Lara takes into account a student’s personality, interests and aptitudes and the diversity of experiences which will help them to contribute their unique skills and strengths to the workforce and to achieve a variety of career goals and achievements. As a Careers Counsellor in schools she enjoyed helping students achieve stretch goals, including assisting a student to achieve a full scholarship to Harvard. As a former lawyer, she demonstrates empathy developed from direct experience of personal career change and challenges.
Her professional experience includes:
- Writing Career Development modules as a freelance Learning Designer, for teachers and career practitioners to use the myfuture platform
- Facilitating the online unit Planning for Career Success with Swinburne Online for university students at all stages
- Designing an employability skills course for Year 10 students based on the DOTS Model, delivered in blended mode for 200 students over 5 years in 7 classes each week and benchmarking careers programs in schools using the CICA resource
- One-on-one consultations, organising careers events and speakers, designing and sourcing resources, subject selection, ATAR interviews and study skills seminars for 7 years
- Substantial student academic and career advising experience for more than 8 years in the higher education sector (including Open Days, Info Days, visits to schools and careers markets including interstate careers markets)
- Volunteer mentoring experience in the university sector and with NSW DET schools including mentoring students with socio-economic disadvantage and refugee status
- Previous freelance careers advising experience for 2 years with high school students, university students and graduates
- Project experience as a Learning Designer, Web Designer and Senior Research Officer in educational research in the higher education sector
- Event management experience for university careers events, prize nights and conferences (including experience organising interstate conferences)
- Professional experience in the corporate legal sector