Hear from two students about their time in the Office of the Governor.
Earlier this month Government House hosted students as part of their work experience program, joining the team at the Office of the Governor for the week.
The two students – Sienna and Jonathan – met with teams across the Office to learn about how their work supports the program of the Governor of Victoria.
From meeting with participants in the Kitchen Garden Program, to assisting with the Governor’s Performance Series hosted at Government House, it was a diverse week of engagements in their program.
Working in the Office of the Governor.
Both students applied for work experience at the Office of the Governor to gain experience and exposure to a workplace as part of their Year 10 curriculum.
For Jonathan, the historical nature of Government House made the Office a good option for his work experience, making the Office unique compared to other government departments.
Sienna, on the other hand, was interested in learning more about the Office due to the extensive range of opportunities on offer across a variety of sectors.
A week of diverse engagements.
The students began their week of work experience with a meeting with the Community Engagement Coordinator, who introduced them to participants in the Kitchen Garden Program. For Sienna, this would become the highlight of her week.
‘The tight-knit community formed through this program was evident from the beginning where the personable, exuberant women shared their journeys and convinced us to dance with them prior to lunch.’ - Sienna
In the days following, the students met with teams across the Office to learn about how their work supports the program of the Governor of Victoria.
This included Transport Officers, Aides to the Governor, Garden Curators and House stewards – as well as a meeting with Her Excellency the Governor of Victoria.
The week was also an opportunity to discover more about the history and the maintenance of Government House, as the students enjoyed a tour of the State Apartments.
Jonathan’s highlight was capping off the week with a journey up the tower at Government House to see the flagpole and the spectacular view over the Melbourne skyline.
‘The highlight of the week was going on top of the tower and overlooking the city of Melbourne. It was so much fun seeing the city from a different angle that I previously never knew.’ – Jonathan
Learning about the work of the Office also offered some surprises for the students – whether that was the diverse range of work undertaken by staff, or the fact that the House is also the Governor’s place of residence.
Attending the Governor’s Performance Series was a chance for the students to see firsthand all the elements of the Office coming together to deliver an engaging public event hosted by the Governor.
Looking forward.
An important part of work experience is helping students to better understand their study interests or potential career paths.
For Sienna, this experience helped her to gain a clearer vison of what she may wish to pursue in the future.
‘…this experience has also taught me to be open to new opportunities and not to focus too much on maintaining a linear career path, but rather pursuing what I find engaging and what I have a natural tendency for.’ – Sienna
Jonathan’s experience during the week enabled him to develop a better understanding of what it’s like to work in a professional workplace as a public servant in the Victorian Government.
‘Going forward into the future I have much more confidence in the areas I want to study and work at after secondary school.’ – Jonathan
The Office of the Governor thanks the students for their contributions throughout the week and wishes them all the very best for their futures at school and beyond.