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DIANE BEAMER
MINISTER FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE, MINISTER FOR WESTERN SYDNEY
ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING
MEMBER FOR MULGOA
27 February, 2004
PROGRAM SPARKS CAREERS FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
Thirteen early school leavers facing employment challenges have been given a kick-start after graduating today from a NSW Government careers program, Minister for Western Sydney, Diane Beamer said.
Ms Beamer, speaking at the graduation, said six of the 13 students in the Corporate Partners for Change (CPC), Electrical Trades program had already been offered traineeships as a prelude to apprenticeships.
“I’m pleased to announce that Electro Group has already snapped up six of our graduates and the remaining seven now have excellent prospects,” Ms Beamer said.
“CPC has placed more than 350 people into careers throughout Western Sydney in employment growth areas including information technology, aged care nursing, retail, food services and electrical trades.”
The Electrical Trades program provides a sustainable recruitment process supplying the Utilities and Electro technology Industry with a skilled workforce. Graduates receive nationally recognised, customised training linked to jobs and apprenticeships.
“17-year-old Matthew Childs from Penrith joined CPC after finishing year 11 and says the program has given “an average guy” a tremendous chance,” Ms Beamer said.
“Now Matthew has a qualification, a strong sense of commitment, jumps out of bed at dawn and has his sights set on one day starting his own air conditioning business.
“People are changing their lives through CPC – launching careers with employers like Integral Energy, Energy Australia, AGL, Sydney Water, O’Donnell Griffin, FDC technologies, Rail Infrastructure, KLM, All State Electrical and Star Electrical.
“Graduates are from disadvantaged groups including long-term unemployed,
women re-entering the workforce, early school leavers, people from Indigenous
or non English-speaking backgrounds and mature-aged workers.
CPC, Electrical Trades is coordinated by the Office of the Minister for Western
Sydney, funded by the NSW Department of Education and Training and conducted
by the Electro Skills Centre at Rhodes.
For information on CPC contact Neil Harbridge at the Office of the Minister
for Western Sydney on 8836 2212 or Mike Horne at Electro Skills Centre on 9736
1777.
Media inquiries to Adrienne Riddell on 0407 947 860
