Building skills and confidence for the future

For many young people, it can be difficult to picture what comes next if they don’t have the right support or someone who believes in their potential.

Employment, training and career opportunities may not always feel within reach, especially when young people have had limited exposure to different future pathways in the past.

At Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre (KTYJC), the long-standing partnership with RAW Academy (RAW) is helping change that. The focus is not just on finding a job. It is about helping young people build confidence, develop practical skills and helping them see a future they may not have previously thought was possible.

Learning skills for life

Since KTYJC’s first employment expo in late 2025, seven young people have engaged with RAW through career conversations, workplace visits, podcasts and practical employment pathways. They were introduced to new industries, connected with culturally safe support and encouraged to take the next step towards work or training.

And for some, those experiences have already led to great milestones! One young person has secured full-time work in scaffolding; another has begun a plumbing apprenticeship while a third is now working full-time in traffic management.

Another nine young people have also recently joined the Aboriginal Youth Pathways to Employment program, where they will spend six months building skills and experience across industries including electrical, plumbing, civil construction and traffic management.

Believing in what's possible

While gaining employment is important, staff say the greatest change is often a young person's belief in their own potential.

"The most rewarding part has been seeing young people start to believe that obtaining a job is actually possible for them. Often the biggest step is not the job itself, but the young person realising they are capable of doing it," KTYJC Programs and Activity Coordinator Paul Aardenburg said.

Through the program, young people gain a better understanding of workplace expectations while developing skills such as communication, teamwork, responsibility and reliability.

Real pathways, real support

For a lot of young people at KTYJC, it can be the first time they have had a clear link between what they are good at, what they are interested in, and a real job pathway.

One young person now working full-time in scaffolding said the opportunity has provided him with both purpose and confidence:

“RAW and KTYJC staff helped me understand what work would actually be like. They helped me understand things like turning up on time, listening, being ready for work and having the right attitude. Getting full-time work has meant a lot. It has made me feel more independent and more confident. It has given me something positive to focus on.”

Another young person recently secured a plumbing apprenticeship and said the opportunity showed him what was possible.

“When I found out I got the apprenticeship, I was proud. It felt like a big opportunity and something I did not want to waste. My goal is to finish my apprenticeship, become qualified and keep building a better future for myself. This opportunity means a lot to me and my family. It shows that I can do something positive and make people proud," he said.

Creating opportunities for the future

Employment skills and vocational pathways are extremely important for young people because they create options. Not every young person will follow the same path, but having practical skills, tickets, training, work experience and industry contacts can open doors.

A key part of RAW's success is the relationships it builds with young people. By taking the time to listen and connect, RAW staff help make conversations about employment feel genuine, achievable and relevant.

RAW Managing Director Allan Jones encourages employers to consider offering employment opportunities to young people:

“Consider giving these young people a chance. A lot of them have had challenges, but they also have strengths, resilience and a lot to offer when they are given the right support. Sometimes one opportunity can completely change the direction of a young person’s life.”

Find out more about RAW Academy on their website.