By TANIA PHILLIPS
TWEED’s Indigenous students will have the opportunity to be better equipped than ever before for life after school thanks to the first Indigenous careers expo to be held by Titans 4 Tomorrow (T4T).
The event will be held at Tweed River High School on Tuesday 27 August, from 5.15pm to 7.30pm as part of T4T’s school to work transition programs which are having a significant success with Indigenous students.
Former Titans players now full-time mentors with the T4T, Preston Campbell and Clinton Toopi, will be among the speakers during the evening. There will be 25 stalls and representatives to provide information on university pathways, TAFE courses, employment opportunities and how to link with job agencies.
Students who have been part of the T4T I Can Girls Academy (Years 7-12) plus the Year 12 schools-to-work programs have been encouraged to attend but the expo is open to all students.
Queensland-wide statistics show that only 75 per cent of Indigenous students who complete Year 12, well below the non-Indigenous figures. However the conversion rate is about 86 per cent for students who have participated in the Titans’ programs, including nearly one in five going on to tertiary study.
Kingscliff High’s Aboriginal education assistant Kelly Gonda hopes to expo will provide the students with motivation to explore careers and give them the confidence to make something of their lives.
“I think it is a wonderful initiative for the local students, too many of whom just don’t have the motivation to achieve something after they finish Year 12,” she said.
“To have Preston and Clinton there, two people who many of the boys particularly can identify with, and hear their stories about how they achieved what they have and to tell their personal stories is a great opportunity.”
Campbell said he finds that often the key is to awaken the potential that lies dormant within Indigenous youth and give them the confidence to chase career dreams post-Year 12.
“We hope the expo will provide an eye opener to the students on what is available and what they can truly achieve if they set their minds to it,” he said.
“It’s often about awareness more than anything else, and hopefully the expo will be a catalyst for them realising they can pursue a university degree, TAFE course or traineeship.”
