Eliza Woodruffe – Expanding Career Horizons in Rural Queensland with VR

craig3033
Jun 11
2 min read

At Work Window, it's important to us that we speak more regularly with our customers—sharing stories, gathering feedback, and celebrating the great work happening in classrooms and organisations around Australia and the rest of the world.

In remote regions like the Balonne Shire in Southwest Queensland, students don’t always get the chance to explore careers beyond what’s locally available. That’s where Eliza Woodruffe, Student Engagement and Success Coordinator at County Universities Centre Balonne (CUC Balonne), saw an opportunity to make a difference using Work Window.

The Challenge

“Being in a remote region, there was little opportunity for students to see the wider world of work.”

Many students Eliza works with—especially those disengaged from school—struggle to picture what’s possible. She needed a way to show them a broader future, without needing to leave the community.

Students taking advantage of CUC Balonne's headsets. Using Work Window and the Job Interview Simulator

Why Work Window?

“It gives students a tangible experience. They can see what’s out there and imagine themselves doing it.”

How Work Window is Used at CUC Balonne

Eliza and her team run career education sessions with:

High school students visiting the centre
Students enrolled in local training organisations
Disengaged youth who’ve dropped out of school

“We use Work Window with high school students in our career education sessions on site, as well as with students involved with training organisations. These students tend to be disengaged youth that have dropped out of school. Work Window gives them an opportunity to see what is available.”

A Standout Moment

One student came into the centre every day for over a week to use the Job Interview Simulator.

“He wasn’t keen on improving—he didn’t think those questions would come up. After the interview, I asked what they asked him… his answer: ‘All of the questions from the simulator!’”