The students from Hills Sports High School have given the Thumbs Up for their work experience program at Access Industries.
Providing school-to-work training opportunities through our Work Experience Program is just one of the supported services we offer at Access Industries. For senior students in Years 9 – 12, their regular weekly on-the-job training is an opportunity to develop valuable employment skills over time, in a supported environment, to help the transition to employment when they leave school.
Hills Sports High has been partnering with Access for 8 years or more in this program, primarily in the packing facility at Seven Hills. Typically, the students will learn work skills such as:
- Sorting and counting
- Following instructions
- Becoming familiar with routine
- Taking direction for a supervisor or leading hand
- Fine motor skills involved with packing and sorting.
“The students love work experience here and often ask to be able to work at Access when they leave school, said Rita Saleh, support teacher with Hills Sports High.
According to Rita, and Najiba Ismail, Safety and Training Coordinator at Access, the program exemplifies its success with over six students from Hills Sports High so far having made the transition from work experience to permanent supported employment with Access Industries Packing Solutions. “This is exactly the outcome we are looking for, “ says Najiba.
School Learning Support Officer David Laraghy also attends work experience with the students. “They love coming here,” he said. “It is open, airy and friendly. A great environment to learn in.”
The program runs once a week all year-round during term time. The same group attends each week so that overtime they will have developed a sufficient level of skills and workplace confidence to make transition to work as comfortable and productive as possible.
A fundamental philosophy of Access Industries is to ensure employees have opportunities to achieve their goals. Training and support enforce this philosophy.
The purpose of work experience is to identify and develop individual skills and place people into appropriate job, with the training and support they need to achieve their employment goals.