Each year, we are proud 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. 

The Link and Launch program is designed to help these young people decide what further study, training or employment might be best for them and to assist them in pursuing their chosen pathway. 

How the program works 

Our Link and Launch officer Jen Southern, connects with young people who have completed Year 12 but not yet transitioned to further study, training or work. Jen can assist young people to navigate the system and consider a range of post-school study, training and work options in line with their individual goals, aspirations, skills and strengths. Link and Launch aims to support young people to make independent choices that will equip them to make a successful transition. Some of the options young people may consider through the program include:

• free apprenticeships and traineeships for under 25s
• fee free TAFE
• Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs
• alternative entry to university
• finding employment

Our school hosts the program 

Our school is one of the 36 sites in Queensland selected to run the Link and Launch program. We are proud to offer Link and Launch assistance to any local young people who have completed Year 12, regardless of which school they attended.

Who can get involved 

Young people who are not in education, employment or training and who completed Year 12 in the previous two years are eligible to join the program. Older Year 12 graduates who may benefit from the program are also welcome to make contact. All eligible young people who have completed their senior studies can participate irrespective of where they went to school. 

Students currently enrolled at our school are not eligible to join the program as we already provide them with career guidance and planning support as part of their schooling.  

Does it work?

Hundreds of young people across Queensland have already accessed the Link and Launch program. By December 2022, more than 2300 young people had been supported to make successful transitions from school into study, training or work. 

A long-term follow-up study shows that 87.2% of young people were still engaged in education, training or employment 18 months after they were supported by their Link and Launch officer to make a transition.

If you'd like to hear what young people have to say about Link and Launch, check out the videos at http://www.qld.gov.au/linkandlaunch

Please get in touch 

If you or a young person you know might benefit from this kind of support, please contact Jen Southern to start the conversation.

Call or SMS me on: 0499 753 866

Email me on: jsout14@eq.edu.au​​

Or visit me in person at James Nash State High School