Vol. No. Vol. 2618No. 8 27
FREE PUBLICATION
A FREE PUBLICATION FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS 3WM AND MIXXFM
Wednesday, 13, 2023 2016 Wednesday,January August 23, FINALS FEVER: Kalkee and Rupanyup launched Horsham District league A Grade netball finals on Saturday with a competitive elimination performance. Panthers playing-coach Georgia Hiscock defends Kalkee shooter Jarrah Martin in Rupanyup’s 57-28 win. Finals continue this week between Edenhope-Apsley and Laharum on Saturday and Rupanyup and Noradjuha-Quantong on Sunday. Story, page 68. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Skills demand BY SEAN O’CONNELL
A
national campaign celebrating vocational learning bodes well for the Wimmera and southern Mallee and its strong employment prospects, leaders say.
Wimmera finals preview lift-out INSIDE TODAY
National Skills Week, which began on Monday, also highlights the unique challenges affecting the region, including low unemployment figures and the related difficulty in attracting suitable candidates. Federation University Wimmera campus director Christine Brown said there were many opportunities for people in the Wimmera and
southern Mallee wanting to pursue an apprenticeship or traineeship, with Federation TAFE delivering training in areas affected by a skills shortage. “We take enrolments in numerous in-demand areas identified in the Wimmera Southern Mallee skills plan,” she said. “These include electrical, plumbing, engineering, building and construction, and automotive industries, as well as offering traineeships in early childhood education, health and community services, including through our partnerships with Grampians Health and East Grampians Health Service.”
The priorities for the region were developed in line with the Victorian Skills Plan, released by the State Government last year. “The benefit to an apprenticeship or traineeship is that students get paid while they learn,” Ms Brown said. She said the emphasis of National Skills Week on changing perceptions around hands-on work, with the week setting out to challenge outdated myths, reinforced the value of these professions in the Wimmera and southern Mallee. “In my experience, the perception of apprenticeships and train-
eeships is quite strong, given the employment opportunities they provide,” she said. “We promote this fact through Federation TAFE and our course offerings through VET delivered to secondary schools, VETDS, and pathways.” Wimmera Southern Mallee Development chief executive Chris Sounness said the main challenge in the region, when it came to getting people into apprenticeships and traineeships, was very low unemployment figures. Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Power station proposal • City parking review • National silver for ‘Energetix’ Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
Father’s Day
Ultimate Experience Spend $20 at any Plaza store to enter. Drawn 12noon Friday, September 1.
AUDITED: 20,526 COPIES October 2022 to March 2023
Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au
4 hour Scenic Wine Helicopter flight for 3 guests includes
• • •
Land at Fallen Giants Vineyard Land at Mount Stapylton Wines—full wine tasting and picnic shared style lunch Scenic flight over Grampians National Park VALUED AT OVER $1600
KMART l SPOTLIGHT l REJECT SHOP l BEST & LESS l WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALTY STORES l WWW.HORSHAMPLAZA.COM.AU