Former Moama Anglican Grammar student Connor Bacon has a rewarding career with McDonald’s, which started as a school-based traineeship.
With more and more students considering alternate career pathways, school-based traineeships and apprenticeships are proving to be choices that build workplace skills and confidence that provide a solid foundation for any future career.
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Moama Anglican Grammar has a strong focus on Vocational, Educational and Training (VET) pathways — school-based apprenticeships and school-based traineeships are two of the many options offered to students to kick-start their careers earlier than most.
School-based apprenticeships offer an alternative career option, allowing students to commence vocational training, earn a wage and get hands-on experience, all while completing their secondary education.
School-based traineeships allow Year 10, 11 and 12 students to work part-time with a partner business and complete their formal traineeship training by the end of their HSC year.
Moama Anglican Grammar alumnus Connor Bacon started a school-based traineeship in Year 11, working toward completion of a Certificate III in Retail with McDonald’s Echuca.
Connor, who graduated in 2020, recalls that as a relatively shy student, he didn’t always enjoy school as much as other students.
So, he found doing a school-based traineeship really suited him, allowing him to undertake one day per week out of school, learning on the job at McDonald’s. The traineeship also contributed toward his HSC grades and ATAR.
Connor started working at McDonald’s at 16 as a crew member. A while after he commenced his traineeship, he was promoted to become a crew-trainer.
He has proceeded to move up the ranks at McDonald’s, picking up an award for School-based Apprentice of the Year at the 2020 VET Awards along the way, and is now a department manager.
Connor strongly recommends school-based traineeships to students who are looking for a different experience after graduating school.
“It’s allowed me to work up the ranks at my workplace and to enjoy and do a lot of different things in many different areas ... all of this happened quite quickly,” he said.
“It would normally take someone quite a bit longer to progress and get the same qualifications.”
Connecting students and community
Connor was one of the guest speakers at Moama Anglican Grammar’s recent Business Connect Morning.
Moama Anglican Grammar welcomed representatives from businesses across the district to facilitate connections with the school, and importantly, the students.
The school is committed to creating and strengthening mutually beneficial connections with key industries and community groups in Echuca-Moama.
Businesses can identify and nurture relationships with potential future employees who return to/stay in the region after finishing their studies
There is an abundance of opportunity for partnerships, including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, industry and workplace visits, work experience programs and student award sponsorships.
For more information, contact the school’s Head of VET, Kim McFadden, via email at mmcfadden@moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au or phone on 5480 5900. Or take a look at the ‘Get Involved’ brochure at: https://bit.ly/3axrprk
