Whanganui District Council opens it doors to students with Career Taster programme

Catherine Dutton and 100% SWEET Whanganui youth manager Jason Shailer have collaborated on the Career Taster programme. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui District Council is opening its doors to provide work experience for selected students through the Career Taster programme.

The programme will launch in 2019 and has been developed in conjunction with 100% SWEET Whanganui, which aims to get all school leavers into employment or training.

The programme will allow people aged 16-19, either still in school or having just left, to experience what work is like within various areas of council, in most cases for one week.

WDC human resources manager Catherine Dutton said it will be great to develop the future workforce and show youth the opportunities that exist for them in Whanganui.

"This programme offers students an unprecedented opportunity to gain an insight into a work area which interests them," Dutton said.

"The council is a great place to work because we have such a wonderfully diverse range of occupations".

The programme will run in terms one, two and three.

In term one, work experience will be available with four teams. They are civil defence and emergency, property and compliance, planning and communications.

Term two is likely to see opportunities available with Whanganui & Partners, policy, human resources and arts.

Libraries, IT/business solutions, venues and events and finance are potentially going to be available for work experience in term three.

Dutton said that the application process has been made as authentic as possible.

"Students learn everything from submitting an application, to short listing, to attending an interview to receiving feedback," she said.

Applications for term one close at 5pm on January 27, and can be found on the Whanganui District Council website.