways require:

• early UCAT preparation

• meaningful experiences (volunteering, leadership, service)

• clear purpose and reflection

• industry exposure (hospital volunteering, aged care, first aid, etc.)

Your LEAVERS Passport becomes gold here as it helps you track experiences, notice gaps, and build the kind of story selectors are looking for.

One of the most competitive degrees in the country and heavily dependent on real animal-care experience.
Students need to show hands-on time with animals, volunteering in clinics, farms, shelters, and a clear understanding of the profession’s demands.

Study a Bachelor’s degree at a university - typically 3+ years full-time. Great if you’re keen on careers like teaching, psychology, business, science, medicine or law. Uni is more theory heavy and research based, but it also offers heaps of extras like international exchange, internships, societies and leadership programs.

Hands-on, skill based training that gets your job-ready fast. Whether it’s trades, nursing, beauty, hospitality, fashion, design or community services, TAFE focuses on practical learning and nationally recognised qualifications - from Certificates and Diplomas through to Associate Degrees and Bachelors Degrees. TAFE offers smaller class sizes and real-world tools - and is often a stepping stone to university later on, with credit transfer options.

Get paid, get experience, and get a degree - all at once. A cadetship lets you work in your chosen industry (like accounting, business and finance) while studying at uni part-time. Think of it as a head-start on your dream job with professional mentoring and a paycheck along the way.

Want to serve your country and get paid to train or study? The ADF offers pathways through the Army, Navy or Air Force - whether that’s learning a trade, taking on an officer role, or going to uni through ADFA. Travel, leadership, fitness and purpose all rolled into one. You can join straight after school through general enlistment (with a trade or tech role), or apply to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) to complete a degree while in service. You can even study medicine or engineering at a civilian uni under a sponsored program - your tuition is coveredm but you commit to working with the ADF after graduation.

Appenticeship:

Learn a skilled trade on the job (like plumbing, carpentry, electrical or hairdressing), while also studying at TAFE. You can earn a wage while you learn and graduate as a qualified tradie. Solid pay, high demand and no HECS debt.

Traineeship:

Like an apprenticeship, but usually in non-trade fields - think business, IT, hospitality, or healthcare. You work and train at the same time, usually for 12-24 months , and finish with a qualification that gives you practical skills and experience.

A new kind of pathway where you skip uni, start working straight out of school, and train on the job in high-skill areas like tech, business, or cyber-security. Companies like PwC invest in your learning while you get paid and build experience in a major firm. No degree, no debt, plenty of career cred.

Smaller, more specialised institutions offering courses in design, hospitality, fashion business, creative arts, health and more. They often have strong industry ties, quicker course completion times and niche programs, Fees can be higher and not all courses are subsidised, so it’s important to do your research on outcomes and accreditation

Take a year off before study or full-time work to travel, work, volunteer, or just breathe. A gap year helps you gain life experience, clarity, independance, and maturity. You might:

• Work full-time to save money or build your resume.

• Volunteer locally or overseas.

• Travel (solo or in programs like Lattitude Global Volunteering or Camp America).

• Explore gap year jobs through programs like ADF Gap Year or Letz Live.

• Become an Au Pair and live with a host family overseas while looking after children (think France, Italy, England, the U.S).

• Work a ski season at Thredbo, Perisher, Queenstown or Whistler - follow the snow year round.

• Shadow or mentor or do internships to test out different industries.

Gap years aren’t “wasted” time - they’re a chance to reflect, grow and return to study or work with fresh eyes and real life insight. Just keep uni deferral or application timelines in mind. Yes, you can apply to uni and defer your position for 12 months (sometimes up to 24 months) and step straight into your deferred course with new perspective and a brimming life resume.

Instead of a TED Talk, here’s something better:
We know you want direction, confidence, and exposure. We know that you don’t want pressure.

From they survey, you told us:

• Top fears: ATAR, decision overwhelm, making the wrong choice, not knowing what to do.

• Top dreams: meaningful careers, financial stability, global opportunities, passion-driven paths.

• Top advice you valued: “Try everything”, “Work experience helped the most”, “There’s more than one pathway”, “Do what you enjoy.”

So here’s your December reframe:

You do not need the whole map. You just need the next step.
The rest reveals itself through exploration.
Start with the LEAVERS Passport… move forward from there.

Before we officially begin the marathon that is Year 12, I want to share something important with you , something that has shaped the way I’ve designed the program for your children this year.

This term, I asked the cohort a simple question:

“What worries you most about Year 12?”

The responses were honest, raw, and incredibly consistent. Across more than 120 students, the same themes came up again and again:

• ATAR / HSC exams

• Making the ‘wrong’ career or course decision

• Not knowing what they want to do next

• Understanding uni, offers, scaling and how the whole system works

• Overwhelm, burnout and trying to juggle everything

• UCAT + medicine pathways

• Transitioning to university and adult life

• Missing opportunities because they don’t know what’s out there

• Creative pathways feeling “invisible” in the conversation

Here’s the good news.

• These fears are normal.

• And there is a very clear roadmap to addressing every single one of them.

This is literally what our Year 12 program is designed to do.

Our careers mission this year: Replace panic with a plan.

Everything your child is afraid of can be reframed, restructured, or calmed with three simple pillars:

1. Exposure leads to Clarity

• The more they try, see, experience and explore, the clearer their decisions become.

• Not knowing what you want is normal at 17. Exposure is what creates clarity, not pressure.

2. Structure leads to Space

• Structure isn’t restriction. It’s freedom. A well-organised Year 12 is a calmer and healthier Year 12.

• This is where the LEAVERS Passport becomes their strategy tool, not another piece of homework.

3. Strategy leads to Smart Decisions

• This is the year they learn real-world career skills: planning ahead, understanding timelines, balancing commitments, building experiences, and understanding pathways.

• We aren’t teaching them to “survive” Year 12. We’re teaching them how to make smart decisions far beyond it.

Support From Families

We are absolutely in this together.
Your child’s clarity, calm, and wellbeing will be shaped by school and home.

Here’s how you can support them:

• Celebrate exposure, not perfection.
  Every industry talk, open day, club, subject conversation, or experience helps build clarity.

• Encourage structure, but protect their bandwidth.
  Breaks, sleep, hobbies and balance are not luxuries. They are protective factors.

• Keep decisions low-pressure.
  We make hundreds of micro-decisions this year. None of which lock them into a lifetime.

• Talk to them about the journey, not the number.
  Their ATAR is a doorway, not a definition.

• Keep communication open with us.
  If your child is confused, overwhelmed or unsure, send them our way. That’s exactly what we’re here for.

The Promise We’re Making to You

Across this year, we will:

• Break information into calm, digestible parts

• Cover every pathway (not just the typical ones)

• Teach them how ATAR, scaling, offers and applications actually work

• Build their Leavers Passport in a way that gives them direction

• Support them through Tuckwell, cadetships, early entry, medicine and everything in between

• Help them identify what they love, and what they don’t, which is just as valuable

• Give them a structured, step-by-step, month-by-month roadmap

Student Interests

Now, let’s pause and look at what the Class of 2026 told us about their interests.

Here’s what students said they’re genuinely curious about:

• 43 - Business / Commerce

• 38 - Engineering

• 33 - Accounting / Finance

• 33 - Medicine / Dentistry

• 30 - Health Sciences

• 22 - Arts & Humanities

• 21 - Law

• 21 - Education / Social Work

• 20 - Art & Design

• 18 - Media & Communications

This is not a cohort suffering from “no direction.”
This is a cohort with breadth, ambition, and diverse interests.

1. WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

(Clarity and direction through expsosure)

How we help:

• Leavers Passport (Skill Stocktake)

• Industry Insight Nights

• Student-alumni video stories

• Careers workshops

• Student opportunities and events calendar

• Work experience program

• Industry speakers

• University webinars

• Supercurricular events e.g. Hackathon

• Informational interview guides

• Pathway information sessions

What students do:

• Attend at least 2–3 experiences per term

• Update their Leavers Passport

• Try things → reflect → adjust

• Talk to us when something sparks interest

• Throw spaghetti at the wall (intentionally!)

• Book their 1:1 meeting with Mrs Poppett

• Build their “Course Curiosity List”

Outcome: Clarity - not certainty, just clarity.
(“The more I try, the more I know.”)

2. WHERE CAN I STUDY, LEARN OR BUILD SKILLS?

(Awareness creates direction)

How we help:

• Full Pathways Overview (uni, TAFE, private colleges, apprenticeships, traineeships, cadetships, ADF, gap years)

• University / college visits

• Open Day Calendar

• Parent Information Nights

• Alumni pathway case studies

• Our website’s pathway library

• Course comparison tools

• Subject prerequisite updates

• Early Entry database

• Quick “How Uni Works” explainer (majors, minors, combined degrees, honours)

What students do:

• Explore 2–3 pathway options

• Attend open days / watch virtual tours

• Build a shortlist of institutions or pathways

• Understand prerequisites + assumed knowledge + requirements

• Discuss options in their 1:1 meeting

Outcome: Direction — “I know the sorts of places I could go.”

3. HOW DO I GET THERE?

(Strategy → Smart Decisions)

How we help:

• Early Entry briefings

• Adjustment Factors overview

• EAS + SRS support

• Medicine/UCAT timeline

• Scholarships masterclass

• Portfolio guides

• Application support sessions

• 1:1 meetings for plans A, B, C

• Monthly “What’s Coming Up” checklist

• Weekly “What You Need to Know Now” recap

What students do:

• Decide on 1–3 preferences

• Build evidence (reflections, experiences, achievements)

• Prepare for UCAT (if relevant)

• Use The Checklist to ensure you tick all boxes

• Apply for scholarships they align with

• Log into UAC before Term 3

• Submit everything on time

• Meet with Mrs Poppettto check their plan

Outcome: Confidence - “I know what to do, when to do it, and how to get there.”

Parents, thank you for everything you shared in the survey.

You told us you want:

• Clear guidance

• Early timelines

• Pathway explanations

• Understanding of scaling, HSC structure, uni options

• Support for non-uni pathways

• Exposure to industries beyond the “typical” careers

Here’s how we’ll support you this year:

• Monthly newsletters

• Industry Insight Nights

• Alumni panels

• Clear timelines & application calendars

• Early Entry breakdowns

• LEAVERS Passport support

• A growing library of online videos + pathway explainers

• Opportunities for students to explore before deciding

The best thing you can do?
Keep the conversations open. Encourage exposure. Help them try things. Ask questions with curiosity.
We look forward to working alongside you over the next 12 months.