Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

It is not enough for us simply to put young people in schools and hope their education will land them a job when they finish. Providing leadership and direction for young people and being positive about employment opportunities is just as important. I had the delightful pleasure on Friday to be part of a such a seminar. I would like to thank Raymond Bertazzo from Bertazzo Engineered, and Wilson Transformer Company's General Manager Jon Retford for taking the time to speak to students at the Australian Manufacturing and Farming Program forum held in Wodonga.

This forum gave students direct access to two very successful businesspeople to learn what it is that they are looking for in young people. The tips they provided students from Wodonga Middle Years College and Corryong College were first rate, particularly for those young people considering an apprenticeship when they leave school. Corryong College teacher Helen Marshall also brought a number of year 11 students to the forum. Many students at Corryong College are interested in trades as a career, as is typically the case in many rural schools. Helen said the information at the forum was current and relevant, and it was important to hear it straight from the industry's mouth, so to speak. Being on the same page as business is vital for education providers, and the AMFP provided that opportunity. The tips were: succeed to year 12, be persistent, do English and do maths.

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