Kyogle Council, New South Wales, is taking direct action when it comes to getting young people into jobs.
Council, together with leading workplace education provider, NovaSkill, is offering apprenticeships and traineeships in the areas of bridge and road construction, water operations and business administration.
The new job opportunities come on top of the seven apprenticeships/traineeships Council is currently hosting, and 14 opportunities created since the program started in 2018.
Mayor, Danielle Mulholland said Council took its role as one of the local government area’s major employers seriously.
“Council believes very strongly that it has a responsibility to provide our young people with jobs where possible and to give them the opportunity to train and learn skills that they can use throughout their careers.
“Employing apprentices and trainees also helps Council address issues with its aging workforce and ensures we have the skills needed to provide critical services to the community into the future.”
Apprenticeships are on offer in bridge construction and civil construction (road construction), while the traineeships are in water operations and business administration.
Craig White, of NovaSkill said, “Council represents a great opportunity for job seekers to kickstart their career and secure a long-term future.
“All successful applicants will gain on-the-job training, as well as help to complete a nationally recognised qualification.”
Kyogle Council General Manager, Graham Kennett said that the program had been successful to date, with three of the apprentices ending up with full time employment post completion of their apprenticeships.
“It is very rewarding to see the development of new employees from the apprenticeship program, and particularly so when they become part of our permanent work force.
“This program has also helped our older employees work towards a phased transition to retirement, with the transitional period providing them with another set of hands to help out with the daily tasks, while also allowing them to transfer their years of knowledge to the next generation of Council employees. It has been a real win-win for everyone involved.”
