James Dumas has gained so much self confidence and belief in himself since participating in the CareerTrackers program over the July school holidays, that he is already recommending it to his fellow Indigenous students.
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"I've already told people about it and said get onto it, it's a good program," said James, a 17-year-old Year 12 student at Taree High School.
CareerTrackers is a non-profit national program aimed at creating pathways and support systems for Indigenous young adults to attend and graduate from university, with high marks, industry experience and bright professional futures.
James found out about the program through his school's careers advisor.
"Just before the holidays he gave us a call and asked if I was interested and I said yes.
"It was a good experience. I liked it," he said.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the program was delivered via Zoom, meaning James didn't have to leave home to participate.
"There were a lot of speakers. They were really professional. They've gone to uni and they talked about what their experience was and how to deal with it.
I thought, wow, I can be one of these fellas one day.
- James Dumas
"And the speakers were all big fellas! Real professionals like lawyers, architects. I thought, wow, I can be one of these fellas one day."
He said the experience has given him the confidence to go to university.
"I'm not as scared to meet new people.
"I want to go and study to be a science officer for forestry. It's something I really want to do."
During the program, James said he was involved in working on an app in a group, among other activities.
Working with three other participants and a woman from CareerTrackers who helped them with what to do, they came up the concept for an art based app called Keeping Connected.
"You could design your own art and you can go out and see other artists'. It was a mad app. I designed the logo for it."
The app fit in well with James's creative interests, which include painting and drawing.
James was one of 60 Indigenous high school students across Australia to participate in the online program.
"The week got me really inspired, meeting lots of new people and understanding all the pathways I have available to me after high school."
James aspires to become a local ranger on his traditional lands across Biripi country, as well as a respected leader within the community, and is planning to undertake a Bachelor of Applied Science (Parks, Recreation and Heritage) at Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie to get there.
"I want to challenge myself and get a degree, so I can teach and share my cultural practices in the strongest possible way," said James.
Throughout the week, James engaged in workshops designed to strengthen his resolve to enter university and build upon his own unique set of skills; skills to support a seamless transition to university and professional success.
"It was nerve-wracking at first. But once I put my mind to it, I realised that the others were just like me. I felt smart; my confidence went up so fast.
"I'd never been on Zoom, it was intimidating, but I got used to it after about two sessions. By the end of the week, I think I'd called into a workshop from every room in the house!" James said.
James met with several influential Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders in corporate and community, including CEO of Message Stick Communications Michael McLeod, scientist at CSIRO Mibu Fisher and National Arboretum Director Scott Saddler.
I want to go and study to be a science officer for forestry.
- James Dumas
"Scott was awesome, he had all of this government leadership experience but was still an easy-going cool guy," says James.
"Learning that there was this community across Australia with CareerTrackers really opened my eyes to what I could be a part of in university," James said.
With the onset of COVID-19, CareerTrackers has found an opportunity to extend its service offering to more regional and remote students via online delivery.
"As remote learning and online engagement become the new normal, we've pivoted and found an amazing opportunity to impact more households and communities with career and tertiary education pathways," said director at CareerTrackers, Hannah Turnbull.
For the past decade, CareerTrackers has supported Indigenous university students into paid professional internships related to their interest and field of study.
When asked whether he would recommend others to the program James replied; "I already have!"
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