Innovative Program Empowers Country Communities to Support Career Choices  

Innovative program empowers country communities to support career choices  

It takes a village to support the career choices of students in regional, rural and remote communities, new research has found. 

A large-scale project led by the University of Tasmania’s Professor Sue Kilpatrick has found working with local communities is the key factor in successfully helping people of all ages make good decisions about their education and careers.   

The study recommends communities collaborate to support those in rural communities who are key influencers of students’ career and post school education decisions. 

“Education and career pathway decision making in rural, regional and remote areas is crucial for building strong societies and economies,” Professor Kilpatrick said. 

As part of the study, a pilot program was rolled out in three communities across two states. 

Working groups comprising education providers, community organisations, employers and local government, representatives helped identify influencers such as teachers, businesses, and family members. The groups worked with pathway brokers to design and run events to give key influencers the knowledge and confidence they needed to support people as they made career choices.  Events included careers expos and online career Q&A sessions where local people talked about their jobs and how they got to be where they are now. 

“Working with three case study communities, we observed that whole-of-community approaches must be cognisant of local context and culture, and draw on local expertise,” Professor Kilpatrick said. 

Working with communities demonstrated the value of local networking and promotional opportunities, the study found.  

Universities have a role to play, too, by partnering with communities to ensure they are informed about education and career pathways. 

“The research team identify authenticity, accessibility, and flexibility as three principles central to the project’s success,” Professor Kilpatrick said. 

The study was commissioned by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. 

The final report, Informing key influencers of low SES regional, rural and remote students’ education and career pathway choices: A whole community approach is available here.  

 This research was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) National Priorities Pool (NPP).