A Victorian school-based training project that provides school-leavers with full-time employment through vocational education has been awarded the 2009 Group Training Australia (GTA) Partnership Award.
The GTA Partnership Award was announced today at the Career Developers Association of Australia Conference in Melbourne. It recognises and promotes effective and innovative collaboration between one or more schools and a group training organisation.
The winning program involves an eleven year partnership between national group training organisation MEGT, and vetEast - a group of seven Melbourne schools - that has seen 90 per cent of program participants leave school with full-time employment.
The two organisations work closely with each other and a dedicated program executive officer to provide vocational pathways for students to complete their senior secondary certificate and leave school with full-time employment.
By sharing resources, effort and time, the two organisations manage student recruitment, orientation, the development of job seeking skills and securing employment.
Group Training Australia, CEO Jim Barron, said, "This program is an exceptional example of how two organisations can combine their individual resources to help thousands of students finish school and obtain a job."
"The dedication of both the schools and MEGT to keep this program running for some 11 years is highly commendable", he said.
MEGT Group Training Manager, Natalie Reynolds, said the success of the program lies in the organisation's investment in a dedicated team of field staff to manage and service the program.
"The program helps MEGT to give back to the community by helping to steer apprentices and trainees into full time placements while monitoring their progress closely while they are still young and at school.
"It also provides the school community with a single point of entry into local employers, combined with training provided by our MEGT Institute, rather than requiring the school community to manage multiple employers," said Ms Reynolds.
MEGT plan to expand the program in the other geographical areas of Victoria.
GTA Media Release 16th April 2009
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