Finding work that is secure and long-term can be tough for young people and Haylee found this to be the case. After a range of casual retail positions but no secure employment, she joined a local Skilling Queenslanders for Work program in Bundaberg, delivered by BUSY At Work. The Bundaberg program offered a 26-week paid traineeship where participants complete a Certificate I in Construction. The on-site program saw twelve participants commence on projects that supported the YMCA in Bundaberg and the Red Collar Rescue based in Farnsfield, helping to erect shelters for rescued animals, paving, painting, fencing and concreting. Participants learnt general construction skills and operating tools, along with workplace health and safey, workplace ethics and other soft skills including effective communication, teamwork, job applications, and what employers expect in the workplace.
Funded by the Queensland Government, Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs provide jobseekers, especially young job seekers or the long term unemployed, with hands on and practical skills in a real-world working environment. The programs often support local community organisations, while giving participants valuable workplace skills including communication, team work, workplace safety and hands on skills. Participants also review their resumes and are mentored to improve their job search, completing applications and interviewing .
After being in the program for a little over 20 weeks, armed with confidence and a newly updated resume, Haylee applied for a role with Bundy Hot Gas and was thrilled to be offered a full time, permanent role with the company. More interested in hands on work, Haylee’s typical day now includes a variety of tasks including filling gas bottles, phone calls to customers, tax invoicing and other administrative skills. Haylee is really enjoying working for the company who have been warm and supportive to her.
“Bundy Hot Gas are amazing to work for and I am learning a lot of new skills,” she emphatically stated.
Haylee’s advice to other young job seekers is, “Be confident in what you already know, your current skills. It was a good experience with BUSY At Work and the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program. Getting to know skills on site, the learning we received with tools and machines, working with others, was really valuable.”
Learn more about upcoming Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs.