First published 5 September 2024
On Wednesday, 28 August, the Student Inclusion team brought together Year 9 Pasifika students from Clontarf Beach SHS and Morayfield SHS to explore their future career ambitions in an on-campus experience designed to inspire and develop early-career Pasifika students.
Students engaged with cultural and career development sessions, followed by activities across the faculties of law, health and creative arts, industries where Pasifika peoples are traditionally underrepresented. These aspirational sessions were delivered by QUT faculty members and student ambassadors, as well as Student Inclusion program leads in partnership with staff from the Australian Catholic University. The experience also featured career stories from current QUT Pasifika students and interactive Q&A panels, aimed at demystifying university and post-school pathways whilst supporting aspiration for higher education.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many students expressed that the experience deepened their understanding of cultural identity as a strength throughout a career journey and boosted their confidence in pursuing higher education. One participant said, “I learned so many interesting things that have to do with Pasifika things and peoples, and standing up for yourself is more than enough.” Another said “I learnt that I don’t need to strip my identity to do what I want in my future.” Filmmaker and PhD candidate Agapetos Fa’aleava who delivered a lively session on storytelling remarked “the event was well designed and a pleasure to be a part of, with one of the workshop participants stating that they had made new friends from our activity.”
For more information about QUT's Student Inclusion programs, visit QUT Student Inclusion.
