Students trying Austral’s VR experience at WTFuture? Careers Festival
Written by Ashley To, HR & Payroll Officer, Austral Fisheries
In another interstate expedition for our Austral Academy, this time we ventured to Adelaide, SA to promote professional careers in the fishing industry to young people from Youth Inc., Operation Flinders and Specialised Assistance School for Youth (SASY).
The event, WTFuture?, aims to encourage dialogue, story exchange and hands-on experience between employers and youth to challenge and reimagine employment pathways for youth.
The event was attended by employers with something different to offer from health, engineering, media, trades to primary industries and first responders. Employers brought their A-Game by bringing dynamic, interactive experiences that felt open and approachable. This included a build-you-own perfect job in Lego activity, virtual reality experiences, Jenga, DJ lessons, robotic dog on show and trade activities.
The action-packed day also included plenty of panels and workshops for young people to feel empowered and yoga to relax. There was something for everyone including organisers, exhibitors, teachers, and social workers.
With Karen, SA-local Jodie, our VR headsets, and plenty of giveaways in tow, we were ready to promote the professional careers on offer in the fishing industry to anyone who was interested. The day kicked off with a special shout out from Jo Marshall who shared details about Austral’s operations and carbon neutral status with all exhibitors.
This prompted a wave of interest from fellow exhibitors who visited our stall throughout the day and spoke with us to understand what we do, our operations and the jobs on offer. “I think the big thing for me was that the other participants at the event were really interested in what Austral was all about,” said Karen. Some exhibitors even took home some information for their children who have expressed interest in fishing and fisheries management.
Importantly, the students were enthusiastic and engaged in their conversations with prospective employers about their business and operations. Jodie shared “It was nice chatting with all the students and seeing what their interests were. Watching the students on the VR headset was a highlight for me as they loved that experience.”
The VR experience allowed students to step on board an Austral prawn fishing vessel and experience life at sea as a fisher without us having to pack a 25m fishing vessel in our checked bag. Kitted out with a VR headset and hand controllers, students, exhibitors, teachers, and the like could journey through the entire fishing vessel, check out the surrounding ocean views, and test the speed of their sorting skills with an interactive game!
Considering this was the inaugural WTFuture? event, it was a fantastic event that bucked the trends of traditional career expos. Not only was it well organised and had a great vibe, but it was a great opportunity and model for young people to understand the infinite employment pathways available to them. As a first timer to a career’s festival, Jodie spoke highly of the event “WTFuture was a great experience. It was really good to see the number of students that attended.”
We’ve got one more school incursion to go for 2022, stay tuned to see where we are headed to and for our end of year Austral Academy wrap up.
The Austral Academy is designed to connect and support young people with exciting opportunities in the fishing industry. As part of the Austral Academy, education and awareness programs like our activities at WTFuture? are all part of the Austral Academy’s goals.
Ultimately, students who are interested in a career at sea with Austral Fisheries may be provided with job opportunities; mentoring from our experienced and supportive leaders and training and development opportunities to achieve valuable qualifications. To find out more about the Academy or how to get us out to your school, visit our website or reach out via our social media channels!