Marlborough Magazine October 18 | Page 8

STORY & FEATURE BY SUMMA MACDONALD Peter Baker, highly valued ‘Gateway Liaison’ seen here being hoist into the air by appreciative ‘Gateway Programme’ participants, who have successfully entered apprenticeships thanks to the support and dedication of Peter and those involved in the Gateway programme industries involving 50 local businesses, which shows the volume of community interest supporting the programme. 16 have already left to begin their apprenticeships, with more to start by the end of the year, and another 10 will continue with tertiary after collage. The rest will hopefully have an apprenticeship or job offer once they complete the year” says Pete proudly. Pete gets inspiration from the programme when he sees young men who started on ‘Gateway’ five or six years ago and are now fully qualified in their chosen industry and have remained working in Marlborough. Leigh Jones, (pictured top right) owner of Nazareth Joinery Ltd shares the same views on the programme. “From a business prospective, we get an insight into the person prior to taking them on” says Leigh, “this is extremely valuable as we want new team members to fit in well with our team environment”. With four apprentices successfully employed via the programme, Leigh has been impressed with the calibre of the young boys. Gateway for the future As a parent, we often imagine and sometimes worry what our children will do with their lives and what path their journey will take them on. We watch from the sidelines hoping that they have taken on board the skills, lessons and advice that we, their parents, their teachers, caregivers and roles models have given them to take on the world. Is it me, or does the world in which the next generation is embarking on seem to be very different to the working world that many of us entered into? With a significant increase in competitive career opportunities that are vastly changing before we can blink, our youth now have the added pressure of not only being skilled in their chosen career but the need to upskill and adapt to constantly evolving new technologies and advancements. Life doesn’t seem as simple as it used to be. With such a range of opportunities and entrepreneurial advantages, how do our young people start to determine what it is that they want to do? I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gateway Liaison, Peter Baker from the Marlborough College, who has been a dedicated ambassador for the year 12 and 13 boys aspiring to get a start on the career-ladder before they leave school. The ‘Gateway Programme’ at the college is part of a nationwide initiative to help students make informed decisions on their direction after leaving school. Purely having this opportunity has guaranteed these boys a head start and will potentially set them up with a bright future. What is unique about the Marlborough Boys College programme is that it’s not just for a short period of a term, these boys commit to one full day of work a week for the entire year with a local business in the trade or service they are interested in. This allows them to fully experience what commitment to a role involves and to gain as much experience as they can. During school holidays, they are also given the opportunity to work full time for the holiday period, allowing them the experience of what a full weeks work feels like. The programme is ideal for students who have decided that tertiary education is not the road they want to take and are keen to enter the workforce. Some have found that after completing the programme, they have discovered their preferred industry will involve some extra study time and university or tertiary education is required to allow them to be qualified for the role they want. Young men on the Gateway programme leave school with a minimum of a Restricted Drivers Licence after completing driving classes which the ‘Gateway’ programme puts them through. During class time, they have the opportunity to complete papers on the industry they are training in which also gives them credits towards their NCEA. This year, the boys averaged just over 30 NCEA credits per student, to put that into perspective, Level 2 NCEA requires 60 credits for a pass, so these students are well on their way to passing the school year by just being part of this programme. Leigh explains that he left school when he was 15 and went straight into an apprenticeship, so he knows the value in getting a head start in the trade sector and is pleased he is able to give the same advantage to young people that he had himself. “The advantage of being able to grow personally and professionally within an industry while you earn sets you up for success” says Leigh. Phil Yuen owner of Aotea Electrical Ltd has had great success with taking on apprentices through the ‘Gateway programme’ and reiterates how important it is for the industry. “The programme helps find solid, reliable apprentices which only benefits the future of the trade” says Phil. “It also gives the employer the chance to see if the person really does want to commit to working and allows the student the chance to find out if that trade is actually what they really want to do. They really get a realistic opportunity to make a decision on their future”. Leigh Jones with Luke Yarrall, who has accepted the latest apprenticeship offered via the Gate-way Programme. Luke will proudly step into the workforce, well prepared and confident, ready to commence his employment with Nazareth Joinery Ltd at the beginning of the next school term. - Congratulations to you Luke Working alongside Pete is careers advisor Gail Fletcher, who says the programme ensures boys don’t slip through the cracks and leave collage without a plan or goal in mind. She says that the programme is a real testament to Pete’s ability to support and keep the boys on the right track. “They really respect and trust him as he has a real knack for ensuring the boys are in the right work environments that will allow them to thrive. The programme also boosts their confidence and allows them to enjoy school which in turn, encourages them to be there and makes the transition between school and work easier” says Gail Pete put me in contact with Johnny Andrews who is a real success story of the ‘Gateway Programme.’ From a young age, Johnny made the decision to leave the family home for a more stable environment living with his grandparents, whose influence pushed him to work hard towards his goals and to create his own path. After discovering a passion for flying when gifted a trial flight for his birthday, Johnny decided his dream was to become a pilot. While going to college and working part time at New World, employers Ashley and Melanie Shore were so impressed with Johnny they put him forward for a scholarship for flying lessons to help him get closer to his goals. His dedication and determination had not gone unnoticed and he also received a 2nd scholarship thanks to Litchfield Trust and Custom Copy. Some students can be accepted on to apprenticeships before they finish their school year, meaning they can begin upskilling earlier than most. This year, 10 boys have either entered the work force or are preparing to. “Local support of the programme over the last few years has been excellent” says Pete, “with a number of employers now having had three to four students who have either completed or are well into their apprenticeships. The boys also benefit from setting and maintaining work place standards. They can build a good reputation which goes an incredibly long way in communities like Marlborough”. After entering the ‘Gateway Programme’, Johnny received a placement with Sounds Air and did 2 years of training and completed his first solo flight at the ripe age of only 16, this allowed him to experience the industry first hand and begin study in aviation to ensure a head start into the industry he had become so passionate about. Johnny is now a commercial pilot for Pelorus Air at the age of 22. With the experience he gained by committing and working hard and utilising the support of the Gateway Programme, Johnny has achieved his dream with a lifetime still ahead of him. “The programme allows students to build the confidence they need in those last years of school” says Johnny. “Not having the strongest skills in numeracy or literature can make a student feel incompetent, but by discovering a skill set that gives them the chance to learn and excel, in turn, gives them the motivation to keep learning and build on their new found confidence. The opportunity to get a taste for the workforce while at school is a great way to have a realistic transition from school into the workforce” After ticking off a big life goal at such a young age, Johnny can now refocus on making new dreams come true which includes heading off to Canada to fly float planes in some of the most picturesque waterways in the world. I have been inspired by Pete’s humble generosity of his time and willingness to help our local youth and give them the positive head start that every child could benefit from. As a mother of two young boys, I feel extremely lucky that they have such a fantastic opportunity available to them if they need it. With the selfless and dedicated support of ‘cheerleaders’ like Pete and other members of guidance teams, we can be confident that our youth will choose the right path to follow to be the future leaders we need them to be. If your son, daughter or a young person you know would benefit greatly from this experience, encourage them to talk to Pete or their careers advisor at their college about applying to the programme. This could be the best start they could get! “This year, we have had 51 students enter the programme covering 25 different Luke Yarrall, Nazareth Joinery Ltd Johnny Andrews - Commercial Pilot, previous Gateway Student 9