Jobs in Central Hawke’s Bay Opens Career Paths for Local Students

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council was a hive of activity as 12 high school students spent the day learning valuable skills on the job, with the aim of opening doors to new careers.

Jobs in Central Hawke’s Bay supported Central Hawke’s Bay College’s ‘Work Day’ by facilitating experience across many different Council departments including; Building Consents, Animal Services, Health & Safety, Māori Relationships, Libraries, Solid Waste, Infrastructure and Development.

The annual ‘Work Day’ was both a fundraiser for the College and an opportunity to explore employment opportunities for the future; Jobs in CHB helped to build on this by delivering diverse career exploration opportunities.

It was a great way to let students know about the many different paths to launching a successful career, right here in their own backyard, Jobs in CHB Coordinator Jono Craig said.

“It’s about showing students what’s on offer in Central Hawke’s Bay, and giving them the option to consider a career that doesn’t require them to leave town, with the knowledge they can train on the job.

“When they can get paid and learn on the job - it opens up a whole new pathway, which could be an even better fit and allow them to stay close to their support networks, while adding valuable skills and knowledge to our local workforce.”

CHB College ‘Work Day’ Organiser Mike Fleming added that the opportunity for work experience was really valuable, and hoped it would be a driver to repeat the day in future.

“We see this as being a really great stepping stone that could shed some light on what students would like to do in future, and allow them to make more informed decisions about their pathways,” Mr Fleming said.

“Many students have a narrow insight into the vast range of opportunities that exist and are available to them. At the College, we are doing a lot of work in this space, and offering this experience to our students has really opened their eyes to the interesting and exciting jobs that exist in Central Hawke’s Bay. Having that hands-on experience just takes it to another level, so we hope this will be the start of a long and fulfilling relationship for many of the students involved.”

Year 11 CHB College Student Cove Lambert joined the Infrastructure and Roading team for a day as they toured the Waipawa Wastewater Treatment Plant and visited road works in Waipukurau.

“I was really interested in the road layout and the layout of the pipework…it’s a really great opportunity and I think more people should take it up,” Cove said.

“It helps a lot when looking at future careers. The day has definitely helped me see that there are a lot of opportunities I never would have known about.”

Another student, Grant Watene, was chosen to spend time with Central Hawke’s Bay District Council Maori Relationships Manager Pam Kupa, to see if he would be interested in a role for Maori in Tamatea.

Bought up in Otane, Grant and his family had strong connection to chiefs in the region - Te Hapuku and Te Whatuiapiti. As part of his work experience he visited the three northern boundary Marae;

Te Whatuiapiti Marae, Kahuranakai Marae and Pukehou Marae.

Mrs Kupa said it was great to see young people getting involved and have the perspective of a new generation: “Grant’s perception of the job is to talk to people and kaumatua; he believes more role models in the community are needed, as leadership makes you more knowledgeable.”

Students took a well-earned break for lunch back at Council, generously supported by Silver Fern Farms, which gave them an opportunity to mingle with staff from all different Council departments.

CHB District Council Chief Executive Monique Davidson encouraged them to discuss the diversity of roles and find out how they could kick start their own journey: “Have a chat with staff and see how they ended up getting into their careers here at Council,” she said.

“Local Government is such an exciting place to be – there are so many options available to our young people -  it’s important that we encourage then to make the most of such a wonderful learning and working environment.”

18 August 2021

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