Lake Macquarie City Council is increasing its commitment to workplace training and professional development by expanding employment opportunities in trainee, apprentice and cadet roles.
Council’s Education to Employment (E2E) program is a workforce initiative that allows participants to work in a term contract position while studying for a university or vocational qualification. Since the program’s launch in 2015, Council’s E2E workforce has grown to 29 and is expected to reach 40 by the end of January 2018. Council is currently advertising for two E2E Customer Service trainees as part of the next intake.
Council’s Manager Organisational Performance, Laura Kendall said the program is a great opportunity for young people, or people retraining, to gain valuable experience in the workplace and develop transferrable skills as they complete a formal qualification.
“The E2E program allows council to develop job opportunities in the local area and increases our ability to manage skill shortages, an ageing workforce and develop leadership capacity in the organisation,” Laura said.
Staff employed under the E2E program receive a wage and their course costs are covered by council. E2E employees are provided with on-the-job mentoring and support from their supervisor, and work team throughout their period of employment and study.
Council now has E2E employees working in a diverse range of roles, including engineering, construction management, customer service, vehicle mechanics, horticulture, information services, environmental science, marketing and business, and arts administration. Council aims to eventually have10 per cent of its workforce employed under the program.
Renee Keir, an E2E employee in the Customer Service Centre, described the program as a constant learning experience.
“It’s an incredibly supportive environment and you are learning new things every day,” Renee said.
“It is a fantastic way to get introduced into the workforce.”
IMAGE | Customer Service Centre E2E Trainee, Renee Keir, is learning new things every day.
