A group of students stand proudly beside the pet houses they have built with their own hands.

For some, it's the first time they've completed a project from beginning to end. Now they're smiling alongside classmates, teachers and proud parents as their work is donated to the Animal Welfare League.

It's moments like these that Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) Senior Project Officer, Rhonda Stone, says she'll miss most, as she retires after helping shape the program since its inception.

"The pride the students had in completing those projects was so rewarding," Ms Stone said.

"They didn't say much, but you could see it in their eyes and because they wanted their parents to attend the presentation ceremony and share in what they had achieved.

"That was really special."

The Pawsitive Building Experience at James Meehan High School is just one of hundreds of immersive experiences Ms Stone has helped bring to life across south-west Sydney.

James Meehan High School careers adviser Kathleen Rae said those opportunities had transformed many students’ aspirations.

"Rhonda has consistently created opportunities that connect our students with valuable programs, workshops and industry experiences that broaden their horizons and inspire future career pathways," Ms Rae said.

Relieving principal, Praveen Krishna, said the program demonstrated the power of authentic partnerships between schools, industry and the community.

"Rhonda has been instrumental in bringing those opportunities to life, creating experiences that engage students, ignite their passions and help them discover what's possible," Mr Krishna said.

Creating opportunities like these has been the focus of Ms Stone's career, beginning with her work supporting school-based apprenticeships and traineeships before joining the RIEP program.

"What attracted me to the RIEP role was that I could see it was more diverse and would give students opportunities to connect with employers through programs that could make a real difference in their lives," she said.

"One of the biggest challenges was helping employers understand how RIEP could support them to co-design meaningful programs and demonstrating to schools how we could help deliver opportunities that aligned with their students' needs.

"Ensuring equitable access to opportunities across the region was also important."

A standout initiative was the Barbering Hub at Bass High School, where students were mentored, encouraged to value their education and taught commitment, responsibility and pride.

Other initiatives also changed futures, from try-a-trade programs that resulted in apprenticeships, to robotics experiences that helped Bankstown Girls High School students gain entry into engineering pathways.

"The more opportunities we introduce to students, the more they believe they have a direction and that they absolutely belong in whatever space their career aspirations take them.

"Young people need direction, engagement, support and mentoring."

"What I'll miss most are the people, the students who truly appreciate the opportunities RIEP provides and seeing the outcomes these programs can deliver

Now looking forward to spending more time with family and friends and travelling, Ms Stone hopes the partnerships she has helped build will continue opening doors for students across south-west Sydney for years to come.