On the path to uni

STUDENTS from Mount Clear College took park in Doxa’s University Pathways Program in Melbourne’s CBD last week.

The program provided the Year 12 students with first-hand experience of university life and gave them a taste of the world of work.

Students developed their professional and employment skills, visiting unis and corporate workplaces across the city including BT Financial Management and Australian Catholic University.

Professionals from across the not-for-profit sector also took time to chat with students.

Doxa’s aim within the pathways program is to support young people so they can reach their goal of attending university and gain skills for an employable and rewarding future.

Mount Clear’s Brody Armstrong said the program had helped him better understand what to expect in the near future.

“I’ve realised that life is like a highway and there’s lots of twists and bends along the way but they’re all part of the journey.”

The program is open to young people who have experienced challenging life circumstances but are keen to continue onto tertiary education.

Challenges often faced by participants include financial difficulty, family trauma, being culturally or linguistically diverse, being from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background or a refugee or migrant background.

The University Pathways Program is part of a portfolio developed by Doxa. The Victorian not-for-profit organisation has provided programs since 1972 to disadvantaged young people so that they can access positive life experiences, education opportunities and employment pathways.

The portfolio includes a series of programs starting at Grade 5 through to university that are linked, offering practical skills and experience to assist in a young person’s journey towards meaningful employment.

Since its inception in 2015, more than 800 young people have participated in the Doxa University Pathways Program.

To get involved or for more information visit doxa.org.au.