Timeline from 1988 to now
1988
GJ (Dick) Dusseldorp retires as Chair and Founder of Lend Lease Group of Companies.
1989
Dusseldorp Skills Forum is established by a gift of shares from Lend Lease employees and institutional shareholders “to benefit the Australian community by stimulating innovation and educational developments”.
First TRAC (Training, Retail and Commerce) centre opens in the Hunter region of NSW, pioneering school-industry partnerships.
1989-1994
TRAC established in 26 communities nationally, growing to 80 sites across Australia.
Read Looking Back at TRAC
1992
Dusseldorp Skills Forum works with Federal Labor Government preparing Working Nation White Paper.
1994
Australian Student Traineeship Foundation established by the Federal Government, to embed quality structured workplace learning in schools nationally. $38 million allocated over 4 years.
Tjerk Dusseldorp succeeds Dick Dusseldorp as Chairman of Dusseldorp Skills Forum, Dick becomes Patron.
1997
Plan-it Youth Mentoring launched on the Central Coast NSW – mentoring program offering young people who are at risk of leaving education, the opportunity to find a positive way into further training or employment with the support of community based mentors.
1998-1999
Release of landmark reports: Australia’s Youth: Reality & Risk and Australia’s Young Adults: the Deepening Divide.
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1999
Launch of How Young People Are Faring, an annual report tracking the learning and work circumstances of young Australians. Published annually for 10 years. Now with the Foundation for Young Australians.
The Cost to Australia of Early School Leaving, released with the National Centre for Social and Economic Modeling at the University of Canberra, estimated for the first time in Australia the lifetime costs to the nation of a single-year cohort of early school-leavers.
1999-2001
The National Youth Commitment, a Dusseldorp initiative, advocated for guaranteed coordinated support so that all young people have access to Year 12 or its equivalent or a job with training. Six regional partnerships were established between 1999 and 2001 to develop the capacity of local communities to deliver a Youth Commitment.
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1998-2005
Dusseldorp supports Skills Across the World, with WorldSkills International Skills development projects in Zimbabwe, Kenya, East Timor and Balkinu Community in Cape York.
2004
Learning Choices Expo at Sydney Olympic Park, which showcased the best alternative learning programs from around Australia.
2006
Australian Youth Mentoring Network launched – Australia’s peak mentoring body and a national hub for youth mentoring research, tools and resources – in partnership with the Smith Family, Big Brother Big Sister and the Federal government.
Learning Choices Expo in Queensland focused on the best in Australian Indigenous education.
2008
Growing the Green Collar Economy CSIRO Report launched with the Australian Conservation Foundation focused on the skills, innovation and employment dimensions of the transition to a more environmentally sustainable society.
Green Team launched at WorldSkills Australia National Competition.
YGreen project launched – a residential sustainability project where young people are trained and employed to conduct home sustainability consultations in their local community. Now run by Steplight.
2009
iGreen program launched in schools.
Keeping Up and How Young Indigenous People are Faring, two reports from Dusseldorp Skills Forum and Reconciliation Australia, examining the data on education, training and employment of Indigenous young people aged 15-24.
2010
Trade Secrets with Institute of Sustainable Futures at UTS – providing practical information for tradespeople and apprentices about the easiest way to implement sustainable practices into their service.
2011
WorldSkills Foundation launched, working closely with WorldSkills International, to act as a global hub for skills development and innovation.
2011-2012
MoVE International Research partnership project between WorldSkills Foundation, University of Tampere, Finland, University of Oxford and RMIT University – focused on inspiring skills excellence internationally.
2011-2014
Learning Choices research including: National Survey of alternative education programs; A Map for the Futureanalysis of published program evaluations; and support for Kitty te Riele’s 2 year study focused on the provision of education for disadvantaged young people through flexible learning programs throughout Australia – Putting the Jigsaw Together.
2012
Generational leadership transition from Tjerk Dusseldorp to Teya Dusseldorp.
Name change from Dusseldorp Skills Forum to Dusseldorp Forum.
2012-2014
Creative Learning initiatives launched, including partnerships with Sydney Story Factory, The Social Outfit and 3Moree with Beyond Empathy.
2014
Youth Justice Initiative in partnership with Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, supporting the Bourke community in north-west NSW.
2016-2020
Five-year strategy launched, focusing on ensuring children and families have strong learning, health and communities that enable them to thrive. Long-term partnerships in Logan QLD, Doveton and Robinvale, VIC, Dubbo and Bourke, NSW and Kabulwarnamyo, NT.
