Skip to content

Amber Heaney

from working at McDonald's to Career Practitioner
I guide students toward informed education, training and career pathways
School
Safety Bay Senior High School
Job Level
Mid

Ask me about

  • Changing careers and finding the right path for you
  • Returning to study as a mature-age student
  • Careers in retail, banking, teaching, and career development
  • Why career pathways don't have to be linear

About me

  • International Experience

Teaching was a career I came to later in life, after spending many years working across retail, banking and customer service. I commenced university at 35 and became an English teacher, where I developed a passion for supporting young people to grow in confidence and discover their potential. In 2025, I transitioned into Career Practice and found the role I was always meant to do.

I love helping students explore their strengths, interests and aspirations while supporting them to make informed decisions about their futures. Every student has their own unique journey, and I believe my role is to help them recognise the many pathways available and empower them to pursue opportunities that align with their goals and values.

About my role

  • Curious
  • Flexible
  • Humorous
  • Passionate
  • Tolerant

As the Career Practitioner at Safety Bay Senior High School, I provide individual career counselling, pathway planning and transition support for students from Years 7–12. I help students identify their strengths, interests and aspirations, then guide them towards informed decisions about subject selection, vocational education and training (VET), apprenticeships, TAFE, university and employment pathways. I work collaboratively with families, teachers, external training providers, employers and community organisations to create meaningful opportunities, including work placements, career expos and industry engagement activities. I also coordinate career education programs, deliver pathway information sessions and support students to develop career management skills that prepare them for lifelong learning and employment. My role is to ensure every student has access to personalised guidance and opportunities that enable them to make confident, informed decisions about their future.

Education

  • Certificate IV Beauty Therapy
  • Bachelor of Arts English & Creative Writing and History
  • Graduate Diploma Education Secondary
  • Graduate Certificate Career Development

Subjects

  • Accounting
  • Art
  • Dance
  • English
  • Food and Technology
  • History
  • Physical Education

Hobbies

  • Hiking
  • Reading
  • Seeing family and friends
  • Writing
  • Yoga

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Chose work and life experience before further study
  2. Completed a retail traineeship
  3. Lived and worked overseas
  4. Transitioned through multiple careers
  5. Returned to university as a mature-age student

My typical day

My school

Safety Bay Senior High School is a public secondary school in Perth’s southern coastal region, educating students from Years 7-12. Known for its supportive and inclusive culture, the school offers diverse academic, specialist and extracurricular programs that empower students to imagine, believe and achieve their goals.