Meet the Professionals is a career-focused evening for students in Years 10–13 and their whānau, designed to inspire and inform as students begin to explore future pathways.

Featuring a diverse line-up of more than 30 speakers from the QMC parent community and wider network, the event offers first-hand stories and real-world insights from professionals who have navigated their own unique career journeys – including the decisions, challenges, and experiences that have shaped where they are today.

This year’s theme, Beyond the Job Title, encourages students to see professionals as whole people – exploring not just what they do, but the values, life balance, and perspectives that underpin their careers.

Meet the Professionals is a valuable opportunity for students and whānau to ask questions, make connections, and gain confidence in thinking about life beyond school.

About the Evening:

The evening begins in the QMC Library, which will serve as the central hub for the event.

From 4.30pm until 5.15pm, university representatives will be available in the Library to speak with students and whānau about studying at university and to answer questions. University representatives will be present from:

• University of Canterbury
• Victoria University of Wellington
• Massey University
• University of Waikato

Light refreshments will be served from 5.00pm to 5.30pm, offering students and whānau an opportunity to connect informally with presenters and other attendees before the programme begins.

At 5.30pm, the evening will officially open with an opening session led by Sarah Meikle, Founder & Director of All India Permit Tours, who will explore this year’s theme, Beyond the Job Title. Drawing on her diverse career journey, Sarah will inspire students to think beyond roles and consider the values, experiences, and choices that shape fulfilling careers.

Following this, we will move into our four speaker sessions from 6pm-8.30pm, each featuring a range of professionals from different industries, sectors, and career pathways. Each session offers students and whānau the opportunity to hear directly from speakers, gain insight into their experiences, and ask questions. Speaker sessions run for 30 minutes and are held in locations throughout the school, with a 10-minute break between sessions to allow time to move between locations.

To explore the full programme, including speaker details and locations, please see the 2026 Session Overviews and Speakers’ Biographies.

Students should select one speaker per session and are encouraged to book early, as spaces are limited. This is a free event.

We look forward to an inspiring and informative evening!