Great Scot - The Scotch Family Magazine - Issue 151 September 2017 GreatScot_Internal_Sept_2017_FA | Page 44

Staff in profile
Interview:
Rosie
Leaver
Administrative Assistant –
Sport, Careers and
Extension Studies
What was your work background before
coming to Scotch?
I’ve been very fortunate in that every job I
have ever worked in, I’ve loved! This is true for my
current position at Scotch, but also in the positions
I’ve worked in prior to coming to Scotch. While
studying for a career in library and information
management, and raising three daughters,
I worked in a variety of part-time jobs in the
hospitality and tourism industry, including cleaning
and cooking.
I also signed up as a volunteer crew member
with Melbourne’s Tall Ship Enterprize, which
taught me valuable skills such as public speaking,
customer service and how to steer close to the
wind! There is a lot to be said for voluntary work.
Towards the end of my studies I commenced
work with Hobsons Bay Libraries as a library
assistant. After three years, I applied for a maternity
replacement position in the Scotch College Senior
Library and after 18 months there, gained my
current position.
boy to discuss his university options, to organising
the paperwork needed for the Work Experience
program. Additionally, I assist in helping the
indigenous boys as they transition into life at
Scotch. Another role I enjoy is organising the
certificates and documentation for weddings in the
Littlejohn Memorial Chapel.
Your role as Administrative Assistant takes in
three quite distinct areas of school life: sport,
careers and extension studies. What does
your work involve? What are the challenges and enjoyable
moments of your job?
I find that the challenges can also provide
the most enjoyable moments in my job. My main
challenge is getting the fixtures correct each week
The main responsibility in my role is to put
together the weekly sports fixtures. There are
many other tasks involved in sport but the main
ones are organising umpires, booking venues,
ordering buses and helping the Director of Sport
with the administration of the sports program.
I also assist the Extension Studies program with
tasks as varied as putting together displays in the
Lithgow Atrium, enquiring into White House tours
for a group of boys heading to a summit in the
United States, or assisting with excursions to the
Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
My role within the Careers office can be
anything from booking a meeting for a Year 12 – we can have up to approximately 110 fixtures
each weekend, all at different venues and times,
and against a number of different schools. I get
great enjoyment in seeing this all come together
each weekend.
I am very lucky in that I come into contact
with a wide variety of people, ranging from most
of the teaching staff, Maintenance, Grounds and
administration staff, and of course the boys and
their families. Outside of the Scotch community,
I communicate with the external coaches, the 10
other APS schools, and various sporting bodies,
venues and government organisations. I also
enjoy the odd phone call from an Old Boy who
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starts off enquiring what time the 1st XVIII match
will be played that weekend, and finishes with him
reminiscing about his time at Scotch.
I also love reading the results reports and
hearing a passionate coach talk about the
underdog team giving it their all.
Do you gain inspiration from seeing what
boys go on to achieve in sport, extension
studies and in their careers?
It means a great deal to me when I hear of
the boys striving for future success. Being even a
small part of this makes my contributions to the
school all the more meaningful. I’m inspired by the
boys who put themselves out there, laying it all on
the line. It could be a future football star meeting
with a prospective AFL club, or a boy applying for
his dream course at university. Regardless of the
result, these boys inspire me.
What is your favourite corner of the school,
and why?
On a nice sunny day I like to go and sit in the
shade of the elm trees surrounding the Main Oval.
Great Scot Number 151– September 2017