In 2016, Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) and UCOL started an initiative to provide students with an opportunity to explore career options. The programme provides them with an insider’s view and first-hand experience.

“We’re giving students a potential career option, and to learn and work with us. Through this initiative, we’re growing our own talent.”
- Leigh Sage, Head of Building Services, PNCC

Participating students are selected from qualifications that align with the building services industry, such as architectural technology and construction management.

Open day

Each year PNCC’s building services team host approximately 20 students for a full day of activities, buddied up with experienced building officers to get a hands-on view of what the job entails.

Cadetship

The open day is the beginning process of selecting a candidate who will eventually join the team for a paid two-year cadetship. After the open day, interested students are invited to apply to the cadetship programme. The successful candidate will receive 30 hours of paid on the job training a week while completing his or her studies at UCOL.

Rochelle Andrew (pictured above) joined the PNCC team in January 2019 as a Building Officer after completing a two-year cadetship alongside her New Zealand Diploma in Architectural Technology studies.

“It has been an amazing opportunity. Working here and learning through this experience really helped me. I recommend to anyone to give it a go.”

The original story is on PNCC’s website. Image of Rochelle above is courtesy of PNCC.