Two participants of a Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, Jacob and Joshua, have excelled during the paid traineeship opportunity while undertaking their Certificate I in Construction and are now looking for employers to sign them into a trade apprenticeship.
The 20-week Skilling Queenslanders for Work program has seen both Joshua Blackman and Jacob Brady undertake activities such as grounds work, painting and general construction activities for community heritage work at the Calliope Historical Village site in Gladstone. The program is currently 16 weeks in and both Joshua and Jacob are yet to be placed into work with an employer, a goal of the program on completion. Both are looking for apprenticeship opportunities in construction in the Gladstone region.
Skilling Queenslanders for Work is a Queensland Government funded initiative to support job seekers to gain practical skills on worksites. Partnering with community organisations, Skill360 deliver a range of programs that deliver industry skills for administration, retail, hospitality, construction, warehousing and more. Participants are usually young or longer-term unemployed persons who require entry-level skills to prepare them for the workforce.
A young job seeker looking to enter a career path in construction, Joshua not only enjoyed his time during the program but surpassed expectations and was described by his mentor as punctual, observant, and showing leadership qualities. Joshua and the team worked towards building a fence for the Calliope Historical Village as well as work on restoring an old tank engine on the site, removing the old paint and repainting it to its former glory. Joshua, who has shown leadership skills in the project, has also learnt how to grind metal, mix and pour concrete and apply correct safety procedures on worksites.
At just 16 years of age, Jacob Brady is a quiet hard worker and was noticed by the mentors on the program. Also working to build the fence and restore the old tank engine, Jacob was given the opportunity to learn how to grind metal, how to work in a team, strip off old paint, remove stains from paint, apply etching undercoat repaint metal. Jacob’s most memorable learning experiences were learning how to use an angle grinder, using a buffing disk and painting efficiently. Jacob was noted to be a hardworking employee who turns up rain or shine, works well in a team and shows reliability.
Both realising they enjoy working in the trade sector, Jacob and Joshua are seeking apprenticeship opportunities and are open to any construction trade opportunity in the Gladstone region.
Kristie Kelly, Skill360 Program Manager for SQW said, “With both Jacob and Joshua about to graduate from the program, employers looking for reliable workers are guaranteed to find gold in both of them! Though they are both young they show incredible maturity, quick to learn new skills and are great team players. If your business is looking for the perfect apprentice, either Jacob or Joshua (or both) would be ideal employees for your team.”
Find out more about upcoming Skilling Queenslanders for Work courses in 2024.
Jacob (L) and Joshua (R) have completed a Certificate I in Construction during a Skilling Queenslanders for Work program and are now looking to continue an apprenticeship in construction.
