Esperance is a remote regional centre located in the south east of Western Australia, with the closest significantly sized community 400km away. Esperance is a popular tourist destination and the area abounds in natural attractions, including some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia.
Due to the size and location of the Shire, it is at times difficult to attract applicants to move to Esperance. The Shire has therefore implemented a strategy of upskilling local people, as well as current employees, where possible and assist them to enter the workforce and/or to create career pathways. Traineeships provide an opportunity to learn skills at work at the same time as undertaking formal training through a registered training provider.
The Shire of Esperance endeavours to offer workplace traineeships wherever possible and currently has 11 trainees in non-traditional trainee occupations. Accessing the technical skills required for these positions is difficult in remote locations such as ours and by offering traineeships, the Shire is increasing the pool of people with these skills within our community. Often the Shire relies on only one employee with the relevant skills and knowledge, therefore it is essential that we upskill and have succession planning in place. Providing traineeships helps to alleviate this issue.
The Shire currently employs 11 Trainees across a diverse range of occupations including Aged Care, Civil Construction and Design, Surveying, Aquatics and Community Recreation, Sport and Fitness and Business. Past traineeships have also included Sound Production, Horticulture, Irrigation in addition to those already offered. In 2021 five of our Trainees successfully completed their Traineeships and went on to be offered positions within the Shire and progress their careers. One Trainee was the successful recipient of the South Regional TAFE Trainee of the Year award.
Job Application: Hints & Tips
You don’t have to be applying to work at the Shire to need a helping hand with a job application!
Shire HR staff have worked hard to write up clear, step by step instructions on how to write a Cover Letter, Resume and How to Address Selection Criteria.
It can be so intimidating to have to produce these documents to apply for jobs and this is another example of how the Shire works to help the community as a whole.
Click on the links below to download the information sheets.
How to Write a Cover Letter
How to write a Resume
How to address a Selection Criteria
Civil Construction Design
Currently the Shire has one Civil Construction Design trainee and another commencing soon.
These trainees assist with the design and drafting for current and future year’s works programs using computer aided design and drafting software.
The drawings prepared by these staff enable the Shire’s civil engineering projects to be undertaken.
Surveying
The Shire has had two successful Surveying trainees over the past few years.
Both of these Trainees have been appointed to the role of Engineering Surveyor following the completion of their Cert III and the current Surveyor has now progressed and is now completing his Cert IV in Surveying.
The Shire will take on a third trainee in this qualification this year.
Aquatics and Community Recreation
The Shire has had great success in its traineeships in Aquatics and Community Recreation with three trainees completing their qualifications in this area over the past few years and one trainee is completing their Cert III.
This traineeship provides the trainee with the knowledge and skills relevant to the supervision and operation of an aquatic facility, plant and associated equipment and the monitoring and maintaining of water quality.
Sport and Recreation
One of our trainees is currently completing a Certificate III in Sport & Recreation which will enable them to develop knowledge and skills in community sport and aquatics including customer service, social media, risk assessment, safety and recreation sessions and programs. On completion of the traineeship they will have developed the skills to fulfil existing roles such as recreation officer, pool lifeguard, activity operation officer, sport and recreation attendant, community activities officer, leisure services officer.
Fitness
Another of our Trainees is currently completing their Cert IV Fitness. This qualification provides them with the skills and knowledge to begin a career as a personal trainer with specialist skills to train individual clients, or groups of clients, on a one-on-one or group basis, to improve health-related components of fitness in relatively low risk situations. It will enable them to develop safe and effective programs for a range of clients, including older adults, disabilities, teens, sports performance and general populations
This qualification provides a pathway to work in a diversity of fitness industry businesses including fitness centres, gyms, aquatic facilities, community facilities and in open spaces.
Certificate III & IV Business
This has been a very successful traineeship within the Shire, with three Trainees successfully completing this certification who, once completed their training, have been offered administrative roles within the Shire, thus expanding their knowledge and career options.
Two current trainees are studying this qualification which will provide basic skills and knowledge to work in different administration roles, learning how to give effective customer service, communicate in a business environment and what procedures and processes to follow in the workplace. Trainees will also develop the skills to produce business documents like reports, presentations and other computer-based documents and put these into practice in their workplace within the Shire.
We are proud that one of our Business Trainees was recently awarded the South Regional TAFE, 2021 Trainee of the Year.
Cert III Individual Support (Ageing)
With Australia’s ageing population — and people living longer — the demand for skilled aged care workers is increasing. In fact, aged care and disability support jobs are highly sought after in Australia.
The Shire currently employees 4 Trainees who are studying their Cert III in Individual Support (Ageing) which will equip them to commence a rewarding career providing direct care to clients in residential, home and community settings.
They are currently working in our Aged Care Service and provide personal, physical and emotional support to older people who require assistance with daily living. By supporting our older members of the community these trainees are making a tremendous difference to their quality of life and helping them achieve real personal satisfaction.