Students interested in a future career as an arborist had great fun at the Hands on Trades Career Expo.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Students from across Victoria descended on Winton Motor Raceway to be inspired by a range of hands-on career opportunities on Thursday, August 15.
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The annual Hands on Trades Career Expo, run by NE Tracks LLEN, featured more than 50 organisations which offer pathways into future employment and took the time to talk to students about what they do.
Butchulla woman Avalon Karatau, from Woop Woop Walkabout Tours who relocated to Victoria from K'Gari (Fraser Island) following a cyclone, teaches a student how to use a handmade whip.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Organiser Annette Borradale said more than 1500 students from Seymour to Albury, Echuca to Swiss Creek and everywhere in between attended.
“We have heaps of different types of exhibitors here today. Everything from plumbing to electrical, North East Tree Service are here, Thales, Police, ADF, CFA, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Extons, LS Quarry, GOTAFE and much more,” Ms Borradale said.
Ms Borradale said the feedback from students had been great.
“Most of them have been overwhelmed with how much variety there’s been,” she said.
“It's not just been focused all towards your typical hands-on trades.
“They had nursing, childcare. We've had tech companies, we've had virtual reality, heaps of different displays.
Hands on Trades Career Expo organiser Annette Borradale, from NE Tracks LLEN, said the event had been a big success.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
“I think the students have been very impressed with it all.”
Ms Borradale said one of the things that has pleased organisers this year is how many students brought their resumes along.
“It’s brilliant,” she said.
“They've actually been handing them out to the organisations that they're interested in working for.
“And a lot of these companies offer school-based apprenticeships, so I’m sure a few of them will get something from doing that.”
One of the well-visited exhibitors was Woop Woop Walkabout Tours operated by Butchulla woman Avalon Karatau.
She spoke to students about the Aboriginal heritage of the area, and further afield.
“We do school programs, among a lot of other things,” she said.
“We teach spirituality, about our tools, and our laws.
“We have fun games to show them, that people have forgotten because they don't play them any more
“We teach them about cooking, and offer classes on that.
Ms Karatau said as a Butchulla woman from K’Gari (Fraser Island) who had been displaced from her land due to cyclones, she was proud to be in Winton supporting the Yorta Yorta nation.
“I hope everyone had a deadly day,” she said.
The emergency services demonstrations were some of the most popular, and Ben Meritt, from Forest Fire Management Victoria, said students had really embraced the day.
“They've been interested in looking at both our project firefighter summer roles and finding out more about future work opportunities, after school,” he said.
“It's been a really good opportunity to show kids what we do and also a bit of fire safety as well.”
Find out more about what NE Tracks LLEN does, and how to get involved with next year's expo via www.netracksllen.org.au/
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