Students from Nambour Special School are rolling up their sleeves to complete their VET course at local recycling facility Urban Depot.

The senior cohort of the school belongs to the STEP program which stands for Supporting Transition through Engaging Partnerships.  They are completing a Certificate 1 in Access to Vocational Pathways (Cert 1 AVP).

It’s a two-year course led by Trainer Mark Weaver from Nambour Special School. “The Urban Depot experience is a perfect example of how beneficial community partnerships can be for students in their final years of school,” he said. “The course can be described as a work readiness course designed around modules that prepare trainees to engage in workplace practices.”

The practices currently in focus with the staff of Urban Depot and under the supervision of Jason Irwin are about mapping, signs and symbols in the workplace setting.

“They are gaining valuable practical experience about workplace safety and expectations.

“Jason has been instrumental in ensuring that safety is at the forefront of their time in this Containers for Change facility. He emphasised this important component by issuing each trainee with their own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) of safety goggles, ear protectors and work gloves.”

Mark said the students’ efforts were rewarded in cash. “This is a real community partnership which includes support from Nambour Heights Bowls Club as well as the Nambour Men’s Shed,” he said. “Our regular Thursdays start with the collection of recyclables from the local bowls club and the men’s shed. 

“We process the items back at our ‘Can Cave’ at school and then bring the sorted recyclables to Urban Depot. To date we have been able to use funds from this ‘cash for containers’ program to purchase laptops for student use. The program has gone from strength to strength.

“The relatable young staff from Urban Depot have provided our trainees with effective and meaningful experiences in a safe and supportive environment.”