Networking — Charles Impey

Charles Impey is a career adviser at Calrossy Anglican School in Tamworth, New South Wales.

Q: What is your current role within your organisation?

A: As career adviser, I oversee all career services for Years 10 to 12 at Calrossy Anglican School. I have been in this role since February 2016, but have previously worked with this school and others at various times since 1999, developing and delivering career services through externally funded programs and consultancy services.

I have 302 students in total, all with varied interests. They tend to think very much outside the square in their career planning and endeavours, so I enjoy being their support and encouragement. They are given extensive insights into their existing career interests. We consider, research and map the educational pathways they wish to take, offering options and alternatives to ensure plan A, B and C, and then catering for all existing awareness they have in relation to their interests and pathways — supporting both students who are unsure to those with strong and definite thoughts.

I don’t tell students what career they should be chasing; my job is to give each student personalised options, pathways and a roadmap, so they have the information they need to help them make an informed choice. This means they can aim to reach their personal career ambitions, with me their career development comrade!

Q: What are some of your major achievements or awards?

A: I played a central role in founding and developing the existing Tamworth Regional Career and Business Expo, growing it into what is now regarded the largest regional careers expo in Australia. I wanted to create an event large enough to attract some ‘big end of town’ business and industry, while enticing training organisations to travel to Tamworth, giving our students access to information and knowledge flow on par with students in the city. The event also needed to attract more students from surrounding regional centres and towns throughout the northwest of NSW — if we attracted more students and exhibitors, and they wanted to keep coming back, there would be greater benefits for everyone.

Q: What was the career journey that brought you to this position and work role?

A: I’ve enjoyed a (perhaps) non-traditional pathway into my role, with an industry background of 27 years in sectors including fitness, security, food catering, community services, retail management, educational guidance and career program design, and careers consultancy services. I firmly believe this mix, coupled with what others describe as a unique enthusiasm and energy, has given me the tools to deliver career advice and information services to students.

Q: As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

A: It’s a bit of a cliché, but I wanted to be a fireman. I was attracted to this largely because it’s an occupation based around helping people. When I pause to ponder where my career is today, in 2016, that’s exactly what I do now — things have definitely worked out with my career.

Q: What did you do or study upon leaving school?

A: In 1989, my first year out of school, I commenced a degree in primary teaching. I decided to defer my studies after one semester, choosing to work for a while instead. Coupled with a trip to Hong Kong, this gave me time to mature and explore a little more of what life had to offer. I didn’t return to university in 1990, deciding instead to continue working with the option of taking up other interesting opportunities at the time. Looking back on that decision, I truly believe I wouldn’t have the combination of existing skills sets; inherent, developed and evolving knowledge; and personal mindset to carry me through the next 25-year phase of my professional working life.

Q: Who or what was a major influence on your career choices?

A: People have been the major influence on my career choices and, to be honest, my entire life so far.

As a people person and having operated within service-orientated professions throughout my working life, I’ve had the pleasure of being influenced rather positively by people all throughout my career.

My first post-school boss, in the sporting goods section at Grace Bros’ Chatswood Store, convinced me to stay and not return to university. He saw my potential as a retail manager. A cadetship was a possibility, but due to a change in company ownership and training policy, it didn’t eventuate. In the end, I commenced a traineeship at the Coles Tamworth store. I was attracted to continuing to work with people but in a dynamic and busy environment. I was then given a trainee departmental management role, where I could manage people and resources. Shortly after, a second promotion came along: to the grocery side of the store, with a weekly turnover of around $1 million. At this point I thought about if (and where) I might move as my career progressed, but personal endeavours kept me in Tamworth.

In 1999, I decided to leave Coles and stay in Tamworth — which changed the direction of my career. Roles in community services, employment services and career guidance services initiated perhaps the most influential phase in my career thus far. Over the next 17 years, I took a range of career-centred roles funded through various Australian Government programs. In my opinion, this combination provided the perfect background to be delivering a school careers program.

Q: What were some major challenges in your career journey?

A: I mean no disrespect; however, it has to be changes in government policy. This ultimately has an effect on people I assist, support and work with,  as well as colleagues or myself personally.

Q: What are you currently reading?

A: Large slabs of career materials!

Q: What is the most memorable book you have read? Why?

A: I'm not a book reader as such. I prefer to sit down and read a newspaper from cover to cover — it’s nice to stay aware of what’s happening in the world. As an adviser of careers, being aware has advantages.

Q: What is the movie you most enjoyed? Why?

A: Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail and Titanic... I’m a bit of a romantic at heart. I also love animated movies — Toy Story, Cars, Ice Age and most of the others — I love the imagination and thought that has been invested into these movies, starting as a mere sketch on a page and over time developing into a major motion picture.

Q: What is a life dream that you would still like to achieve?

A: Personally, I’d love to get fit enough to run around with my grandchildren and possibly great grandchildren, continue to be happy and healthy, and travel the world. On a professional front, I’d like to be a pioneer in career development services, where career services and use of technology help launch young minds into future leadership and personal successes.

Q: How do you think career education/development will evolve over the next decade?

A: Technology will play an increasingly important role in the future of career education. It’s fundamentally important that students are given effective and stimulating information to assist with their career decision-making processes and decisions. Gone are the days where a career room would contain brochures and literature that students would pick and take to raise their awareness. Modern career education requires a greater wealth of resources — one-stop shop career resources are crucial.