Invest-ED: Preparing Our Girls for the Future of Work
On Wednesday 11 February St Mary’s DSG played host to Invest-ED: Preparing Our Students for the Future of Work, a lively and future-facing live-studio broadcast that brought together students, parents and leading experts to explore how advances in AI, medicine and emerging industries are changing career pathways. The evening — held in the Diocesan Hall and organised for Grades 7–12 — was designed to inspire students and equip families with practical thinking about subject choices, careers and the skills young people will need in a rapidly changing world.
The event was wonderfully supported by our senior school community: a large turnout of senior school parents and girls filled the hall, creating an energetic atmosphere of curiosity and conversation. Many of our students were interviewed on camera throughout the evening, sharing their ideas, questions and aspirations with the live studio audience and expert panellists. Their poise and thoughtful contributions were a highlight of the night and a reminder of the confidence and engagement we see across the Senior School.
We were privileged to hear from an inspiring line-up of speakers. Behavioural scientist Mike Hughes examined how young people can build decision-making habits; Elisa Torres Durney, founder of Girls in Quantum and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, spoke about following curiosity into new fields such as quantum computing and AI; and a panel on “The Future of Medicine” featured Dr Simon Fraser and Dr Angelo Apostoleris, who discussed how healthcare is evolving and what that means for students interested in medical careers. The programme blended expert input, real-world perspective and lively discussion — exactly the mix we hoped would spark new thinking about future possibilities.
Head of School, Mrs Odelle Howard, welcomed families and emphasised the importance of shared conversations between parents and daughters as they make subject and career decisions.
We offer our warm thanks to Investec, the Advancement Team, Senior School staff and most of all to the parents and girls whose presence made the event such a success
Together, Invest-ED reminded us that curiosity, adaptability and community conversation are as important as ever in preparing our young people for the future of work.
