Wairarapa College Year 11 students Marshall Kilion, Kitana Rogers, Smita Chandra, Sophie Cusack, Hailey Robson, and Isaac Sears after their tour of the Breadcraft factory. PHOTO/ELI HILL
ELI HILL
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Year 11 secondary school students from across Wairarapa got a glimpse of what it would be like to work in Wairarapa primary, manufacturing and construction industries on Wednesday.
Around 80 students from Ponatahi Christian School, Chanel, Makoura, Kuranui, Tararua, and Wairarapa colleges toured businesses ranging from Powershop to Breadcraft and Forestry Enterprises.
The Wairarapa Youth Education Training & Employment Partnership and UCOL collaborated to run the Wairarapa Industries Big Day Out.
YETE project lead, Trudy Sears said the day was an opportunity for students to engage with local businesses on site.
“To see workplaces in action can help young people make decisions about their future and help them with making important subject choices as they move into Year 12.
“Without the opportunities for our young people to visit actual workplaces, it is hard for them to understand what is involved in each of these industries, or what the opportunities for success are within these industries. We hope they are inspired.”
This year there were 10 businesses taking part in the event, organiser Maria McKenzie said.
“It is fantastic to have a large range of industries such as forestry, transport, engineering and construction to come together to share their ideas and inspire our future leaders.
“Many of them are giving a day off work to talk to these students and show them around. We’re really grateful to the businesses.
McKenzie said the Big Day Out was not only helpful for students but also a great opportunity for teachers, supervisors, and the businesses.
“Teachers and supervisors get to see how innovative industries, design and technology can be incorporated into their teaching.
“It gives the businesses a chance to recruit people into their industry, maybe not right away, but these students will be looking at what they want to do over the next few years.”
Wairarapa College Year 11 students Marshall Kilion and Isaac Sears toured the Breadcraft factory in the morning.
“It was pretty interesting,” Kilion said. “I found out a lot about the place and explored stuff I wouldn’t be able to explore otherwise.
“It might be something I’d look to do, you never know.”
Sears said the experience would help him with picking subjects for the next year.
“It lets you know what you need.”
