Training Services NSW has partnered with the NSW Police Force to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students the opportunity to work as trainees in police stations across Northern NSW.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee said the traineeship program would help students graduate with job-ready skills.
“Year 11 and 12 students have commenced work in stations at Bourke, Walgett, Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge to learn business skills and gain valuable experience in the workplace as part of their HSC studies,” Mr Lee said.
“This landmark partnership with NSW Police is designed to equip students with essential workplace skills that will count towards their HSC,” he said.
“This is about maximising exposure to real-world environments so students can apply what they are learning in the classroom and walk straight into employment after they finish high school.”
Mr Lee said students were enrolled in a Certificate III in Business Administration at the Australian College of Commerce & Management, where they would learn office skills, including word processing; spreadsheets; email communication; and accounts clerical.
Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell said gaining experience in the workplace was a valuable opportunity for students to understand the challenging and rewarding aspects of work and what they needed to do to prepare.
“It’s important for Year 11 and 12 students to have diverse experiences to be able to decide what they’d like to do after school, so having this exposure will give them some great insight,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Not only is it a chance to think about their future, it’s also an opportunity to understand what it takes to join the workforce and how they can contribute to the community in post-school life,” she said.
