The methodology uses self-determination principles to motivate those hard to engage participants to persevere and continue with support from outside of the game through targeted interventions with career practitioners and mentors. Coupling the in-game learning with real-life coaching and mentoring will see the application of what is learned in the game to real life. “Pathfinder is a ‘serious game,’ which engages participants in both an online environment and the real world, for both career and employability skills development,” says Melanie, Managing Director, Klevar.

The game’s four levels contain incrementally more complex challenges. Within each level of the game, participants complete activities and projects, engage with a career counselor to unpack and reinforce learning. The participants undertake challenges and quests outside the center to progress through the levels by earning game points and badges for achievements. “We have developed a platform to run the game. By implementing the game platform across diverse subject areas, utilizing an evidence base for the learning design, taking the knowledge and experience of the subject matter experts, Klevar allows the building of an effective program for achieving results,” explains Melanie.

Over the years, Klevar has played a significant role in delivering out-of-the-box gaming solutions to a wide array of customers. The company’s unique success-oriented approach incorporates the innovative aspects of an agile or iterative approach to development while providing the stability and scoping of a traditional style approach. “We take an evidence-based approach to learning and development, with research and experience underpinning our approach,” she adds. Passionate about their client’s success, Klevar ensures that their advice and solutions are customized to the client context, taking into account what others are doing and what works (and what doesn’t work). “Using a tool to benchmark attitudes prior to and post game, we have seen incredible outcomes. Normally, the movement may be achieved in annual programs, and we’ve seen a jump across all dimensions—job skills and experience, aspiration and motivation, stability, basic, workplace, and social skills and health and wellbeing—in just six weeks,” extols Melanie.

With over 300 enrolments and the interest to roll out the platform nationally, Klevar is reaching stellar heights with its subject matter expertise and experience. In the long run, Klevar plans to not only scale its platform for its customers but also to expand its footprint into other states of Australia.