Page 26 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

INDUSTRY • PROFILE
Passion for
pathways
When it comes to developing
economic independence
in remote and regional
communities, Cairns-based My
Pathway is a national leader.
Words Gavin King
26 • Tropic • Issue 14
O
ne thing is abundantly clear when
you first meet Paul Synnott: he is
passionate about facilitating long-term
pathways to economic independence
for people from all walks of life.
It’s no surprise, then, that his life’s
work led him on a circuitous journey
from Melbourne to Alice Springs and
back again, before making the great
leap north to his current role of CEO at
My Pathway in Cairns.
Many in the Cairns business
community may not be aware of the
scope and scale of My Pathway’s work.
Headquartered in Cairns, this multi-
faceted organisation employs around
1000 staff from 33 cultures with a
footprint stretching from the Torres
Strait to Tasmania and the Northern
Territory. As a provider of education,
training and employment services, its
mission is aimed at creating economic
independence for individuals and
communities in remote, rural and
regional Australia.
My Pathway’s mission and strategic
vision is a perfect fit for Paul. While
his career has taken him from the
metropolis of Melbourne to the outback
and rainforests of Northern Australia,
the genesis of his journey to this point
stretches back even further, right
back to his grandmother. The story
of his passion for helping others is an
inspiring tale.
“I think my journey has a lot to do
with my grandmother, who had this
real sense of helping people,” Paul
told Tropic. “She was faced with some
significant trauma when she was a
young lady when the whole family was
in a car accident and her husband –
my mum’s father - died. My nan was
suddenly by herself raising three girls
under ten. And my nan always spoke to
me about the importance of being there
for people and that there’ll always be
someone who’s worse off than you. And
that’s why you’ve always got to try to
make a difference. That has stuck with
me throughout my career in the social
services sector.”
The journey of My Pathway itself is
also remarkable. Paul describes it
as a classic example of a business
going from “the kitchen table to the
boardroom table”.