High School to Deadly Careers Program

The IAHA High School to Deadly Careers Program is co-designed with members and communities. It aims to provide a culturally safe and responsive rural or remote experience in the Northern Territory for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health students undertaking their tertiary degree, early career postgraduate studies, or VET qualifications.

The Program provides a positive and strengths-based approach to health career opportunities in rural or remote Australia with a learning experience based on interactive and informative high school visits with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from years 7-12. Tertiary students take high school students through interactive stations with activities that inspire, educate and showcase different and diverse health careers that link to local workforce needs.

The Program learning experience also includes building cultural knowledge and understating local communities with visits to local community health services, other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, community groups, and cultural leaders.

IAHA leads this Program in partnership and collaboration with key stakeholders (locally and nationally) to ensure that the project is underpinned by culturally safe and responsive ways of working and engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students in the Northern Territory.

IAHA’s approach will better engage existing tertiary and VET sector health students with interest in working in the Northern Territory with hands-on experience that is supported with a more immersive experience including the rewards of rural and remote work, as reduce the risk of ‘culture shock’ that can undermine attraction and retention strategies. Similarly, increasing exposure of high school students to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied and other health role models will help stimulate interest and an awareness of available opportunities.

To see our Health Students in action, watch the video below: