High school work placement leads to 12-month traineeship for Wadandi woman

Far from the stereotype of just fetching coffee and performing menial tasks, a young Busselton student has proven that work experience placements can really pay off. Busselton Wadandi woman Khulia Weston has just signed up to be an apprentice with South West business Pindari after spending time during her Year 12 studies learning the ropes at the firm. She will now study and work at the same time thanks to her 12-month traineeship position with the aim of completing a Certificate III in Business. The course offers a pathway into key areas of business administration. Ms Weston will be working with the building, electrical and maintenance firm’s finance, recruitment, human resources and mobilisation teams as its second administrative trainee at the head office in Dunsborough. “I feel very comfortable with the Pindari team and hope that doing the traineeship will broaden my knowledge to one day open my own business,” she said. Pindari co-owner and executive director Natalie Venosi said the traineeship program was an exciting opportunity. “This is the second time Pindari has partnered with South Regional TAFE for an administration traineeship and we hope there will be many more,” she said. “It’s important to us to invest in the community in which we live and work. Having young Aboriginal people in the office is fantastic. It breathes new life into the business and is a natural fit.” Busselton Senior High School VET co-ordinator Connie Watson said she was thrilled to watch Ms Weston’s journey and her commitment to the traineeship opportunity had set her up for a bright future. “Khulia’s impressive performance at her Aboriginal school-based traineeship with Pindari during Year 12 has really opened up doors for her,” she said. “She is now employed full-time by Pindari and is furthering her study with an employment-based traineeship. “With the support of Pindari, this transition to work has been seamless.”