Commencing on Thursday 22nd April, six students in Year 11 from Bentley Park College and Trinity Bay State High School, will start a school-based traineeship at Wuchopperen Health Service (Wuchopperen) to kickstart their health career with 100% Indigenous owned and operated Group Training Organisation, Australian Training Works Group (ATW), leading the recruitment drive.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship Program, ‘Strong Start’, will give Indigenous youth a head start, achieving a nationally recognised qualification and on the job training while completing year 11 and 12.

“By allowing students to gain work skills while completing school, they’re able to work towards a goal, whether that be higher education or transition to work,” says Rachael Ham, Deputy CEO at Wuchopperen.

Tony Martens, Owner & Managing Director at ATW, says, “School-based traineeships can have enormous benefits for young people who prefer hands on learning to traditional schooling pathways and provides an opportunity to earn while they learn.”

Strong Start is a new partnership program, with both organisations sharing a commitment to improving the quality of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the local community. The program further supports the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth who are engaged in employment or education.

Rachael says, “We are thrilled to be able to provide such an opportunity to the youth in our community and to keep our generations growing strong.”