Link and Launch Officer now at Lowood State High School
Each year, we take great pride in recognising the efforts of our students who complete Year 12. From school, many of our students go on to further study, training and employment and ultimately, make positive contributions to our community.
Among each group of Year 12 students, there are some who need additional support to successfully transition to further study, training or work.
Link and Launch is a school based program, funded by the Queensland Government, designed to help young people decide what further study, training or employment might be best for them and to assist them in pursuing their chosen pathway.
Young people are eligible for Link and Launch services if they have completed Year 12 in the prior two years and are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). There is no requirement that young people must have attended the same school in which the Link and Launch service is based. The Link and Launch service is open to young people from non-state schools in the same way that it is open to young people who attended a state school that's not the school the service is based at.
As at the end of November 2020, Link and Launch has worked with nearly 500 young people, and have helped clients make almost 400 transitions. These are great statistics which prove that there is definitely a need for NEET students to have added assistance to transition to their post school goals, and that the program is working.
Even if you don't actually have a goal, or aren't really sure what you want to do, help is available to make a start in what might be the right direction for you, at this stage of your life. The Link and Launch Officer for Lowood State High School is Liza Galligan. Liza has lived in the Somerset Region for the past 14 years, is thrilled, and very enthusiastic about her new role within our school and community. She believes it is a privilege to be the Link and Launch Officer for this area, and that a program of this nature is definitely needed. "There are so many opportunities, and options for school leavers today, and I'm really looking forward to assisting our NEET students in taking that next exciting step in their lives."
Some of the options students may consider through the program include:
• Apprenticeships and traineeships
• Free TAFE for Year 12 leavers
• Skilling Queenslanders for Work
• Back to Work subsidies
• Alternative entry to University
• Employment
• Job Active and other Federal workforce participation programs
If you, or someone you know, qualifies for this program, please contact Liza at Lowood State High School, email: lgall76@eq.edu.au, or directly on mobile number 0467 964 605. She is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:00am-4:30pm, and is more than happy to have that conversation which could lead to someone's life changing for the better.
