This was Mr McQueen’s third visit to Wingham High where he was called on to share his ideas to Year 12 students about life skills, career planning and study practices.

A focus was also on workplace employability, post schooling.

“I try to get the students to identify clearly why they are doing the HSC and then I give them pointers on managing their time and having balance,” Mr McQueen said.

“It’s important to treat their study like a fulltime job – everything else fits in around it.

“That said, students need to take regular breaks and always vary their study environment.”

Mr McQueen, 26, established the business Nexgen Impact four years ago with the mission of equipping generations to reach their potential through greater engagement, connection and understanding.

“I found there was a lot I didn’t learn at school.”

Because teachers have such a prescriptive curriculum, they often don’t have time to teach more practical skills, such as financial literacy, Mr McQueen said.

Mr McQueen is the author of The ‘New’ Rules of Engagement, a guide for parents on how to engage Generation Y and the particular challenges they face.

“Generation Y is a function of its environment. They are tech-savvy, flexible and confident; they love community relationships and build networks.”

Overall, Mr McQueen was impressed with the students of Wingham High and their receptive attitude.

“There is however a level of innocence and openness that country kids have; city kids tend to be tougher.”