A NUMBER of Millicent students travelled to Mount Gambier late last week to gain an insight into the career opportunities in the health sector.
It is hoped the South East Regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Career Expo held in will lead to indigenous doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in hospitals and health facilities.
More than 45 students from across the region attended the expo that gave them insight into a range of careers in the health sector.
Students mingled with health professionals, including physiotherapists, paramedics, nurses, podiatrists and dieticians.
Aboriginal primary health care worker Peter May said the expo was designed to “spark” interest among students.
“We want the expo to ignite interest in the students so they move forward in the health field,” Mr May said.
“If we get one student who happens to go into nursing because of the expo, then it is positive for me.”
He said indigenous students were under-represented in the uptake of tertiary health courses.
“They learnt about the various tertiary courses available to them, helping to make informed decisions about selecting a career in the health sector,” Mr May said.
Encouraged by the turn-out, he said more schools and students were taking part than ever before.
He said the event was triggered from the Aboriginal and midwifery strategy, which identified the need to develop the expo.
“We believed that was the right tool to put the relevant information out there to our Aboriginal students and promote the various health professions,” Mr May said.
He said SA Health was striving to achieve a 2pc target of indigenous health workers in the sector, which was likely to be boosted to 4pc.
“At many levels people are doing their bit in encouraging Aboriginal people to come into the health sector because it is a very rewarding career,” he said.
While tertiary institutions had some Aboriginal students taking up health courses, the numbers are low.
“Just recently they produced a social worker who I believe is now working at Pangula Mannamurna,” he said.
“It is really good to see this because, let’s face it, employment plays a huge part in closing the gap with our people.
“If people are getting up for something they feel good and the rest falls in place.”
He said the expo had been running since 2009.
