In this edition, three graduates share where their journeys have taken them since finishing school — reflecting on gap years, study, career exploration and the experiences that have shaped their direction. Their stories highlight curiosity, resilience and the many ways an IGS education can inspire a life of purpose.
Alice Kennedy 2016
After graduating, I went on a gap year with my IGS friends across Europe before heading into a communications degree at UTS. I started working in PR and quickly fell in love with ’beauty’ (but realised PR definitely wasn’t for me)!
I made the move to Melbourne after finishing uni, and have been here ever since. I love it, and it helps that a lot of my friends from IGS have since moved too and we live within ten minutes of each other.
Fast forward five years, I’ve been working in social media marketing at both MECCA and Ultra Violette. I’ve felt so lucky for the work I’ve been able to do, travelling to amazing places and meeting incredible people.
I’m still super close to my friends from IGS, and feel lucky to have been able to maintain these friendships, whether they’re down the road, interstate or across the world.
NATHAN TURNER 2022
My time at IGS instilled a love for lifelong learning and motivation to pursue what I really care about. I graduated in 2022 with a passion to work with animals and people, so I did. In 2023, I studied a Certificate III in Wildlife & Exhibited Animal Care at the Taronga Training Institute and Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at TAFE NSW.
I will always be a grateful inaugural member of Mr Galea’s Gardening Club in Year 4. Caring for the environment still resonates with me.
I have a deep connection to Taronga. I started as a Youth At The Zoo (YATZ) Volunteer at 13 years of age. In Year 10, I did a Certificate II in Animal Studies. My first Taronga job was as a Guest Experience Officer in 2021, working in many areas since. I felt so deeply for YATZ that I became our inaugural Alumni Coordinator for thousands of alumni, in its 25-year history. I’m currently researching the program’s impact on its alumni and their impact in the world.
I believe journeys aren’t linear and transferable skills are invaluable. On any Taronga day I work as a Guest Experience Coordinator, Zookeeper and YATZ Alumni Coordinator. I am also fortunate to work as a Registered Veterinary Nurse at the Normanhurst and Cherrybrook Veterinary Hospitals and as an EPP Ambassador for the Department of Education. Working in care industries is a privilege, caring for animals and people in their most vulnerable moments.
This year I attained a Certificate IV in Guiding and a Diploma of Travel and Tourism Management, recognised in CTs and RPLs from industry experience. With these qualifications, I plan to study an accelerated Bachelor and Masters of Tourism and Event Management next year.
I have many ”pinch me” moments-speaking at a Ministerial Media presser, masterclasses and microskills on the Visitor Economy by TAFE x Destination NSW, the Department of Education’s I Wish I’d Known campaign, Lily’s Life Hacks on ABC TV, co-presenting Taronga’s Free Flight Bird presentations, creating our 25-year YATZ Alumni event, serving Taronga’s Emergency Response team and being a proud ally in Taronga’s Mardi Gras float.
Opportunity is what we make of it!
Oscar Killick-Dodd 2020
After school I didn’t feel like going straight to uni so I took a year off and went up to Kakadu to work in a hotel up there. By pure chance, I managed to get out of Sydney in June 2021, a couple of weeks before COVID shut everything down again and spent the rest of that year working and dodging lockdowns as best I could. After camping my way back from the NT to Sydney at the end of that year, I decided to have another year off and spent three months travelling around Europe in 2022.
Since then, I’ve started studying Environmental Management and will finish up next year if all goes to plan. I’ve also started working in an amazing job with an organisation called Creating Chances, which does work in schools across Sydney with students who don’t quite feel at home in the education system. We run term long programs and use sport to create a space for these kids at their schools where they feel welcome, seen and valued.
I never would’ve guessed that I’d be working in schools (and certainly never guessed that my life would revolve around school terms once again) but it’s been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience seeing kids undergo the most incredible changes in such a short period of time. It’s also a blessing to be able to use sport and football (the game I love) to make a real impact!!!
