FOR SCHOOLS

Goldfields LLEN partners with government, education, industry and community to provide opportunities for our young people to make a successful transition through school to further education, training and employment.

We empower young people across the City of Greater Bendigo, Mount Alexander and Central Goldfields shires.

Insight into Workplaces

In order to make informed choices, young people in our community need inspirational engagement with local people, jobs, workplaces and pathways.

Staying in School

Young people in our region are at risk of disengaging in school, with pressures of social norms, attitudes and the need for a developed understanding of the importance of staying in school.

HOW WE CAN HELP

WORK PLACEMENTS

We offer an array of tailored work placements for students to experience before deciding on a career pathway, including Work Experience, School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships and Structured Workplace Learning.

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PASSIONS & PATHWAYS

Students in their last years of primary school are exposed to the world of work through a range of innovative experiences with local businesses. The program develops self-knowledge, confidence and aspirations for future pathways.

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YOUNG INDUSTRY AMBASSADORS

YIAs share their career journey with students in upper primary and secondary schools. The diverse pathways and opportunities within their industry develop aspiration and highlight the value of school completion.

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#CASESTUDY

Project Ready: Kalianna Special School

For 2021, a cohort of students from Kalianna Special School, Bendigo participated in Project Ready: a hands-on work readiness and personal development program that incorporates a VET Certificate II in Active Volunteering.

A core component of the program is work placement. COVID lockdowns have significantly impacted the ability of both schools and industry to engage with placements. As a result, the project team needed to explore creative approaches to students engaging in the world of work. This developed into a digital media / videography project with students working with a local videographer and VicLLENs as the host employer to produce a short film/video about their experiences as young people with a disability; one of the most marginalised groups in Australia. The video was then submitted to the open consultation by Vic Government for the Disability Act Review.
Students worked with the Project Ready Facilitator and mentors to develop a suite of questions with a focus on the experience of young people with disability and what Victorians would like to see in relation to their future:
- education and training
- employment
- wellbeing and inclusion
Students utilised an innovative video engagement platform to survey responses from community across the state. A local videographer alongside VicLLENs as the host employer worked with students to review the footage, identify themes and key points to submitted to the consultation to the Disability Act Review.
The students developed a sense of agency and pride, having developed soft skills, engagement, communication and media skills. The community engagement around the subject of empowerment of young people with a disability and the submission to the Vic Government Disability Act Review illustrated the strength and vision of this amazing group of young people.

#CASESTUDY

Structured Workplace Learning: Castlemaine Secondary College

Castlemaine Secondary College work closely with our team to provide impactful placements for their students. In 2018, Year 11 student Hayley experienced this opportunity first-hand.

Working with the Structured Workplace Learning Program has changed the way we deliver VCAL (now VCE) at CSC. Previously, students would find their own placement and this may have taken weeks- with eventually students becoming disheartened and losing interest.
I had a female student who wanted to be a diesel mechanic. We spent an afternoon ringing leads and contacts all to no avail. Once the employer heard it was a female student, the conversation changed direction and the opportunity seemed to close down.
I contacted Michael, and discussed the situation and within 2 days we had a placement secured with Hazeldenes Chickens in Lockwood. They were more than accommodating and gave a thorough pre-placement induction to the student. By having an experienced person like Michael with vast networks, I am confident that placements he finds are appropriate and suitable. When I ring someone blindly, I’m not really sure of the type of workplace I am dealing with.
The other noticeable difference is that students are keen to explore work experience as things seem to ‘happen quickly’.
-Steven Carroll (Teacher, Castlemaine Secondary College)
During my weeks work experience at Hazeldenes Chicken Farm. I undertook a wide range of mechanical jobs including general servicing, to watching and assisting the mechanics with brakes, airbags, parts replacements and heaps more. The blokes I worked with were terrific and showed amazing patience to my slow learning. I am exceptionally grateful for these people giving me this opportunity.
-Hayley
Hayley said she had a 'ripsnorta' of a week. I texted her over the weekend and asked if she wanted to do some more and she replied "I think they might need a break from me'. Hayley has always been determined to reach her goal and it shows in her work and in her communication with other students and her teachers. As is evidenced in the feedback from Hazeldenes, Hayley is punctual, well presented, an excellent communicator, has a positive attitude and is keen to learn. We are extremely pleased for Hayley that her work placement was such a positive experience for her and hope that this experience spurs her on to achieve her ultimate goal.
-Steve Carroll (Castlemaine Secondary College)
SUMMARY OF SWL EMPLOYER EVALUATION:
“(Hayley) communicates well with others, contributed to conversation and exchange of ideas. (She) was always punctual with excellent communication and people skills and listens well. (She) always appeared confident, self assured and achievement orientated. (Her) work was of good quality and showed care and attention to detail. Overall a very good student who showed a keen level of interest in the role.”
-Michael Patton (Workshop Manager, Hazeldenes)
“I was inspired to find out more about female mechanics when I met Hayley recently. The daughter of a professional truck driver and transport company owner, Hayley 17, and in year 11 at Castlemaine Secondary College, wants to be a heavy vehicle mechanic, one who attends to engines in trucks, tractors and heavy earth moving equipment.
She loved a recent week’s work placement with Hazeldenes Chickens which has its own truck fleet.”
“I went in there terrified and I just assumed I’d be on the broom all week but they had me straight in there with the mechanics doing servicing and checking components,” Hayley says.
She also replaced an air cleaner and an oil filter under the watchful eye of her supervisor.
Dirt doesn’t worry Hayley. And she would like to combine trucking and mechanic work with farming.”I was thinking of contract harvesting and carting crop in my own trucks”
She says trucking far and wide with her dad and into places like the Woomera Restricted Area in central Australia got her keen on becoming a heavy vehicle mechanic.
“Once I decided I wanted to get into truck driving, I knew I needed to be my own mechanic because if I break down somewhere out there with no phone service and no help, I need to know how to fix things myself.”
-Written by Genevieve Barlow, Weekly Times, September 19, 2018