Preschool children in Gunnedah are enjoying a new bench seat courtesy of a trades-based career program.
The custom-made bench seat was designed by students from Gunnedah High School as part of the Whitehaven Coal careers engagement program.
Last week it was officially presented to children at Gunnedah Preschool.
“The students did everything, it was great to see them having a go,” program coordinator Steve Wicks said.
It was one of two wooden bench seats created for local schools – another was gifted to GS Kidd Memorial School. The seats are supported with a steel-fabricated frame – also built by the high school students, including Ayden Greatrix.
It was not Ayden’s first welding project and likely won’t be his last given his future career aspirations.
“I want to do a dual trade – mechanical and boilermaking,” Ayden said.
The Year 10 student’s upcoming projects include a vice which he and classmates are each building from scratch.
Students will also be constructing a hammer on the lathe as part of their major assessment.
All materials for the projects are donated by Whitehaven Coal as part of a $25,000 grant for the careers program.
“We’re supporting initiatives that will help the community,” Mr Wicks said.
“We’re lucky to be given the grant.”
The program started this year and aims to provide new career and education opportunities for Year 10 students in the Gunnedah district.
It is based on a successful trade program hosted by BHP Billiton in Gunnedah more than a decade ago.
Mr Wicks said this program had a success rate of 92 per cent for participants finding employment or continuing with their schooling after the program.
