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Rural youth get insight into life as a university student
Secondary students from Carnarvon WA were treated to first hand knowledge on the reality of life as a university student when they took part in a career market organised by their Regional Industry Career Adviser, Emma Kiffin-Peterson, and the Gascoyne Development Commission.
Seventy-nine medical students and eight staff from the University of Notre Dame’s School of Medicine visited Carnarvon for a remote area medical placement in August 2006 and, as part of their visit, shared their experiences with local students. The medical students are graduate entry level and come from a diverse range of previous careers and university experience including law, accounting, nursing and engineering.
The medical students spoke on common challenges facing university students, such as living away from home, managing money and coping with self-directed study. In the afternoon, the secondary students rotated around tables to have small group discussions with graduates about their career choices and experiences.
According to Ms Kiffin-Peterson, there is a great need for students in the area to learn more about university because very few choose to pursue such a pathway. Two years ago, only five of 24 students from Carnarvon’s senior high school continued on to tertiary education.
‘Regional students considering a university pathway may be faced with the issues the metro kids don’t encounter, such as having to move away from home, community and support to attend uni’, she said.