Passions & Pathways, Primary Schools & Workplaces in Partnership was conceived and nurtured in Bendigo. It has been enriching the lives of Year 6 students since 2012. This dynamic partnership between the lead partner Goldfields Local Learning and Employment Network (GLLEN), cross-sectoral primary schools, local governments and businesses gives students a taste of the ‘world of work’ and fosters an appetite to succeed.
Primary school students, from low socio-economic areas experiencing intergenerational disadvantage, engage with over 60 local businesses and their employees in their workplaces. These authentic experiences lift student aspirations and reinforce the value of completing their education.
An independent Steering Committee oversees the program. Current members are:
Sally Thomson Director, Bendigo Pottery
Glenn Morrison Director, Asia Pacific & Southern Africa, MMD Animal Health
Carolyn Stanford Managing Director, Stanford Marketing
Fiona Lindsay Principal, Eaglehawk Primary School
Wendy Jackson Principal, Specimen Hill Primary School
Julie Hommelhoff Principal, Lightning Reef Primary School
Reuben Johnson Principal, St Monica’s Primary School
David Tripp Manager Economic Development, Southern – Loddon Mallee, Regional Development Victoria
Martin Collins Youth Pathways and Transition Manager, North-Western Victoria Region, Department of Education and Training
Trevor Budge Manager Regional Sustainable Development, City of Greater Bendigo
Dzintra Martin Passions & Pathways Partnership Manager
Anne Brosnan Executive Officer, GLLEN
Passions & Pathways Components
Purpose
- Raising student aspirations to value learning, training and employment
- Understanding education as an essential element in life
- Providing authentic experiences in local workplaces to develop future pathways
Outcomes
- Meeting school-based curriculum learning outcomes
- Developing students’ understanding of the ‘world of work’
- Connecting the dots between school and real life
- Opening students’ eyes to the endless job and career possibilities in their local area
- Building relationships and connections between employers and their future employees