CQU is helping Rockhampton district high school students to get a taste of what a career as an entrepreneurial web developer would be like.

Experienced staff at CQU are mentoring the students as they develop a real web-based career resource for use by local youth and the community.

Julie Fleming, Zoe Bowler (Christian Lighthouse), Damien Goodsell (Emmaus) and Rachel White

Julie Fleming from Arts, Humanities & Education is coordinating the University aspects of the project, which also involve access to resources and equipment.

The web-based resource is being developed for Career Links CQ Inc, which is partnering CQU to implement the ‘Adopt a School' Project.

Career Links CQ Inc. is part of the Australian Government's Career Advice Australia network. This network supports all young people aged 13 to 19 in their transitions through school and onto further study, training or work.

The school students are being taken through the client consultation, concept mapping, storyboarding, design and technical aspects of a website development process that reflects the needs of a ‘client'.

Their after-school-hours commitment consists of 1 or 2 afternoons per week for the duration of Term 3 (July 17 - September 20).

Students will be presented with certificates of completion at a launch of their completed website.

The project is aimed at students who plan to enrol in further study to pursue a career in Information Technology or Multimedia, and have existing skills in these areas.

One of the young participants - Damien Goodsell - said he was keen to find out more about an IT-related career.

He said the world was progressing to the point where the web would be on-tap, anywhere and all the time, with a huge wireless connection for the whole world, and with most technology controlled from computers.

"It's fun and enjoyable, it's not manual labour so it's OK. I suppose I'm keen on just working with technology and exploring the possibilities that computers hold," he said.

Career Links CQ Programme Support Officer Rachel White said her organisation's role was to work closely with schools, businesses and the community to ensure young people have access to the information, advice and training they need to make informed decisions about their future.

"Adopt a School's objective is to get businesses involved in school-based learning, and students involved in work-based learning. It builds strong and ongoing partnerships between businesses and schools, which benefit all those involved," she said.

Damien Goodsell (Emmaus), Julie Fleming, Rachel White and Zoe Bowler (Christian Lighthouse).
Students get a chance to interact