A landmark NSW Government program is giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students the opportunity to work as trainees in police stations across Northern NSW.

Year 11 and 12 students have started work in stations at Bourke, Walgett, Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge to learn business skills and gain valuable experience in the workplace as part of their HSC studies.

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the traineeship program would help students graduate with job-ready skills.

“This landmark partnership with NSW Police is designed to equip students with essential workplace skills that will count towards their HSC,” Mr Lee said.

“This is about maximising exposure to real-world environments so students can apply what they are learning in the classroom and walk straight into employment after they finish high school.”

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said gaining experience in the workplace was a valuable opportunity for students to understand the challenging and rewarding aspects of work and what they needed to do to prepare.

“It’s fantastic to see this partnership bring students into the workplace. It’s important for Year 11 and 12 students to have diverse experiences to be able to decide what they’d like to do after school, so having this exposure will give them some great insight,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Not only is it a chance to think about their future, it’s also an opportunity to understand what it takes to join the workforce and how they can contribute to the community in post-school life.”

Minister For Police and Emergency Services David Elliott commended the partnership between NSW police and Training Services NSW.

“Policing is an exceptionally rewarding way to serve the community and is a career in which these students, should they choose to join, would be supported with educational opportunities and safety nets,” Mr Elliott said.

“It’s great to see Central North Police District building working relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to help them envisage a future career with NSW Police.”

Students are enrolled in a Certificate III in Business Administration at the Australian College of Commerce and Management where they learn office skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, email communication and accounts clerical.

Students will be required to fulfil 100 hours of work placement, working one day per week during each school term.

For more information on school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, visit this Website