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School-based Traineeships |
| A Bonus for Retailers |
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While her friends are sitting in math class, trying to decide what they want to do when they leave school and whether they'll need to know the square root of pi to do it, Rebecca Turner is getting valuable, paid experience in the retail sector without sacrificing her studies.
As a school-based trainee, Rebecca combines her studies at Atherton State High School with her peers and for eight hours a week she works in paid employment in the retail sector. She learns transferable skills such as communication, prioritising and organising, while gaining a nationally recognised qualification.
She’s also gaining valuable experience which will give her a competitive edge over her peers when she enters the job market. She has completed her Certificate II in Retail and is now progressing to the Certificate III in Retail.
Rebecca's situation isn't unique. Smart employers are looking to school-based traineeships to attract and retain quality young employees, and the retail sector is leading the charge
First Impressions Resources (fir), conducts the formal training and assessment components of the Certificate II and III in Retail for school-based trainees. Over the past few years, fir has partnered with the Atherton Supa IGA store and Atherton State High School in Queensland to implement a school-based traineeship program.
Sophie Quadrio, Office Manager for the award winning Atherton Supa IGA said the school-based traineeships were a bonus for retailers.
"School-based traineeships offer employers value for money, flexibility, the opportunity to train staff to business specific needs and, perhaps most importantly, to identify skilled young people for full or part-time employment once they finish their studies. The program also assists with retention of staff and students show much more commitment to their work than young school casuals.” Sophie says that it gives her great pleasure to witness “students gaining confidence and blossoming with their School-based traineeship experience
Atherton SHS VET Coordinator, Narelle Mills is a huge supporter of School-based traineeships and retail in particular, and says,” the employability skills that the students gain from the Retail Traineeship are valuable no matter where their eventual career may take them. The traineeship gives the students direction, maturity and a much stronger focus on their school work as well as counting towards the Queensland Certificate of Education (Senior Certificate).”
Now is the perfect time for retailers to take on school-based employees to have them trained and ready for the demanding Christmas period.
By Christmas 2010 this store will have well-trained, motivated and productive young staff, ready to capitalise on the busy Christmas period, while other retailers are scrambling to recruit and train casuals to supplement their permanent staff
Employers who take on school-based trainees may also be eligible for state and federal government subsidies.
School-based traineeships are available to Grade 11 and 12 students (some states allow Grade 10 students to participate) and, in most cases, school-based trainees can work one school day per week as well as weekends and school holidays. Arrangements are flexible to suit the requirements of the trainee, the workplace and the school. However, students must complete a minimum number of days of paid employment each year.
For more information about how school-based traineeships in the retail sector could benefit you or your workplace, visit www.fir.edu.au or phone
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Jumbun Community Group |
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First Impressions Resources has welcomed Deborah Grant and Denise Kennedy, two Indigenous ladies, employed at the Jumbun Community owned store in Murray Upper located in remote North Queensland.
Earlier this year, Hinchinbrook Employment Services approached fir about the feasibility of providing training in retail skills for Deborah and Denise. By working with the client fir was able to align their need with 6 accredited units from the Certificate 2 in Retail.
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Master of Education |
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First Impressions Resources General Manager, Mike Wallace completed his Master of Education with Queensland University of Technology earlier this year graduating in July.
The program consisted of 2 core plus 6 elective subjects from a whole range of areas relating to education, although Mike’s MBA entitled him to direct credit for some of the course. It is designed for people with experience in the education industry and Mike chose subjects that related to Vocational Education and Training. These looked at various aspects of VET, ranging from adult educational theory, educational research, leadership, program design and management, teacher professional development and contemporary issues facing the VET sector.
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Congratulations to Tealah Price |
| Winner of 2009 Australian Vocational Student Prize |
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Congratulations to fir Tealah Price who was recently awarded
Australian Vocational Student Prize for 2009 - A national award that acknowledges Year 12 students who display exceptional skills, dedication and achievement while undertaking a Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools program or an Australian School-based Apprenticeship.
Tealah completed her Certificate II in Retail with fir at the end of last year while working for Westbrook Spar. She has participated in various Certificates to achieve her success and is currently working as an apprentice hairdresser.
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Introducing... |
| Sharyn Rankin, one of fir's Newcastle based trainers |
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I’m Sharyn and I have been working with fir now for 2.5 years. I reside in Newcastle and service the Newcastle area, Regional NSW and the North coast of NSW.
Prior to working for fir I was the training coordinator for a large glass company that had 12 Retail stores throughout NSW, and prior to that I was the traineeship coordinator for Power Business Institute.
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