Almost 90 per cent of Clontarf graduates from the South Burnett and Darling Downs were working or studying within the first six months of leaving school in 2018.
Of the 49 school leavers, 43 were engaged with bettering their future by May. Of these, nine were apprentices, four were doing traineeships, two were at TAFE and one was studying a Bachelor of Education to become a teacher.
Trey Dodd entered his diesel fitting apprenticeship at heq Crane Diesel and Gas shortly after graduating from Dalby State High School. He got the job after having “the best possible first job” with Clontarf partner Bunnings while still at school.
Trey then attended Dalby Academy worksite visits to the heq workshop and nearby Yancoal mine (Clontarf partner).
“I saw all the trucks at the mine site and thought ‘that’s what I want to work on’,” Trey said.
heq Business Development Manager, Greg Larsen, said having Trey as part of the team was a bonus.
“He’s a top kid,” Greg said.
GTS Plumbing’s David Gordon is stoked with his Clontarf graduate and apprentice in Tyrone Pearson.
The Toowoomba owner-operator said Tyrone was a hard worker with a fantastic attitude.
“Tyrone’s willing to learn and gets right in there,” David said.
“He doesn’t shirk from a task and Clontarf has been more than helpful with supporting him. I’d go back to them for an apprentice in the future.”
Clontarf Regional Manager Andrew McDonagh praised the work of his staff and said the support its corporate partners gave to the program was invaluable.
“Without our corporate partners the young men we work with would not obtain the many opportunities we provide to become work-ready on leaving school,” Andrew said.
“Not only do our partners employ our students but they open their eyes to a whole new world of opportunities.”
