The Space Between now and Uni
After graduating from Salesian College Sunbury, Liam Cherry chose to embrace a gap year. Rather than heading straight to uni, he decided to take on a Technology Traineeship at his former school and he hasn’t looked back.
I actually heard about the traineeship through my teacher at the time, who is now my supervisor!
I was also friends with the Trainee who was in the role last year, so I got to see what the program looked like from the inside before I jumped in. It was really encouraging to see someone else go through it and enjoy the experience.
Working side-by-side with the staff he once looked up to, Liam’s day-to-day is hands-on and ever-changing.
From helping book classes, organising storerooms, to testing new projects and preparing for upcoming lessons.
Liam plays an essential support role within the technology department.
I mostly work as an assistant in the drones and robotics classes.
There’s a lot of independence in the role because of the nature of the work, but there’s always support when I need it.
One of Liam’s proudest achievements during the traineeship has been finding creative solutions to reduce costs for classroom materials.
I’ve taken on projects where I’ve helped bring costs down by designing and producing some of the parts in-house using 3D modelling.
It’s been really rewarding to be trusted with those kinds of responsibilities and know I’m making a difference.
While the role has been fulfilling, Liam said the transition from student to staff member was one of his biggest challenges early on.
It was a bit strange at first, walking the same hallways, but now as an employee. That shift in mindset definitely took some getting used to, but I’ve learned a lot through having to problem-solve on my own and take initiative.
As part of his traineeship, Liam studied a Certificate III in Business, equipping him with a broad range of skills that will carry him through the next chapter of his journey, a Bachelor of Space Science at RMIT.
I decided to take a gap year because I was pretty burnt out after Year 12.
This traineeship gave me the chance to reset while still doing something valuable.
I’ve gained admin and inventory skills, a better understanding of how workplaces operate and overall just more perspective about what life looks like after university.
For other school leavers thinking about taking a similar path, Liam has one piece of advice:
It might feel like a big jump going into a traineeship straight after school, but it’s definitely worth it.
The qualification, the experience and the confidence you gain make it an amazing stepping stone.
With a clear vision for the future and a solid foundation built during his gap year, Liam is well on his way to reaching for the stars, quite literally!
Salesian College Sunbury is a long-time partner with AFL SportsReady. Together, we’ve been shaping the futures of Trainees and making a lasting impact for over 10 years.
We have applied the successful AFL SportsReady model to the arts, cultural and creative industries.
The ArtsReady program assists employers in engaging young Australians in traineeships. ArtsReady is delivered by AFL SportsReady, a not-for-profit organisation specialising in education and employment for over 29 years. The national program prepares participants to graduate as job-ready.
