WORKING in a paid position in a local business can give high school students valuable insight into their future career direction and, at the same time, allow local businesses to plan for their own future by training workers of tomorrow.
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Westvic Staffing Solutions employs school-based apprentices in a range of fields and places them in businesses throughout the region to gain trade skills. Westvic group training field officer Anthony Smith said the program had enjoyed significant success.
“We’ve seen students go on from completing school-based apprenticeships to run their own business, or become sub-contractors. Others have moved on to university or further studies. It’s a taste for students, to help them realise what they want to do.”
One local business with a history of training tradesman through the school-based apprenticeship program is Warrnambool’s Tasweld Engineering. Tasweld has hosted school-based apprentices for more than five years and has gone on to offer some graduates full time employment. Director Harry Uwland said three current full time employees were once school-based apprentices with the business, trained in metal fabrication.
“It helps to determine whether they are suitable for the job, whether they have the passion for the work that you need to make it a career,” he said.
