Thomas Pierce | Class of 2020
Memorable school moment (main lesson / camp / festival / showcase / graduation- primary years or high school)
So many memorable moments, the week we spent in year nine in New Zealand traipsing through the wilderness, I absolutely loved the multi day hiking, camping and walking the beautiful sloping green plains! Another very core memory is the watercolour painting that we did in primary school, and how you were forced to slow yourself down and be patient.
Did you have a plan when you left school?
Yes, I wanted to become a pro basketball player and an engineer!
What skill from school became more important after leaving than you expected?
I think what has been the most important learning or influence from CBRSS is the importance of open mindedness, it has served me so well, allowing me to question and challenge myself and my beliefs, but also those within society aswell, it has allowed me to travel, to try new things and to consider all angles of society and the broader world. It has led me to this belief that I try to apply to every moment in my life: “No one opinion is correct, no one has it completely right however everyone’s opinions and beliefs are deep seated in some form of truth. Never discard someone’s point of view however never blindly believe someone else’s either. Pave your own path.”
Is there something you remember from school that always makes you laugh?
I think some of the funniest moments I have from CBRSS are the plays and character pieces that the drama students would create and present to the year levels. Both of my sisters years had the funniest pieces that I remember. My younger sister Krys did an exceptionally funny one and when I look back to those moments I remember having such full, quality, and jovial feelings. It’s hard to describe.
Since leaving school what have you been up to? (A Snapshot of what you’ve done, explored, achieved, undertaken etc)
I have done a variety of things since school. I gave up on professional basketball before graduating however I still went on to university studying mechanical engineering. Upon completing my first year I realised I had many many questions, like what type of work do I want my career to be? What career will sustain my interest? Will my degree actually take me where I’m dreaming of going? Where am I dreaming of going?
So I dropped out, and for the last 3-4 years I have been travelling. Working on Flinders Island in a bar (off Tasmania), exploring and grape picking in Europe (Germany, France, UK), a snow season bartending in Canada, and for the last year I have been in Tasmania (inspired by my trip to Flinders Island). Upon arriving I decided that I wanted a change of work, deciding to go to TAFE to do a Certificate 3 in Tour Guiding, where I’m now a guide for a luxury bush walking company, taking groups of 10 onto a small island off of Tasmania, Maria Island, for 4 days at a time, where I tell them stories of the animals, diverse geology, early explorers, Convict history, history of the local farmers, and accounts of industrial periods.
I would say my big plan is to still go back to University in the next year and revisit Engineering. And hopefully within 5 years I’m working within the industry that I would like to spend the majority of my career in.
This sporadic journey of mine I think has been challenging and very rewarding at the same time. The travelling that I have done has gifted me with a better understanding of the world. The work in many different types of hospitality jobs has given me invaluable skills including interacting with individuals, working hard, and understanding people better. The TAFE Guiding course and now the guiding work that I am doing has drastically changed my life also. My value and understanding of wildlife, and the environment is shaping my decisions, how I would like to live, and what I would like to contribute to throughout my life. I love my current job because I get payed to know a lot about many different things that help to connect guests to the place that they are travelling through, thus I now have this constant drive to be absorbing more and more information to help improve my guests experiences along with mine also. I also know how to tell a story, and ignite someone’s imagination which I’m extremely excited to continue to refine.
One thing I miss about Cape Byron is:
I miss the teachers, you guys are what made this school so special and I am so grateful to have been learning from such lovely people.
