Water industry career opportunities
Friday, February 29, 2008
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will help pave the way for a future career in the water industry for eight young Hastings residents.
Council will recruit eight new water industry trainees this financial year as a part of its commitment toward providing long-term employment and training for young people. The program is run in partnership with Mid Coast Group Training and will ideally suit Year 12 graduates or those currently in the workforce but looking for an exciting career opportunity.
Three trainees, currently employed through Council's traineeship program, Shelley Blanchard 20, Ben Nolan 19 and Rod Morton 20 have successfully completed Certificate III in Water Industry Operations at North Coast Institute of TAFE. This has been supplemented with permanent on-the-job training through Council's water supply division.
The trainees are employed by Council under its Water Industry Operations Traineeship program. Their studies are complemented by fieldwork experience across all areas of the Hastings from Cowarra Dam surveillance to service repairs, water mains construction and maintenance, water quality monitoring and catchment management.
Last year's public open day held at the new Wauchope Water Treatment Plant provided an excellent opportunity for these trainees to interact directly with members of the public conducting tours of the facility and the nearby Koree Island River pumping stations.
Water supply manager Murray Thompson said the trainees were a shining example of what can be achieved through Council's work-based education program.
"The water industry offers plenty of opportunity for young people to develop and nurture a rewarding career and this approach by Council will help in some small way to address the skills shortage which is confronting the water industry," Mr Thompson said.
Those wishing to submit an application for a Water Industry Operations Traineeship, can do so by visiting the Mid Coast Group Training website.
