Fresh batch of trainees join Council ranks

Council welcomed 12 new trainees and apprentices to its ranks last week.

The school leavers will work across all areas of Council’s operations and they were warmly welcomed at a morning tea on Monday by General Manger Dr Catherine Dale and senior staff.

Dr Dale said the idea of the program is to provide training and employment opportunities for local young people with the aim of keeping them and their skills in the Eurobodalla when their training is complete.

“Many of our trainees and apprentices go on to gain permanent employment with a Council,” she said. “Others move on to other organisations, taking with them excellent skills and qualifications.

“The experience is a positive one all round,” Dr Dale said. “Council staff regularly tell me how the trainees bring a fresh perspective to the workplace.”

Dr Dale congratulated the trainees and apprentices and told them they had been chosen from an outstanding field of hundreds of applicants.

“We are lucky to have such high-achieving young people join our workforce, and in return we offer a dynamic and caring workplace culture,” she said.

The 2016 youth trainees are Anna Waters, who will work in business development and events, Molly Preston in communications and tourism, Ella Bandur in community care, Jessica Afflick in customer service, and Katelin Donovan will spend her year in Council’s finance division. Over the course of the one-year traineeship, these five will attend TAFE one day per week and complete a Certificate III in business administration.

The three apprenticeships went to George Sheather, who will train as a mechanic, Jacob Zutt will work as a fitter-machinst, and Scott Musgrove secured the electrical apprenticeship.

Four school-based trainees will attend school four days and work at Council one day per week for two years. Quinnlan Hurley was appointed to the information technology traineeship, Jacob Stephens will work in construction, Daylan Goodsell in public and environmental health, and Kalem Davis-Wighton will join Council’s horticulture team.

Council’s trainee and apprenticeship program has been running since the early nineties. More than thirty trainees, apprentices and cadets are currently employed in Council’s workforce.