Bulli High School careers’ adviser Richard Harding is very popular with his students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
His work though is appreciated even more by his colleagues.
In fact it was a fellow careers’ adviser who nominated him for the prestigious Hilary Bolin Award.
And, it was another colleague who notified the Mercury about Mr Harding’s success in winning the award at the recent Careers Advisers Association (CAA) conference in Sydney.
“Richard is a really good man doing a great job. He deserves to be recognised,” said Jon Pollard, the senior coordinator and careers' advisor at St.Paul's International College, Moss Vale.
Richard is a really good man doing a great job.
- Jon Pollard
Mr Harding for his part was “a bit overwhelmed and little bit embarrassed by it all”.
“It is the peak award you can win,” he said.
“There are two awards you win. You win careers’ adviser of the year for the work you do in schools.
“People understand what careers adviser of the year is, it makes sense. But, this is recognition by your colleagues for work you do with other careers’ advisers as well....I was just overwhelmed.”
The Hilary Bolin Award was created by the executive of the CAA in 1988.
The award honours the late Hilary Bolin, who worked as a careers’ adviser at Carlingford High School and was also secretary of the CAA for many years.
She was extremely committed to the development and extension of career education in its many guises.
As such, certain criteria had to be met by the eventual award winner. Criteria included being involved in a professional level outside the school for services to other careers’ advisers and to the CAA.
Mr Harding also showed he had gone above and beyond in his duties to ensure that outcomes for students and teachers were worthwhile.
“At a state level my work was primarily to do with maintaining our industrial conditions and advocating on behalf of careers’ advisers, who in turn advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable students in their communities,” he said.
“Things and our roles are changing pretty rapidly and we need to make sure that we look after these kids.
“For example, a recent application change introduced by the Universities Admissions Centre really troubled some students who struggled with the complicated new system. Some felt anxious and depressed. I saw some kids half a dozen times.”
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
