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Shaping the future of Students
17/01/2008

January 2008 will see five Narrabri and Wee Waa local indigenous students participate in cotton industry traineeships on offer for the first time.

Schools-Based Traineeships provide an opportunity for local indigenous students currently enrolled in Year 11 to gain paid work experience, a nationally recognised qualification, credit towards their Higher School Certificate and exposure to the different career opportunities available in the cotton industry.

The Program got off to a great start this month with the 5 successful applicants starting in their new positions.

“Students are required to undertake 800 hrs of work over the 2 years and this could be 1 day a week or in blocks over the school holidays” said Paula Jones, Cotton CRC, Communities Program Leader.

Bronwyn Scott and Rusty Musset from Wee Waa High School and Beau Quick, Lynette Collis and Natasha Booby from Narrabri High said they were looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead of them in the next two years.

The trainees will study either Business Studies or Primary Industries and will work with staff from CSIRO, CRDC, NSW DPI and the Cotton CRC.

Rusty and Bronwyn said the experience they will gain through this program will help them gain experience in primary industries and get a job in agriculture after they leave school, while Beau is hoping to work in Information Technology and both Lynette and Natasha are interested in an administration career.

“I would like to be a receptionist when I leave school and this job will help me gain skills and training in administration”, said Lynette.

“This is a new and exciting project for the Cotton CRC to be involved in as it will foster greater engagement between the indigenous community and the cotton industry as well as provide students with the necessary employment skills and training to enable them to access some of the great jobs available in the industry” said Dr Jones.

The Cotton CRC Community Program is funding the Schools-Based Traineeship project in conjunction with CRDC, Namoi Catchment Authority and the Aboriginal Employment Strategy.

For More Information please contact Dr Paula Jones on 02 6799 2440 or 0427 992 440