Students from four high schools in the Grafton and Coffs Harbour region have been treated to a high-energy visit from author and speaker Alana Kilmartin, whose popular book Unserious Careers promotes fresh thinking about work and life after school.

Across two days, Ms Kilmartin delivered talks to students from years 10 to 12 at Grafton High School, South Grafton High School, Woolgoolga High School, and Coffs Harbour High School – all part of the Educational Pathways Program’s Grafton and Coffs Harbour Group of Schools.

The sessions, filled with humour and helpful advice, encouraged students to explore career paths aligned with their personal interests and values, in preference to going with what may be obvious and available.

“I want young people to become emotionally invested in their careers,” Ms Kilmartin said.

“It’s not about locking in a decision before you finish school, it’s about getting inspired and asking, ‘Where could my career take me’?”

Growing up in regional Victoria, Ms Kilmartin said she had a strong passion for engaging with students in non-metropolitan areas.

“There’s a beautiful curiosity in regional students,” she said. “They’re so engaged and interactive in the sessions.”

A standout moment came at Coffs Harbour High School, when Year 12 student Ahmed Yahya stayed back after the session to share his ambitions.

“He told me he wanted to start a business but didn’t know what kind,” Ms Kilmartin said. “He had big dreams – earning a million dollars a year – but he also had powerful reasons for those goals.”

Woolgoolga High School student Jack Hayes echoed the enthusiasm, describing the session as “really helpful” for thinking about career choices.

“It gave us ideas and showed us there are more opportunities than you think,” he said.

Fellow students Carissa Power and Annika Tyrrell, from Coffs Harbour High School, said the talk was “really enjoyable and engaging,” and gave students a more positive outlook on career possibilities.

Ms Kilmartin's roadshow centres on empowering students to get involved, take some calculated chances, and avoid the pressure of thinking that everything has to be figured out by the time they finish school.

“You want to start building that habit of putting your hand up, saying ‘yes’, taking a little bit of risk, even if your friends around you aren't doing the same thing,” she said.

Another key message was the importance of building a “Career Support Team” – trusted adults, family members, and careers staff who can guide young people through uncertainty.

“We underestimate how drastic the change is once school ends,” she said. “Having at least one person you trust to turn to can make all the difference.”

Ms Kilmartin also spoke about the usefulness of taking a gap year, not as a break but as an intentional time to grow and gain life experience.

“A gap year is a chance to discover who you are without the structure of school,” she said. “It’s not just about having fun; it’s about separating what you want from what you were told you should want.”

“For some young people, it might be that they're doing a combination of work and travel or volunteering, an amazing opportunity to go and get life experience, see how other people live, and develop that compassion and empathy. They can be incredibly powerful if they can plan it and know why they're doing it.”

The roadshow presentations across the Grafton and Coffs area were coordinated by David Youman, Head Teacher of the Educational Pathways Program, who said the initiative aimed to improve education and career outcomes for students in the region.

“We wanted to give students a fresh and honest perspective on what life after school could look like,” Mr Youman said. “Alana brought an incredible energy and shared real stories that connected with our students, and many are now thinking differently about their next steps.”

The visit aligned closely with National Careers Week’s theme of future frontiers – navigating new career pathways, showcasing the vibrant world of careers and highlighting career development's importance.

“It only takes an idea, a statement, a question, at that age, to create a 1 per cent shift in direction of their career,” Ms Kilmartin said. “And events and activities like this create that opportunity.”

When asked what she most hopes students remember, her answer is simple: “Your career is an adventure, not an exam.”

And her one-line career advice? “Work out what kind of life you want to live – then reverse-engineer a career that supports it.”