Director of the She Can, Tricia Martin has appeared on the ABC Newcastle to discuss with Kia Handley the launching of a new online platform that offers virtual work placements to students across the Hunter region.
The Virtual Intern Platform is home grown platform that connects industries, businesses and schools to prepare high school students for the world of work before they finish school.
Tricia Martin says, "According to The Foundation of Youth Australia’s The New Work Reality report, the two main barriers for young people transitioning to full time careers are lack of career management skills and not enough work experience".
“Young people commonly enter work experience programs lacking basic skills such as problem solving, financial literacy or basic communication" said Tricia Martin.
"Our Virtual Intern Platform tackles the misalignment between young people’s work expectations and the assumed knowledge and capability expectations of local businesses”.
Tricia Martin, Director She Can
The platform will also include mentor videos, career maps and other soft skills resources to give the a practical understanding and experience of that industry. The She Can team work with employers to capture and transform their expertise into virtual internships that mirror real-world tasks.
The program’s aim is to offer work experience to 500 Year 9 and Year 10 students across three industries in the second half of 2020 pilot, expanding to 2,500 students across 15 industries in 2021.
Tricia said she hopes Hunter students will recognise the Newcastle region as a viable location to launch and build their careers, spotlighting regional areas as locations of innovation, career progression and expertise.
“Students gain tangible, company accredited skills that employers are looking for, to help them enter the world of work. They get to build relevant networks before they enter the workforce,” said Tricia Martin.
“Employers get to identify future employees, understand the needs of a future workforce, and play their part in ensuring their business workforce is future-proofed.”
Most importantly, The Virtual Intern Platform aims to even the playing field, ensuring that students can access meaningful work experience regardless of socio-economic circumstance, demographic or location.
To register or find out more, click here: https://www.virtualintern.info/educators
