Students from Holy Spirit College Cooktown get a glimpse into the various future pathways available to them through virtual reality. Photo: Supplied.
A Cape York careers program utilising virtual reality (VR) is opening the minds of young people in the region, but the program needs more funding to ensure it can keep engaging youth and changing futures.
After witnessing the disengagement of young people due to a lack of career pathway exposure, Country Universities Centre (CUC) Cape York launched the Cape Country Careers program in October 2024, travelling to various communities with VR headsets so youth could road test different jobs.
“A key feature of the Cape Country Careers program is the use of virtual reality workplace experiences, enabling students to explore career opportunities beyond their geographical constraints,” program lead Kerry Clough said.
“This cutting-edge technology provides immersive experiences, fostering future-focused discussions and broadening perspectives on potential career paths.
“By introducing youth to industries they may never have encountered otherwise, Cape Country Careers is opening doors to new aspirations and possibilities.”
Since its launch, the program has engaged over 70 people, having partnered with the three Cooktown schools, James Cook University, Central Queensland University, the University of Queensland, and several community organisations.
Now, with the funding coming to an end on 30 June, the future of the potentially life-changing program is uncertain, and CUC Cape York centre manager Jenni James was encouraging young people and community leaders to experience it while they could.
“We’re in the last stretch of the funding being available, so we don’t know what’s going to happen with the program after that at the moment, so we want to reach as many people as we can,” she said.
“We’ve been working with the schools, and we’ve been going to Wujal Wujal and Coen and engaging with the youth who are disengaged in their futures.
“We’re really trying to reach people in Cooktown, and also further out in the Cape, to see if people are interested in having a go with the VR experience while we still have the funding.”
Ms James explained that the needs of Cape York youth were unique, with its geographical challenges, and many returning to community from boarding school with little relevant career ideas and exposure.
“It’s really important up here, because there isn’t a lot of exposure for a lot of jobs for the kids to get out and actually have a look,” she said.
“From what we understand, the boarding school kids don’t get that same career aspiration stuff; I guess it’s probably because when they come back to, say, Hope Vale, there’s not necessarily going to be the jobs that are available in Brisbane or Cairns.
“We know that some people are going to want to stay in community, so it’s about being real with what jobs are there, but there is also the scope of if they did want to go away, they can see what jobs outside of community are like, and what they would need to study to do it.”
Program founders Jenni James and Kerry Clough test out the VR technology that allows youth to experience a day in the life of various career options. Photo: Supplied.
