WynBay LLEN - Supporting School Students Secure Work Placements (Media Release)

MEDIA RELEASE

School to Work Program                

WynBay LLEN - Supporting School Students Secure Work Placements

More Victorian school students in Wyndham and Hobsons Bay will be able to secure work placements and on-the job training experience, backed by the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins, on 26 October 2022, announced the School to Work program, which will work in partnership with 31 Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) to help secondary students gain work placements in their local area.

The Minister announced that WynBay LLEN will provide the School to Work program in Wyndham and Hobsons Bay.

Schools will be supported to match the right student with the right opportunity – including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships – to build a pathway into local jobs in growing industries.

The program will also help schools engage with businesses to better prepare students for successful transitions into the workforce.

Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins:

“I’m really happy to be here today to announce a new School to Work program that will help young people connect with jobs and training close to home, which is extremely important.

The Victorian Government will continue its long and proud partnership with the 31 Local Learning and Employment Networks who deliver this program. The program will match students with work-based learning opportunities in the community.

The transition from school is both exciting and a little bit scary for kids. This is an absolutely transformative program and it’s a terrific one at building relationships between school students and local employers so that young people can feel confident in their choices. It understands all the opportunities in the local area in a place-based setting.

The School to Work program will provide a clear front door for industry to engage with students and schools and the program will build pathways to jobs for the future.

For younger students, those opportunities include work experience, which is just fantastic and unfortunately, had been put on the back burner a lot during COVID for so many students. So today’s event is a really amazing example of that. For senior students, the School to Work program will help them confidently build their skills and take the first steps towards rewarding careers.

The School to Work program will transform lives by connecting young people with meaningful careers and here, we need more teachers, we need more nurses, we need more builders, we need more early childhood educators and of course more carers, more mental health workers and more administrators. We all know that we are in workforce shortages across the state, across the nation and across the world.

We want to congratulate all those involved in the School to Work program that will give kids the confidence to pursue their interests and enjoy rewarding careers.”

School to Work forms part of the Labor Government’s senior secondary school reforms, combining VCE and VCAL to create a single pathway, ensuring every young Victorian can get the education they need for the job they want.

The Government has invested $315.5 million in senior secondary schooling reforms since 2018, to support students to gain the skills and experience needed for their chosen careers and allow them to pursue an education aligned to their strengths, interests and aspirations.

It comes in addition to the $69.4 million in funding allocated to expand the Head Start program to every government school in the state – giving more students the opportunity to do an apprenticeship or traineeship in an in-demand sector while completing their schooling.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins

“We want every student to get the skills they need and hands-on experience for the jobs they want – regardless of what school they go to, their background, abilities or differences.”

“This program is all about helping secondary students engage with businesses to gain work placements in their local area and set them up for bright future careers.”

Quote attributable to Chair of the Victorian LLENs Trent McCarthy

“The School to Work initiative continues the long-standing partnership between the Victorian Government and the Local Learning and Employment Networks, supporting Victorian schools to connect with industry and help students into successful study, training and work pathways.”

Media contact: Dallian D'Cruz 0439116279 | dallian@wynbayllen.org.au

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