News

Work Experience first for MDAS

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 05:33:00

The Mallee region’s biggest employer of Koori people has taken another step to help smooth the transition for young people from education to employment.

A Work Experience Program will be available at Mallee District Aboriginal Services for the first time in the new school year for tertiary and secondary school students in Year 10 and above.
MDAS People and Culture Business Partner Tara Smyth said the program would offer workplace experience in a range of administrative, health service and family service function areas.
“Our aim is to offer that taste of the workplace and how great a career can be within an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation,” Ms Smyth said.
“Work experience is available to any eligible student who is interested in a career in the services MDAS provides – but we are hoping, in particular, to smooth the transition between education and employment for Koori students.”
MDAS Chief Executive Officer Rudolph Kirby said the program would be available to students from across the Mallee at the MDAS Mildura and Swan Hill sites.
“As recently as last week, with the release of the Mildura State of the Children report we saw that we are getting results and improving outcomes from the very focussed programs and approach we are taking in working with families with very young children,” Mr Kirby said.
“We are starting to see the results from intensive programs aimed at the conception to five years age group.  But that same report also gave the message that we need to mirror that approach with our young people as they travel through education and move onto employment.
“This year we introduced a system of traineeships to MDAS for the first time, and now I’m really pleased to get this Work Experience program in place.  It is the first step to encouraging a new generation of young people to explore all the great careers available with us and other similar organisations.”
Students, partents and teachers wanting to learn more can visit the new Work Experience portal on the MDAS website at www.mdas.org.au