The Smith Family, Illawarra Sports High School and the NSW Department of Industry are collaborating on a careers-focused event for senior students at the school.

Entitled 'Conversations with Industry', the aim of this event is to provide students at the school with an opportunity to learn more about industries and careers opportunities available within the Illawarra.

The event will take place on September 3 at Illawarra Sports High.

The careers event will feature a format whereby guests will be seated at tables, and students from years 10-12 will be given the opportunity to move between tables.

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They will spend about 15 minutes each at several tables, asking questions about a range of topics.

"It's to give them a first-hand perspective of what each person's job involves - employer expectations, how they got there or what they studied, or what training they had to undertake," Paul Davis, program co-ordinator at The Smith Family's Learning for Life initiative said.

"A lot of the things the kids get to go to, like the big careers fairs where they speak to someone from HR or student recruitment, they get a free pen and that's pretty much it.

"We want a plumber, bricklayers, lawyers and more (to participate); people that do the jobs and can speak from first-hand experience about what's involved."

Illawarra Sports High careers advisor Simon King said this event format was a first for the Berkeley school.

He hoped the event would provide students with the necessary information to make more informed decisions regarding their post-school career paths.

"It's trying to create a forum by which kids will feel like they can ask questions, and have a genuine conversation with someone from that particular industry," he said.

"It gives them the opportunity to ask those genuine questions, like, 'what's a good or bad day like in the life of a plumber? What's the training like? How hard was it to get an employer to take you on? How much do you get paid?'"

Organisers are still looking for participants from different industries to take part.

"For the industry representatives, it's a chance to contribute back to the community," Mr King told the Mercury.

They are requesting that their guests commit to about two hours, from 8.45am to 11am on the day.

Interested participants can contact 0419 970 130, or email Paul.Davis@thesmithfamily.com.au.