Orange City Council has welcomed four new school-based trainees into their workforce, expanded its school-based cohort to nine.

The Skillset School2Trade school-based apprenticeship and traineeship program is offered to high school students to gain hands-on experience in the workplace, while achieving a formal nationally-recognised qualification by the time they complete their HSC.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd was on hand last week to welcome the latest school-based trainees to Orange City Council.

“Orange City Council are thrilled to support this program,” said Cr Kidd. “I am delighted that these four enthusiastic young people are part of the program. Council is proud to support them on their pathway through school to employment... I’m confident it will help them secure successful employment in the future.”

The four new school-based trainees are in Year 11 at Orange High. The students will work one day a week over the next two years within a Council department, ranging from business, Information Technology, Community Services and Tourism.

“I am really looking forward to not just experiencing the theoretical side of learning, but… to understand what it is like to participate in a workplace while I study,” said new trainee, Irene Sunny, who will be undertaking a business traineeship specialising in Community Services.

The Skillset School2Trade program was officially launched in June 2020 to increase school-based apprenticeships and traineeships engagement across Western NSW.

Skillset have a goal to employ 45 school-based apprentices by June 2021 and are currently calling for more organisations to host a local student for their school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

Skillset CEO, Craig Randazzo says apprenticeships and traineeships are an important part of building a strong workforce.

“It is great to be partnering with Orange City Council and seeing their apprenticeship and traineeship program continue to expand,” said Mr Randazzo.

“If we want our local young people to stay in our communities and develop their skills, then we need to step up and provide them with employment and training.”