Gateway placements provide students with invaluable opportunities to explore potential career pathways through authentic workplace experiences. During the July school holidays, current Year 12 student, Bardia Malek 12E2, completed a five-day Gateway placement at Dental Planet Manukau, where he gained first-hand insight into the dental profession. Experiences such as these play an important role in helping students develop practical skills, build confidence, and most importantly, confirm their interests and aspirations for future career pathways. Below, Bardia reflects on his rewarding week and shares what he learned from this valuable experience:
鈥淒uring the second week of the school holidays, I had the opportunity to complete a one week long Gateway placement at Dental Planet Manukau. I went into the week hoping to gain some work experience and learn how a dental clinic operates, but I came away with far more than I expected. Spending the week working alongside the team gave me a real appreciation for everything that happens behind the scenes beyond your casual 40-minute checkup at the dentist. From helping prepare surgeries and maintaining a sterile environment to working with patients and learning how to use the dentistry software, every day was a chance to learn something new. Some of the highlights of the week for me was visiting the lab and seeing how the impressions and moulds for dentures were made and being able to x-ray real patients myself using the OPG scanner. More than anything, this experience showed me how much teamwork, organisation, and attention to detail goes into delivering great patient care. A huge thank you to 蘑菇视频 College, especially the Careers Department and Mrs El-Yassir, for making this opportunity possible. I鈥檓 also incredibly grateful to Kavya for taking the time to teach me about every aspect of the clinic, and to TJ, Sweety, Ana, and the rest of the team for welcoming me, answering my questions, and making my time at Dental Planet enjoyable and educational.”
~ Bardia Malek 12E2