Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty high school principals visited local companies on Tuesday to get a better sense of the student career options and what business is looking for from new employees.
"We do this every year to get our principals out from behind their desks and engaged in the business community to see what is happening and the kind of skills and competencies their students will need," said Lynn Parlane, manager of Priority One's InStep, which organises the visit.
Ten principals took part in this year's programme, which was focused around the theme of creativity in the working environment. The tour included visits to Trustpower's new activities-based head office in Durham St, engineering consultants Beca, and Pathlab, as well as briefings on the new Waikato University campus, and the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance.
Tauranga Boys' College headmaster Robert Mangan said the visit provided a "real view" of what is going on in the local business community.
"It's a great opportunity for us to get and out and get a better understanding of workplaces and work environments, and the needs of our local community," he said.