BUILDING FUTURE LEADERS TOGETHER
Kristen Fox (Careers and Pathways Strategist) and now former student Isabella Carter
For the past five years, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School has contracted Crimson Education to supply a full-time Careers and Pathway Strategist to work with its students. We sit down with their current Strategist, Kristen Fox to get her unique perspective on the leaders of tomorrow and their career choices.
As the Careers and Pathways Strategist at Rangi Ruru, could you tell us more about your role?
I work with students one-on-one throughout their educational journey, beginning in Year 10 through to graduation at the end of Year 13. Year 10 students start their career journey by undertaking a ‘Pathways’ course which Rangi Ruru has developed, designed to allow students to explore their future options through self-exploration, learning pathways, and developing their skills for future employment. Often in Year 11, our time is spent selecting subjects to fulfil university or polytechnic requirements, which evolves through to Year 13 where meetings focus on applying for specific programs, scholarships, gap year programs, and accommodation.
What do you think makes the relationship between Rangi Ruru and Crimson Education work so well?
Rangi Ruru and Crimson’s relationship blossomed over five years ago when Crimson was first coming into the edutech space. Rangi Ruru Principal Dr Sandra Hastie realised how impactful a partnership could be between the two, ensuring a seamless transition for students as they move into their adult lives. Rangi Ruru and Crimson Education work well together because we have aligned values. We both want our girls to be their best whatever pathway they choose. Rangi Ruru provides an excellent education for students, and Crimson Education is an extension of that, providing networks that span the globe and a dedicated strategist to guide students as they make some of the most critical choices of their lives.
It has been an extraordinarily successful partnership, with our girls attending top universities all over the world including New York University, University College London, Boston College, and Imperial College London. This is not a one size fits all programme, and this is evident in the range of universities and programmes students are entering – ranging from competing as a student-athlete in America, attending an elite performing arts programme, studying geophysics in London, or medicine in Dunedin. In the past two years alone, scholarship monies at Rangi Ruru have increased over 130 per cent, and the total number of scholarships awarded to students has increased by 169 per cent. What is even more outstanding is that 2020 is looking to be our best year yet as we have already surpassed 2019’s scholarship monies and the number of students receiving them.
Have you seen any trends in careers and pathways that students are choosing? Has there been an increase or decrease in any particular field or industries?
I have seen a real trend in girls wanting to pursue science careers, but not necessarily the ‘traditional’ ones we all think of like medicine and engineering. I have students pursuing geophysics as they were fascinated by the earthquakes, medicinal chemistry, and chemical formulation focusing on designing healthcare and cosmetic products. This is really exciting to me as it shows girls are thinking outside of the box and creating careers they really want. I have seen a decrease in fields that will soon be automated as technology continues to improve.
What advice would you give to parents when they are talking to their children about careers and pathways?
I tell parents to support their children in what they want to pursue but ensure a healthy dose of reality along with it. I am a huge supporter of students having multiple options, often a Plan A, B, and sometimes even C thought out. The result of this is students – and their families – can make the choice when they have offers in front of them.