Cody Young, an MEGT trainee, is a finalist for Miss World Australia (MWA) from Victoria.

Cody began her traineeship as on Office Administrator for Halcyon Knights, while studying for her Cert IV in Business.

“Undertaking the traineeship has given me the opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and is preparing me for future professional opportunities” Cody said, while recommending business traineeships as a career option for personal and professional development.

Miss World Australia holds an annual pageant to identify young Australian women who exemplify beauty, talent, intelligence and compassion. Cody was invited to enter via a model agency and has had gone through many rounds, before becoming a finalist in the State final on 26th July at the Langham Hotel, Melbourne.

Cody is currently preparing for her interview section by reviewing current social and political issues. Apart from a good fitness regime, she is also choreographing & preparing a dance routine for the talent round of the competition.

The National final is to be held on 30th August in Perth. The winner represents Australia against over 120 other countries at the annual Miss World final.

We wish Cody all the best in her future endeavours.

1. Attitude

Keep it positive: don’t underestimate the importance of an upbeat outlook.
Employers want staff who are keen, enthusiastic and committed. Interviews provide the perfect opportunity to show you possess these important attributes. It’s not enough to simply tell employers you are awesome, you need to provide examples.

Remember, the workplace is like a team — and we all want positive, eager players on our team. And, like team selection, once you are chosen it’s important to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude.

2. Communication

Regardless of what you do or where you work, effective communication is essential.
Communication is one of the most important lifelong skills — in both the workplace and personal life. Effective communication involves not just talking, but also listening.
Every job, regardless of the industry, will require you to communicate (verbally, written or both) to some degree.

3. Physical Presentation

Make an impression every day
The way you dress and present yourself can have a significant impact on how people perceive you and your employer. It is important to ensure you are conveying a professional image — for your sake, and your employer’s.

Dress standards and appropriate attire will vary among professions and employers. Some industries will require clothing that meets safety requirements (such as construction trades) and others will not.

4. Reliability

Be consistent; take responsibility
Every relationship (personal and work-related) thrives when there is trust. Being reliable is an easy way to build trust.
How can you demonstrate reliability?

• Keep your promises. If you tell someone you are going to do something, make sure you do it.
• Don’t overpromise. Be realistic about what you can achieve and think things through before you make a promise.
• Don’t leave other people hanging. If you realise you have agreed to do something that you will now be unable to achieve, let the affected person know as soon as possible.
• Be consistent. Consistency shows you are reliable and that people can depend on you. It’s a great attribute in promoting trust.
• Take responsibility for your work. This is particularly important when working in a team as your performance will affect everyone else’s.

Make sure it’s a positive effect!

5. Punctuality

Time it right
Being punctual is important. It shows you are respectful and reliable. Alternatively, being late can be quite costly, literally: your boss can lose money, and you could lose your job.
Remember, if your starting time is 8 am, then your employer expects you to arrive in time to begin working at 8 am. Not adhering to work hours can be detrimental and costly to employers.

6. Initiative

Go ahead. Take action.
Regardless of your role or tasks, there is always an opportunity to do something constructive at your workplace without being asked — and your manager will greatly appreciate your efforts.
Ways of showing initiative in the workplace include:

• offering to help colleagues and team members with a particular project
• looking at ways to improve a current work process, suggesting your idea to your manager and offering to oversee or support its implementation
• undertaking a task without being asked.

The training and education landscape is constantly changing. Significant changes to vocational education and training (VET) funding have recently been introduced in NSW, ACT and SA which could have an impact on your training plans. If you haven’t considered it before, subsidised training may be a great way to meet some of your training requirements.

New South Wales

Funded training for VET in New South Wales is provided under the Smart and Skilled program. In a nutshell, it provides subsidised training to those aged 15 and over (full eligibility requirements) and covers Certificate I to IV, advanced and diploma level qualifications across a wide range of subjects.

Access to business knowledge and expertise and very low-cost recession-proof staffing has always been available with one of the best-kept secrets: Group Training.

Group Training Organisations(GTO) like MEGT Australia, host apprentices or trainees and take on the contractual and administrative responsibilities of the employer (the payment of wages and superannuation for example) and recruitment of Australian Apprentices. They undertake the employer responsibilities for the continuity and quality of the apprentices’ employment and training and has them hosted in a variety of businesses. They manage the additional care and support necessary to achieve the successful completion of the training contract.

At the same time you are reducing recruitment risk by labour hiring the apprentice, if you are first-time business owner or manager, you can watch and learn first-hand how an outside organisation tackles your paperwork, compliance, recruitment, payroll, superannuation, WH&S, WorkCover, unfair-dismissal laws and people management.

This partnership between a business and the GTO alleviates a lot of the risk involved in employment. The risk is also reduced in staffing levels for variable workflow with the GTO managing the placement of apprentices.

And what about the future? What better way of making sure you have the extra hands you need for the project without heavily impacting your bottom line by working closely with MEGT and outsourcing the administration, payroll and management?

MEGT Australia supports and celebrates National Skills Week dedicated to raising the status of practical and vocational learning. It focuses on enabling all Australians to gain a greater understanding of their opportunities, their potential and how they can contribute to a successful, modern economy. Now in its fifth year, National Skills Week highlights the talents, the skills and the career pathways of apprentices and trainees across Australia.

MEGT Australia is the only national Apprenticeship Network Provider and has been supporting apprentices for over 30 years. As a company, we are fully focused on the lifecycle of the apprenticeship, achieving the right fit for the apprentice or trainee, mentoring throughout the journey to achieve increased completion rates and the ultimate goal of upskilling our nation.

Australian Apprenticeships are a key pillar of Australia’s vocational education and training system and are available to anyone of working age. You get paid while you train to receive a national qualification recognised by employers Australia-wide, making it much easier to travel and work within Australia.

You can do an Australian Apprenticeship if you are a school-leaver, re-entering the workforce or as an adult worker simply wishing to change careers. You can even begin your Australian Apprenticeship while you’re finishing years 11 and 12 at school.

It’s a great way to get a head start in your chosen occupation. You can combine time at work with training, either full-time, part-time or even school-based. You increase your job opportunities and earning potential. Many people who have completed their apprenticeships or traineeships are now earning more than their tertiary qualified friends. You may also have access to Australian Government support designed to reward you for undertaking and completing your apprenticeship or traineeship.

Check out the National Skills Week website to find out what events are running in your region. There are events taking place all over Australia throughout August, culminating in the official recognition week from 24 to 30 August.

MEGT Institute came out a double winner at the Tasmanian Training Awards on Friday night, scooping the awards for Small Training Provider of the Year and for Industry Collaboration in conjunction with Clennett’s Mitre 10 and Whitelion.

The Small Training Provider award recognises organisations leading practice in the VET sector. Our team has been exploring creative ways of widening the accessibility and delivery of training, and has focused on students who may not usually access VET. This has resulted in initiatives such as the Skills Potential Program (in partnership with industry) which is aimed at students with intellectual disabilities, and the Clubhouse Skills Program (in partnership with Eureka Clubhouse) a tailored program for people who have experienced mental health issues.

MEGT Institute’s overarching aim is to provide community focused education and training directly linked to employment and career pathways. Projects, such as those recognised in the awards, make a real difference and drive us to continue developing new ways to engage students with education.

The Industry Collaboration category celebrates projects where two or more organisations have joined forces to great effect. The winning project is a collaboration driven by Clennett’s Mitre 10 with Whitelion and MEGT Institute.

The partnership was established to provide meaningful long-term employment opportunities via Certificate II in Retail traineeships to vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in the community and is a great on-going success.

Top trainers Nicole Gayewski and Sarah Burnett from Small Training Organisation of the Year MEGT Institute with Edwina Lester and Gail Eaton-Briggs from Large Training Organisation of the Year TasTAFE.

Right:  Ken Pierce and Michelle Howells of Clennett’s Mitre 10 with MEGT Institute- winners of the Industry Collaboration Award.

What is a trainee?

Trainees are trained in vocational areas, such as office administration, information technology and tourism.
Traineeships generally take between twelve to twenty-four months to complete and include skills such as business, retail, community health, child care, financial services and many more. Upon successful completion, a trainee will receive a qualification in their chosen vocational area.

How can a trainee help?

Traineeships have a strong and relevant role in small businesses that want to focus the owner’s time on the things they do best and grow their customer base. Trainees can be a great help with customer enquiries and bookings, with the bookkeeping and stock control. The less time you spend on the administration side of things, the more you can focus on overseeing the total business – regardless of size of your business.

They are able to qualify sooner than a traditional apprenticeship too. A traineeship generally takes up to 24 months – sooner if the person is deemed competent before that. It is not unusual for trainees to become qualified in 12 months.

Managing your staff

Under the Group Training model, MEGT hosts apprentices or trainees and takes on the contractual and administrative responsibilities of the employer (the payment of wages and superannuation for example) and recruitment of Australian Apprentices. They undertake the employer responsibilities for the continuity and quality of the apprentices’ employment and training and has them hosted in a variety of businesses. They manage the additional care and support necessary to achieve the successful completion of the training contract.

The advantages include:

• receive a better quality apprentices and trainees as we have an extensive screening process
• reducing recruitment risk by labour-hiring the apprentice
• significant savings of time and money on screening, interviewing and placement of apprentices and trainees
• savings made on inducting new employees and processing timesheets, payroll and entitlements.

To learn more about how we can help you, please click here.

Well done. You’ve landed a job. So, now what can you expect on your first day?
It is quite normal to be nervous on your first day of work — and for some days after — until you get familiar with your workplace and co-workers.

Here are some things you can do to make your first day as smooth as possible.

Most of the apprentices you hire are young people, taking their first steps into the professional world. Their employment with you may define their future work ethics and how they map out their career path. The lessons they learn will be both challenging and rewarding.
With your support, they can reward you with performance and skills growth for your industry.
Here are some tips to help them along the way to completion.

A good head start

Recruiting the right person from the start increases the potential for the apprentice or trainee to be successful in their job and complete their qualification. You can improve the quality of your recruitment by having a well-developed idea of the best person for your organisation and using a comprehensive recruitment and interview process.

Nurture your investment

Personal support for your apprentice is vital; they are moving into adulthood, there will be critical times when other things will compete for their attention and there will be situations at work and at home that might knock their confidence. Sometimes it is as easy as telling them how well they are doing.

Communicate

This is the key to engaging your apprentice or trainee. The better you understand each other the less chance there is of a misunderstanding derailing the apprenticeship or traineeship. If they feel comfortable with you, they will be more likely to ask for help when they need it. The more readily they ask questions, the faster they will learn and the faster their skills will develop.

A clear direction

Make the job clear from the start – give the apprentice or trainee an overview of the business, then provide them with a description of what role they play towards its success.
Be clear about their current responsibilities and duties, making sure you show them how tasks are performed. Make them aware of each step in their role.

Give them a chance

We all start out differently; some people mature at different times and learn at different speeds. It will take time for the apprentice or trainee to adapt to their new workplace and this can be impacted by a number of things – moving out of home, a routine, tertiary learning, etc – even the simple fact they are sharing time with older people in a professional environment could be new to them. Don’t be too hasty with your judgements.

Looking out for your investment

Dropping a training module, absence from off-the-job training, lateness for work – if they start to happen frequently do not let them go unnoticed. These may be warning signs that the apprentice or trainee is not happy and may jeopardise completion of their qualification.
If you become aware of a warning sign you may want to talk to them, or your MEGT Network Provider Consultant to assist with early intervention.

Safety and Care

Sometimes it is not so obvious why tasks have to be performed in some ways: be sure to demonstrate the correct safety method for performing tasks before they are commenced.
Lead by example and make sure you and all your staff are using equipment safely, including the use of personal protective equipment – your apprentice or trainee will be watching.

Keep them motivated

Encourage them to learn, recognise their achievements, provide incentives, challenge them with new tasks and learning new skills. Involve them in company training opportunities – talk to them about career paths and about why completion is so important. Their motivation will keep your investment growing.

Australian apprenticeships leading to successful outcomes both for the business and trainees is something MEGT endeavours to achieve daily!

Jessica McAuley, who works as a Digital Printer trainee at Drum Print and Publications, recently won the 2015 Western Australian L.I.A (Lithographic Institute of Australia) Graduate of the Year award.

Mark Banner, Managing Director, Drum Print and Publications hopes Jessica does well in the National awards as she has put in a huge effort to achieving the best results. Drum Print was not looking to hire a trainee at that time but were so impressed with Jessica in her work placement that they promised her the traineeship after school finished.
“Jess has excelled in the traineeship course and is highly regarded amongst the TAFE trainers and the industry body overseeing the course”, says Mark.

MEGT’s Australian Apprenticeship Support Network services Drum Print, signed Jessica into her Training Contract and continues to monitor her progress through her traineeship.

Following is an interview with Jessica on her career as a Digital Printer

1. How long have you been doing your apprenticeship?

I have been doing my apprenticeship for about 21 months – so almost 2 years. I have had no previous experience in this job role apart from a school program. I went straight from school into this job/apprenticeship.

2. How did you get into Printing as an industry?

In my Year 12, I dropped out of my ATAR (higher education studies) and went through a workplace program in order to have more workplace experience and get a feel for the real world. It involved spending a few weeks that year at a local business of my choice. I chose Drum Print and Publications in Mandurah, as I am a creative person and wanted to learn more about the printing industry. From those 2 weeks here at Drum Mark (my boss) then offered me an apprenticeship as a Digital Printer (Certificate III in Printing and Graphic Arts/Design (digital printing)).

3. What do you love most about your job?

I love that every day is different, there’s always different jobs to be done for different people. One day I could be just printing all day, the next I could be designing an annual report for a racing association. It allows me to experience a lot of different roles and helps me get to know a lot of people in my community, as well as be creative at the same time. Printing is an enjoyable and very rewarding industry because you get to see the finished product that you designed, printed and cut down and sitting on the shelf. For example, I designed labels for a Chilli sauce bottle and we got these printed. In a few weeks, they were up on the shelf in the local IGA for sale – that to me is very rewarding.

4. Are you starting to see new opportunities since commencing your apprenticeship?

Every day in this apprenticeship I see new opportunities, whether it be for myself or for the business. Printing is expanding into new areas as it is advancing with the progression of technology. Our machines are getting more complex and able to achieve more things, which means we are able to come up with more creative ideas, which for both me and the business creates new opportunities.

5. What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining the industry?

I would definitely give it a go, it’s a very rewarding industry, and the people in it are very helpful and very passionate. I think the only reason people don’t tend to pick this industry is because they don’t know much about it. If you enjoy doing different things and being creative, this is definitely the industry for you. Lots of people love graphic design, this is even better because you can be creative and use the graphic design but you can also physically make it yourself and you can turn around and say, I made that, the whole thing. That’s something not many people can say.

6. What are your next steps to winning this competition?

I am now in the finals for the National L.I.A Graduate of the Year award. Currently I’m in the middle of finishing up my written submission which gets sent off to Brisbane at the end of September, then I fly over and go through an interview process with about 10 other contestants, there is a winner from each state for 2015 and last year’s winner for 2014 as it is a biannual event.

Good luck Jessica!

Brodie Oakes, MEGT Apprentice has won the NSW Apprentice of the Year at the 2015 NSW Training Awards last night.
A thirst for “understanding how things work” runs in the Oakes family, and with encouragement from his father, a mechanical fitter, Brodie decided that he would be best suited in the manufacturing industry.

Going into his training straight from school, Brodie is currently working as a fourth-year apprentice training to complete Cert III in Mechanical Trade Engineering.

As a third year apprentice, he designed, installed and fabricated a specialised resin filter box to resolve a problem that would otherwise have cost his employer over $60,000 to fix. Brodie’s can-do attitude won him the 2014 Qenos Environmental Award for his innovative solution.

Brodie’s host employer Qenos, an Australian manufacturer and supply of polyethylene and polymers, has chosen him to lead a team of contractors providing maintenance support for a major re-work of a gas refinery and chemical plant.

Qenos has regularly provided glowing feedback and stated, “We recognise that Brodie has developed strong leadership skills and will be an asset to our organisation in the long term.”

Brodie says that “The mentoring and coaching I have received on the job has been a great support”.

Brodie will be moving on to participate in the National Training Awards which will be held on 19th November in Hobart.
Wishing him all the best!

Dylan Di Martino, an MEGT apprentice, recently won the Bronze in the Plumbing & Heating category, for representing Australia at the 2015 WorldSkills Competition in Brazil. The WorldSkills Competition takes place every 2 years with 59 countries turning out to compete across 50 skill categories – that’s no small task!

The competition colloquially referred to as the Tradies’ Olympics, judges young trades people in diverse fields. Dylan says he entered regional competitions in 2013 with no expectation of making it this far.

Dylan’s long family history of excellence in his trade has inspired a strong passion for his industry. His dad has been a plumber for almost 40 years and self-employed for over 30 of them. So, it comes as no surprise that plumbing became a part of Dylan’s life very early on. He first got involved with plumbing in primary school working with his father on weekends and school holidays.  After completing year 12 Dylan began his formal apprenticeship.

What he enjoys most about his job?

Dylan says he enjoys standing back after completing a task and seeing the results of what he has created. “It’s always satisfying to have worked and thought hard about all the aspects of a particular task I have to complete then to be able to see it all come together, as it brings me a sense of achievement.”

Would he recommend Plumbing as a trade to others?

Dylan definitely recommends Plumbing as a trade providing it’s what they really want to do. He believes that to achieve the best you need to be passionate and proud of what you do. Plumbing is definitely not for everyone, but those who choose to pursue a prosperous career will often flourish in a success.

He has without a doubt done Australia proud on the world stage. We wish him all the best for his future!

John Mercieca and the MEGT team were at the Victorian Amateur Football League (VAFA) under 19’s grand final this weekend, as Old Xaverians took on St. Bernards. We weren’t just there as spectators though (although it was a cracker, well done Old Xaverians!).

MEGT are helping to place young job seekers into apprenticeships and traineeships. The simple fact is that there are a lot of vacancies across Victoria and we want to raise awareness and encourage young people to plan for their future – because a 4 year apprenticeship, or 12 month traineeship, can lead to a very – VERY – rewarding career.

All it takes to get started is a trip to the MEGT jobs board.

MEGT’s Indigenous Apprenticeship and Traineeship Network (IATN) is proud to partner with Rail Freight Company, Aurizon in a training and employment program based in Rockhampton, Queensland. This program is funded under the Dept of Prime Minister & Cabinet (PMC) IAS Programs with the key focus being on employment outcomes.

This project had been under negotiation for some time prior to the official approval being given, sparking a lot of interest throughout the Indigenous Communities in the targeted footprint. Once the advertising commenced the applications came flooding in and over 170 people attended one of the three Information sessions held.

96 people applied for and were interviewed for the project with 20 people chosen to move into the Pre-apprenticeship Program at the University of Central Queensland (UCQ) where they will complete their Certificate 2 in Engineering Pathways.

Five weeks into the program and Aurizon, UCQ and MEGT have been astounded by the level of enthusiasm and determination shown by this group. At this stage, all 20 participants are on track to complete their Certificate 2 in Engineering Pathways which will open up opportunities for possible apprenticeships and traineeships with Aurizon.

Career choice

Nathan’s journey began in 2011, with a pre-apprenticeship program, when his TAFE teacher told him about the opportunity to apply for a position at Qenos, as a dual trade apprentice. Based on his interest in physics, chemistry and mathematics, he chose Electro-technology, which would compliment a career in electrical and instrumentation as well as in the Oil Refining industry.

Future opportunities

As a 3rd year apprentice, Nathan is currently doing a dual trade apprenticeship in electrical and instrumentation, where MEGT hosts his employment with Qenos Pty Ltd. Qenos specialises in petrochemicals and plastic manufacturing in the oil refining industry. In addition to his TAFE courses, he is also working to attain an Advanced Diploma in Electrical Engineering (which will be completed when he gets his electrical licence at the end of his apprenticeship) and a Certificate IV in Instrumentation and Control.

Love for the job

According to Nathan, the electrical and instrument trade is a very diverse and complex industry, providing challenges that are unique to any other trade. The job constantly requires you to understand and apply new skills, specifically when old instruments are replaced. In addition, the trade requires a high level of training in safety and awareness.

Advice for someone who is thinking about joining the industry?

Nathan considers starting an apprenticeship as one of the best ways to get on the job training and obtain qualifications which are highly regarded by business and industry. The training is government regulated to ensure that those who embark on apprenticeships are provided with the best possible training as well as a mentor, who can give an apprentice the best possible experience and training for an ongoing career.

NSW Minister for Skills John Barilaro recently announced the NSW Government’s $10 million initiative that will provide a platform for more students to access training and include greater support for school leavers.

The NSW Government will cap the cost of traineeships at $1000 as part of a reform package for vocational education and training. The adjustment is in response to ongoing consultation with training providers, industry and students.

More than 85 percent of current traineeship qualifications on the NSW Skills List will be cheaper for students from 2016, with an average saving of $1128 under this initiative.

To encourage students into considering a career in the trades, the Minister has also pledged to place 2000 school-leavers into free pre-apprenticeships courses leading to apprenticeships and traineeships.

“A pre-apprenticeship is an essential way for school leavers to be introduced to a career as a trades person. The pre-apprenticeship gives the student an opportunity to consider and be assessed to achieve the right individual and trade match, increasing the number of trade qualifications achieved,” says MEGT RMS General Manager, Colin McCabe.

“With the end of the school year drawing close, I would encourage students considering a career in the trades to take advantage of these initiatives. Access to high-quality affordable training will also lead to employers having a skilled workforce.”

Information sources
www.beyondblue.org.au
www.lifeline.org.au
www.headspace.org.au
www.davcorp.com.au

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