Dream Big aims to build the aspirations of the students in Burnie through visits to Hellyer College, TasTAFE and University of Tasmania – by exploring jobs and providing an opportunity to experience the workplace they are interested in.
What are the Aims of Dream BIG?
- To improve attitudes towards post grade 10 education and training.
- To build a greater awareness of industry, employment, training and educational opportunities in the local area.
- To inspire and motivate students to aspire to a brighter future.
- To create partnerships with local industry and community groups to implement programs.
- To involve parents and carers in conversations and interactions with their children about post grade 10 education, training, local businesses and industry.
- To provide opportunities that link learning at school to future pathways early and demonstrate how skills are used in workplaces.
- To provide opportunities for students to visit and experience what workplaces and post Year 10 education sites look like and see what happens there.
- To build a future workforce that supports a globally competitive business community (Making Burnie 2030).
As a Business owner, what role can I play in the Dream BIG Program?
Your story about how you achieved success can be a powerful motivator for a young person. Sometimes there is a fine line between being motivated or overwhelmed, so it is important when speaking with young people that we break it down into small steps that are achievable and show them how to reach their goals one step at a time. For example, this might be a conversation about how important literacy and numeracy are to your work and how this skill helped you to then get into the industry specific course, which then helped you get an apprenticeship and succeed in becoming qualified. The students having a memento of their visits is also seen as a way to start to influence and encourage some conversations at home – this could be as simple as a photograph.
As a parent, what role can I play in the Dream BIG Program?
It is vital that parents/carers engage with the process as well. For some students and for many reasons, exposure to conversations about employment and further study are not part of family life. We want students to be inspired to dream and to be able to continue the conversation when they go home. For this reason, some parents/carers may be approached to join in the visits.
The Dream BIG Experience – what does the program look like?
- Each student has a personalised learning plan to create a ‘future story’ describing aspirations for the future.
- Grade 5 students are surveyed each year.
- Small groups of students, parents/carers visit educational and training campuses (Hellyer College, University of Tasmania and TasTAFE) in Term 1.
- Small groups of students, parents/carers visit local businesses and industry (Terms 2 & 3).
- Business owners, managers, employees are invited to ‘tell their stories’ about their journey from school to work/training.
- A ‘take home’ item (eg. photograph) is provided to encourage conversations to continue in the home.
- An end of year Dream BIG Expo is held. Students produce a display of their Dream BIG experience. Supporting businesses are invited to attend to discuss with the students their experiences and be thanked for their involvement in the program.
Who is involved in the Dream BIG experience?
Grade 5 students attending Government schools in Burnie are invited to Dream BIG activities each year.
Who is involved in the Dream BIG experience?
- University of Tasmania
- TasTAFE
- Hellyer College
- Business/Industry partners
- Burnie City Council
- Education Department
Dream BIG as a part of the BIG Initiative.
Dream BIG is proud to be endorsed and supported by the BIG Committee. Dream BIG fits with strategic goals of BIG:
Strategic Goal 2 – ‘Build connections between Education providers and Business that create pathways for our children’.
Strategic Goal 3 – ‘Create a community attitude that values the importance and role of education and pathways for our children’.
The Dream BIG Community Goals
Short term desired outcomes for the community:
Collaboration between sectors
Long term desired outcomes for the community:
- Breaking the socio-economic divide that currently exists by giving children the opportunity to discover education, trades, skills and workforce possibilities.
- Reduced unemployment, higher skilled community, increased community engagement and participation contributing to improved mental health and a better standard of living.
- Increased productivity in the community.
- Achieving the future directions of Making Burnie 2030.
Burnie students are involved in activities at UTAS, TAFE and workplaces across the region, building knowledge in their area of interest and for education pathways to careers.