And that is exactly what was on offer at the Zonta Young Women’s Career Breakfast held in Wangaratta on Thursday.
Young and ambitious Year 11 female students from across the north east assembled at The Gateway Hotel to hear from speakers and mentors who attended school in the north east, and now work in the area.
Benalla was well represented on the day, with students from FCJ College in attendance.
Now in it’s 13th year, the International Women’s Day Young Women’s Career Breakfast aims to bring students and mentors together to talk about career hopes and pathways, as well as building relationships.
From lawyers to painters, there were mentors for all career paths and interests.
Breakfast coordinator Christine Haddrick said the students gain not only insights, but form invaluable relationships with mentors.
‘‘We get amazing feedback from the students — they wish they could come every year until they finish school,’’ Ms Haddrick said.
‘‘The mentors’ feedback is that they wish there was something like this when they were at school because it would have made a difference to them.
‘‘We try and show the girls that even though you may go away to university, you can come back and have really successful careers.
‘‘Being in a rural and regional area doesn’t inhibit what you want to do.’’
The program has also allowed for students to go on to receive work experience or personal mentorship — with some past students even returning as mentors themselves.
‘‘We have 103 girls here, on average we have 100 girls a year, so we are looking at 1300 taking part across the last 13 years,’’ Ms Haddrick said.
‘‘The relationships that have formed are amazing.
‘‘Zonta is an international women’s group, and on International Women’s Day, we try to bring all of those things together to empower girls to make the best decisions for them.’’
Ms Haddrick also thanked sponsors of the Zonta event for their support.
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