National Skills Week 2025 has kicked off with a sharp focus on how careers education can transform young lives, especially for students facing disadvantage.
The Smith Family’s CEO Doug Taylor said the week is a crucial reminder that careers guidance must start early.
“We know parents of young people experiencing disadvantage often have had limited interaction with the workforce,” Mr Taylor said.
“As a result, their children do not have access to the level of professional networks or career-based knowledge that their peers from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are afforded.”
Through its Growing Careers Project, The Smith Family has already created more than 86,000 opportunities for students to engage with career programs, backed by federal funding.
Research shows young people who have four or more workplace encounters during high school are more likely to be studying or working in their 20s.
“The research is clear – the impact of effective, evidence-based career programs can have a life-changing impact on young people,” Mr Taylor said.
Recent NAPLAN results revealed the scale of the challenge: students whose parents had not worked for a year were almost eight times more likely to need extra support in numeracy, and seven times more likely in reading, compared with peers from professional families.
“Students experiencing disadvantage are already facing extra barriers compared to their peers in the classroom,” Mr Taylor warned.
“Low academic achievement leaves students more susceptible to disengaging with school and not finishing Year 12, which impacts tertiary study and career prospects.”
National Skills Week runs until August 31, shining a light on VET pathways that can help break cycles of disadvantage.
