Partnerships prepare pupils for professional pathways

Gilmore College has hosted its first Future Directions Forum, bringing together government leaders, industry bosses and community members to talk about what jobs might look like in the future.

The forum aimed to help students to prepare for the job opportunities coming to Western Australia over the coming years.

Gilmore College is the only public high school in Kwinana and has more than 1,300 students enrolled, its highest ever number.

College principal Jamie Long said the timing could not have been better.

"This is a pivotal moment for our region," he said.

"So, when we ask where the future workforce for the Western Trade Coast will come from, the answer is simple, it is already here, sitting in our classrooms at Gilmore College.”

Those attending the forum heard that there is massive growth in job numbers expected in the area, including in defence, clean energy and minerals processing.

David Harrison, from the Kwinana Industries Council, said there is a huge amount of investment money heading to the region.

"There is at least $45 billion of new projects coming into the Western Trade Coast over the next decade," he said.

"The future is very bright and the more we can provide training pathways and opportunities, the more we can help students understand the opportunities that exist in their own backyard.”

Former Gilmore student Sienna Micallef with Nihar Rai, Senior Defence Industry Consultant

Former student, Sienna Micallef, shared her success story on the night, explaining how one course she completed when attending the school helped her land a traineeship with a lithium energy company.

"We have such a great industry in Kwinana and there are so many opportunities out there," she said.

Aboriginal community leader and City of Kwinana Deputy Mayor Barry Winmar also spoke about the importance of giving young people a pathway to the future.

"Gilmore College is a place where knowledge is harnessed and passed down as students pass through, and where we can work with industry to ensure every child is provided with an opportunity to have a future," he said.