How School to Jobs is helped Jeremy make a smooth transition into the workforce.
From playing with toy dozers and loaders as a kid to pursing a career in civil construction, Jeremy Hall has traded the sandbox for the construction plot as he works with Bama Services to gain experience, learn valuable skills and jump right into the workforce.
During his final year of school with Djarragun College Jeremy was approached by School to Jobs Coordinator Krista Christensen, and the two begun speaking about Jeremy’s future and how he could transition from school into work.
Krista extended the branch to work with Bama Services through School to Jobs and Jeremy jumped at the chance.
Within a few weeks he was out in the world gaining experience and learning new skills in his role as a Landscape Maintenance Crew Worker with Bama Services.
During his few months at Bama Services, Jeremy has learned all about gardening, landscaping and maintenance, and enjoys being on the ground working.
“I wasn’t afraid to get stuck in, I’m not fussy when it comes to work and I love working with my hands, so Bama was a great choice,” he said.
“Going through School to Jobs has definitely made it easier for me to have a good outlook on work and not look at it like school – I got to get to work and get some money.
“It has given me more drive and every morning I get up and am keen to hit it hard.”
School to Jobs is a program that seeks to bridge the gap between school leavers and the workforce, helping them gain and maintain meaningful employment. Krista said Jeremy is just one of many students that have benefitted from the program and she hopes more students will follow in his footsteps.
“Making the transition from school to work can be a difficult process for students, especially if they struggled with engagement at school,” she said. “School to Jobs seeks to make that transition as smooth as possible so we get more Indigenous youth gaining meaningful employment and falling in love with the world of work.”
School to Jobs seeks to make that transition as smooth as possible, so we get more Indigenous youth gaining meaningful employment and falling in love with the world of work.
School to Jobs Coordinator, Krista Christensen
Working at Bama Services has given Jeremy the chance to gain firsthand experience in the workforce and enabled him to upskill and prepare for his next steps.
Jeremy is looking to obtain tickets for heavy machinery used in earthmoving and construction as he wants to eventually secure a job in civil construction.
“I want to get some more things under my belt and I’m not afraid to learn new things,” he said. “I’m always willing to give it a go and you’ll never know if you never try.
“I want to get training on heavy machinery and end up operating them, just like the ones I used to play with as a kid.”
Working for Bama Services has made Jeremy more mature and responsible, and he said without School to Jobs program, it would have been considerably harder for him to make a smooth transition from school to work.
“I wasn’t planning on working straight after school, I wanted to chill out for a bit,” he said. “But just sitting at home all day not doing anything with myself is really frustrating – now I’m either earning or I’m learning.
“Looking back now I definitely made the right choice and I’m thankful that I did.”
Jeremy has issued a message for any students who have the chance to become part of School to Jobs.
“Go for it and you won’t regret it, reach for the stars and you can do whatever you want to do.”
Go for it and you won’t regret it, reach for the stars and you can do whatever you want to do.
School to Jobs participant Jeremy Hall
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