"FOGS" in Toowoomba took on a new meaning for a group of Indigenous students from Roma State College who visited the city on Wednesday, thanks to some assistance from John Pearson Consulting.
Instead of the word 'fogs' conjuring images of mist engulfing Toowoomba's green parks and fields, the keen Year 11 students who attended "FOGS" saw career opportunity and former Queensland State of Origin players.

In September the Former Origin Greats (FOGS) organisation extended their highly successful Indigenous Employment and Careers and Expo to Toowoomba for the first time.

Held in the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre, the inaugural Toowoomba FOGS Expo attracted hundreds of indigenous high schoolers from around the Toowoomba region, including the group from Roma State College.

Led by four teachers including Head of Department for Student Support, Carly McGoldrick, the group browsed through the many exhibitions and engaged with representatives from some of the 50-plus exhibitors.

One of the exhibitors, employment and training organisation Indigenous Workstars (a program delivered by John Pearson Consulting), supported the group of high schoolers through supplying a bus and driver for the 10-hour journey to and from Toowoomba. Ms McGoldrick said the donation of the costs for the bus was gratefully received, and allowed more students to attend than they originally intended.

"This was a great opportunity for the students to come along and see what's available to them and open their eyes a little," she said.

"Originally we were just going to drive our own vehicles down, and then we were contacted by Phil Winzer from John Pearson Consulting, and the bus was organised."

"A lot of the students here today already have traineeships or school-based apprenticeships which are excellent, but I think it's about keeping an open mind and seeing what's available. I'd like to bring more students next year."

Lane Brooks of Year 11 has his eye on a school teaching career and is in his second year of a traineeship in childcare, working one day a week as a teacher's aide at Roma State College.

"My traineeship is through RATEP (Regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Program), and I got to meet a few other people who are doing the same program, and I love to come to these events and see the career paths they have to offer. The expo is deadly," said Lane.

Lane's cousin, R.J. Landers, works one day a week with the Community and Allied Health Services in Roma, training to be an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.

"I came to see what's out there and look around the different stalls. I went to the Queensland Health stand and met a couple of people who used to work in Roma."

Jesse Johnson's half way through a Certificate II in Engineering, working with Santos as an engineer/mechanic.

"I really wanted to come and look at some of the career opportunities up here and meet Scotty Prince obviously," said Jesse.

Indigenous Workstars, a program delivered by John Pearson Consulting, continues to link employers and Indigenous workers throughout the Surat Basin, supporting employment aspirations of individuals, Indigenous communities and business.

For more information about Indigenous Workstars and its work in the Surat Basin, contact Maree Petty on 0409 918 450 or maree@jpearson.com.au. The Indigenous Workstars website is www.workstars.com.au