Career Aspiration Project

The Career Aspiration Project (CAP) was a direct response to the major under-representation of the Indigenous community in mainstream employment in the Great Lakes region of NSW. Subsequently there are limited or no employed role models for Indigenous youth and the mainstream employment market is devoid of positive employment experiences. In addition to the issues of employment there was no planning for educational requisites for future employment.

In response to this need a Steering Committee met informally on a regular basis to discuss the key issues and planning of the CAP project. The Steering Committee representatives from the local Indigenous community, Forster Local Aboriginal Land Council, Forster High School, Forster/Tuncurry TAFE and the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business fully supported the need for a Career Aspiration Project in the Forster region.

In 1999 and 2003, the CAP was successful in obtaining funding for 12 months from the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. This Project had the vision to: "Inspire and support year 9-10-11 & 12 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students within the Forster High School to convert their academic or career potential into achievement."

In the initial implementation period, project development was planned within the framework of a holistic approach. This model developed through collaboration with specific service providers from the following areas:

• Academic;
• Health;
• Cultural;
• Social;
• And, sport.

In 2000 the CAP was successful in obtaining further funding under the Indigenous Youth Partnership Initiative, an element of the National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2000 – 2004.

The Steering Committee consists of representatives of the following organisations:

• Forster Local Aboriginal Land Council (FLALC) – Training Officer, the Manager and CAP Project Officer
• Department of Education Workplace Relations and Small Business (DEWRSB) – Indigenous Employment Officer
• Forster High School – Aboriginal Educational Assistant, Principal and teachers
• The Department of Education and Training (DET) – Taree District Office – Aboriginal Programs Officer
• The Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA) - Aboriginal Programs Manager
• North Coast Institute of TAFE, Forster/Tuncurry Campus - Aboriginal Liaison Officer and General Education Educator
• Great Lakes Shire Council – Community Services Officer
• Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) – Local & Regional Chairpersons
• Aboriginal Student Support Parents Association (ASSPA) – Chairperson
• Homebase Youth Centre – Aboriginal Youth Worker
• Indigenous Community Members

An open invitation exists for interested people, community and government organisations to attend the meetings. This committee provides the Project Officer with a large resource group who offer complementary programs and expertise from a variety of sources.

• Monitor and review the progress of the implementation of the Strategy;
• Recommend changes to planned activities under the Strategy;
• Endorse progress reports, claims for payment and endorse report on recruitment, cross cultural training and other activities;
• Monitor retention rates and measure the programs effectiveness;
• And, resolve issues relating to the implementation of the Strategy

The Forster Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Careers Aspirations Project (CAP) Management Committee of the Forster Local Aboriginal Lands Council has requested the research. The Project’s target group is Indigenous youth at school in years 9 to 12 at Forster High School. Its vision is to "inspire and support year 9-10-11 &12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students within the Forster High School to convert their academic or career potential into achievement." The Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education Research Centre (Umulliko) was approached to assist in the research of Stage 1 and a proposed Stage 2 of this project. The primary aim of the research is to assess the outcomes of the project against the original project objectives. The research outcomes will assist initially in establishing the success or otherwise of the project and form the basis of further more longitudinal research investigating the overall affects of the Project on school, TAFE, employer and community expectations and attitudes to Indigenous youth career programs like CAP.

Currently the project has 32 Indigenous students participating. Students are either remaining at school or are continuing their educational goals in tertiary institutions such as TAFE or University. For those students who are at ‘risk’ of leaving school or being expelled individual alternative curriculum programs are designed and implemented. These programs are developed in collaboration with the student, parents, Forster High School, TAFE and the business community.

The current status of the Vocational Educational component is determining courses that are school level appropriate as well as relevant to cultural value systems. Similarly, other considerations are the climate of the local business sector, future position availability and support . The two areas of interest are;

1. Retail Work skills course
2. National Marine Operations Certificate 1 (Deck Hand)

These courses will be implemented at Forster High School

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