North Canterbury careers expo goes online
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
An innovative approach is ensuring North Canterbury youth have access to careers guidance, amid Covid-19 uncertainty.
The North Canterbury Youth Futures careers expo has gone online, Waimakariri District Council community team manager Tessa Sturley said at last week’s community and recreation meeting.
The careers expo was first held in 2019, but has since been disrupted by Covid-19, so the steering group made the decision earlier this year to go online.
The steering group comprised representatives from the council’s community team, Rangiora and Kaiapoi high schools, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development and ComCol North Canterbury.
The North Canterbury Youth Futures steering group was established in response to a growing concern young people were leaving school with no idea what career they wanted to pursue.
The expo was hosted by Rangiora High School in 2019 and 2021, and was open to all North Canterbury youth, or anyone considering a career change, will all schools in the Waimakariri and Hurunui districts invited to attend.
The development of an online presence has been led by Waimakariri District Council youth development facilitator Emily Belton and Joseph Houghton, from the Ministry of Education.
To help guide the development of online tools, the steering group conducted focus groups with pupils at schools in the Waimakariri and Hurunui districts.
Responses varied depending on the age of students and whether they were rural or urban.
Some envisaged that careers may take them overseas, while recognition of the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and concerns for the environment featured strongly.
Facebook and Instagram pages were being used to promote career pathways, educational opportunities, how to write a CV and how to present transferable skills.
‘‘It’s giving young people tips about how to present what looks like an empty CV, so employers will find it interesting,’’ Sturley said.
‘‘It’s about helping young people to form a plan for their future direction.
"Next year we will look at doing both an in-person event and having an online presence.’’
Sturley said the steering group had made a soft launch this month, putting up links to resources and opportunities.
Video content of interviews with local employers, young people and mentoring would be shared over the coming weeks.
For now, the Waimakariri district did not quality for the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs programme, which was proving successful in the Hurunui and Kaikoura districts.
But Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said the criteria was being reviewed to widen the scope of the programme beyond the 30,000 resident population limit.
‘‘We do provide some funding and support to councils to run the programme, so it would be really good to be able to provide those opportunities in our district.
"We do have low unemployment in our district, but there’s always people who fall through the gaps.’’
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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$50 garden centre vouchers!
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Congratulations to:
Cassie Arauzo from Cockle Bay
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Family Friendly Service and Discussion
Note change of time from summer start time.
Next family-friendly monthly service - Sunday, 6 October - at the Ashley Community Church. The gathering will start at 3.30 pm with a shared afternoon tea. Remember to bring something to share!
Also remember to go before you come as there is no toilet on site.
Enquiries to Paul or Lesley, Ph 021 140 2074
39 Canterbury St, Ashley.
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