GRANT High School students had a glimpse of their potential futures at the TAFE SA Mount Gambier campus Try a Skill Day last week with over 170 youths exploring a range of trades and services.
Hosted each year for Limestone Coast high schools, Grant High students were the first of the region’s youths to have hands-on experiences in trades and services such as cooking, carpentry, hair and beauty, while retail was also showcased for the first time.
Grant High School student James Winterfield said the overall experience was positive and had encouraged him to potentially pursue a trade.
“The day was very entertaining overall as we experienced different trades,” Mr Winterfield said.
“I enjoyed carpentry but was mostly interested in electrotechnology.”
TAFE SA Limestone Coast regional manager Tania Plunkett said the experience raised awareness about different trades and potential career pathways for young people, including apprenticeships and traineeships.
“The demand is there for skilled workers, so we really want to encourage young people to consider a trade as a possible career option,” she said.
“By giving them the opportunity to come in and learn about different program areas and try some activities in areas such as engineering or plumbing they’ll get a sense of what interests them.
“Response to last year’s event was fantastic, so this year we have extended the event across two days to cater for the demand.”
Students chose three program areas to visit during the day where they received a brief overview of the industry before participating in an activity.
“The emphasis for Try A Skill is hands-on participation. We want the students to try the equipment and learn some of the processes they would encounter in that field,” Ms Plunkett said.
“It’s an insight into the industry and we hope it generates some career ideas for students.
“If a student enjoys an activity, they might like to explore it further with some work experience.”
Students from Mount Gambier High, Penola High, Kingston Area and Kangaroo Inn Area schools will attend the second Try a Skill Day on Friday.
