Coast kids to consider careers in health
April 23, 2014
More than 600 high school students from across the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions will converge on Kawana Waters State College (KWSC) on Thursday, 1 May to explore the career pathways and training opportunities on offer in the local health sector as part of the fourth annual Health Heroes Career Expo.
Kawana Waters State College Secondary Principal Kirsten Ferdinands said the expo — hosted by KWSC and Sustainable Partnerships Australia — would allow Year 10-12 students to meet health professionals, employers and training providers and inspire them to consider a career in the health sector.
“With the health industry one of the fastest growing sectors on the Sunshine Coast and the Kawana Health Hub growing every day, a wide range of employment opportunities will be available to local workers now and in the years to come,” Ms Ferdinands said.
“The expo enables students to learn more about the opportunities on offer when they enter the workforce, explore a diverse range of careers and determine pathways they can take to achieve their goals.”
Ms Ferdinands said the expo would also play an important role in helping students to understand careers in the health industry varied significantly, and were not limited to more traditional roles like nursing.
“While doctors and nurses tend to spring to mind for most people when thinking of careers in the health industry, the reality is that employment opportunities exist in areas as wide-ranging as dietetics and physiotherapy, right through to business administration and Information Technology,” Ms Ferdinands said.
“This event is really about opening students’ eyes to what’s on offer so they can make an informed decision about the path they’d like to take after graduating high school and determine whether a career in the health industry is right for them.”
“Those students that would like to get a head start on their chosen career path are able to obtain a range of formal qualifications at KWSC such as a Certificate III in Allied Health and Certificate II in Business Administration just to name a few. We find it’s incredibly important to provide our seniors with the tools and qualifications to set them ahead of the pack when they graduate.”
Kawana Waters Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Kerry Ricketts said with more than 6,000 health workers required to staff the Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital by 2021, he hoped to see numerous local school leavers and university graduates filling these positions.
“The latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Sunshine Coast Business Council have indicated the Sunshine Coast region has the fastest growing aging population in South East Queensland, with people aged between 15 and 24 only accounting for approximately 12 per cent of the local population,” Mr Ricketts said.
“With so many school leavers moving away from the Sunshine Coast to obtain employment after graduating high school, it’s great to see more job opportunities cropping up and students being encouraged to consider a career in this fast-growing industry.”
“We need to focus on keeping our youth on the coast to ensure our workforce is sustainable and that we are able to cope with the demands of an aging population. This expo is a really positive step in the right direction.”
Admission to the Health Heroes Career Expo is free and community members are welcome to attend. The event will be held at Kawana Waters State College’s Innovation Hall at 119 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina.
For more information, visit www.kawanawaterssc.eq.edu.au, email the.principal@kawanawaterssc.eq.edu.au or call (07) 5493 3388.
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Media contact — Kristen Roder, Fresh PR & Marketing
P: 0406 546 461
E: kristen@freshprm.com.au
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