NECA attracts and rewards young talent

The electrical industry, like most industries, is witnessing rapid technological advancements. Given the fast pace of change, it’s important for electrical contractors to learn new skills to keep up with the demands of the job. Contractors are increasingly assessing opportunities to improve their business and financial skills and we, at NECA, are constantly looking at ways to further improve the training our apprentices receive.

The association is not only helping contractors stay informed and competitive but it is also playing a role in encouraging young students to join the challenging and rapidly changing industry. NECA has a number of initiatives, specifically targeting at school leavers, to attract the talent early. One such initiative is supporting the Australian Government publication, Job Guide, for Year 10 students. NECA also supports the Guide to Your Career wall chart which is distributed free of charge to the career advisers and counsellors at all secondary schools and reaches up to 175,000 Year 12 students. The association also runs a School Students Awards program. The aim of this program is to acknowledge students with considerable talent or passion for the electrical and communications industry, while also demonstrating the range of career options the industry can offer.

There are two categories of awards:

• Commitment to Industry - this category is targeted towards those students following a school-based apprenticeship or similar vocational path who have demonstrated a keen commitment to pursuing an electrical career.
• Innovation - this category includes students who have demonstrated excellence in electrical-related categories and have developed innovative solutions to challenges.

These awards are open to students enrolled in years 9, 10, 11 and 12 at a secondary school in Australia. Principals, teachers and industry representatives are invited to nominate students. The winners receive up to $1000 with the overall winners in each category receiving a travel allowance for themselves and a guardian to attend the event.

Separately, NECA also hosts the Trade Teacher Awards program to recognise the critical role played by trade teachers. The awards are open to teachers currently employed by either a public or private registered training organisation and who teach technical subjects as part of the Electrical Trades course. In this program, the teachers must be nominated by a colleague, team leader or a head of department.

The nominees are assessed in three key areas: excellence in teaching, innovative practice and client satisfaction - both learners and employers. The winner receives $5000 made up of both cash and professional development allowance. This year’s winner will be announced in conjunction with NECA’s National Apprentice Awards in Sydney on 27 November 2013.

If you know someone who might be eligible for these awards, request them to go to www.neca.asn.au for more information. And if you’re a contractor wanting to improve your business skills, please speak to our membership teams to see what courses are currently available.

www.neca.asn.au