WA Centre for Rural Health host Health Careers Taster program to engage Geraldton Year 9 students

Geraldton students engaged in experiential learning during a careers program inspiring them to be “career curious” and better understand health occupation options. The Year 9 Career Taster Program was hosted at WA Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) on Friday, September 9. Students from schools around Geraldton were invited to get a “taste” of medical health career options. The program is an initiative aimed to help students better understand pathway options to health careers and inform their options. Two sessions throughout the day mixed the students with university academics, engaging in industry-based experiences and sparking an interest in health professions before subject selection starts for Years 11 and 12. Program co-ordinator Carmel Starcevich said the program was rolled out in WA this year and after consultation it was determined Year 9 students needed exposure to career pathway planning to different industries and occupations. “It helps Year 9s understand more about the world of work but also that school engagement can help them achieve that through subjects they select and pathways they choose as they progress through school,” she said. WACRH speech pathologist Kathryn Fitzgerald said the program engaged students with an experiential learning approach, rather than listening and talking about things. “We’re doing activities designed around a whole range of professions — we might be doing strapping, exercise and nutrition — we had a blender bike for that,” she said. “Our priority is to try and look at the rural health workforce and we do that by working with university students on placement, as well as the schools in partnership with TAFE and this program to try and get local kids to see what their options are.”