Kim Whitty, Career Counsellor

founder of Roadmap Education

Hi, I’m Kim, and I’m so glad you’re here.

As your career counsellor, I’ll work with you and your parents to help you understand the VCE and VTAC systems you’re working in, support you as you explore your interests, strengths and values, clarify the huge range of opportunities available to you so you can make a confident, informed decision about what you want to do next after you finish school, and show you all the pathways to get to your dream course and career no matter what results you get.

As host of the podcast Course and Career Chat, I interview tertiary students, recent graduates and academics so that you and your parents can get a better understanding of the course they’re studying, the careers it can lead to, and whether or not it’s the right pathway for you.

Find out more about career counselling

Here’s what parents and students have to say about working with me:

Why work with me?

Lots of students and parents feel overwhelmed by VCE and applying for tertiary courses, and it's very common to put your trust entirely in your school.

I worked in schools for over a decade, and I know the staff there are doing the absolute best they can with the resources they have. All of the career practitioners I know that work in schools are passionate about career planning and go above and beyond to support their students.

But the research doesn't lie. The median amount of time that schools spend on career education per student per year is just 2 hours. And that includes things like year level assemblies or information nights, not just individual attention.

Just like a lot of students greatly benefit from outside tutoring to support the work that’s happening in their classes, the students I work with get the benefit of individual support and attention designed specifically to meet them where they’re at and create a pathway just for them. I can help you by:

asking the right questions to help you drill down on the course or career that you actually want to do.
showing you a whole range of pathways that prove to you that you can get there no matter what results you get so you can feel excited and confident moving forward.
clarifying options with unis and TAFEs, so that I can find pathways that suit you and your circumstances. I know that there is ALWAYS another way to get to where you want to go, and I’m here to find it for you.

And because I’m an independent career counsellor, I’m not constrained by any agenda around pushing you towards particular subjects, courses or careers. I want to help you find something that lights you up and leans into your interests, strengths and values.

“Our daughter went from being pretty frustrated and negative about school, to someone with genuine motivation... because she had a better idea of the ATAR she needed, rather than some random ‘good’ mark.”

— Anna, Parent of Yr 11 student

What’s my story?

When I say that I know what it’s like to be in Year 12 and have no idea what you want to do next, I’m not just being sympathetic.

I so clearly remember that sick feeling that came over me whenever someone asked me what I wanted to do when I finished school. Not only did I not know what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how to work it out, and I really just wanted to forget about it and focus on my next SAC.

Because I was good at Maths, everyone told me to be an accountant. And because I was pretty sure I didn’t want to be an accountant, I fell into Commerce/Law to “keep my options open”.

Two and half years later, sitting with a friend outside the Law building at the University of Melbourne, I finally admitted out loud that I couldn’t keep doing it anymore. I hated what I was studying, had known it for a long time, and couldn’t bear the thought of working in Commerce or Law at all.

While admitting all of this wasn’t easy, I recognised that I could now lean into what I loved (I was tutoring and coaching high school students at the time) and what I was good at (Maths). So I quit Law, finished my Commerce degree with lots of Maths electives, and then did a Diploma in Education to become a Maths teacher.

But, as with most careers, the story doesn’t end there.

I loved teaching maths, and I soon realised there were heaps of students in exactly the same boat I’d been in. I couldn’t just sit by while they settled for whatever course or career fell into their lap, so I completed a Graduate Certificate in Career Education and Development and stepped into working with students to find pathways that made them excited about their future.

And when I was ready to create more balance in my life and spend more time with my young family, I stepped out of the classroom and started Roadmap Education, allowing me to continue helping students make great decisions about their next step beyond school.

You don’t need a better ATAR. You need a better plan.

I love being able to help students and parents navigate VCE, career planning and the VTAC process. I love helping them discover super interesting courses and careers and plan how they’re going to get there, no matter what results they get.

I’ve been featured in a range of spaces speaking about these topics to help students and their families get a better understanding of the system and their options. My mission is to demystify the process and shift the focus from VCE to a future they can get excited about.