Financial boost on offer

GTE Apprenticeships Traineeships is proud to announce the launch of a new scholarship made possible by partnering with the Community Bank Mt Gambier & District.

The financial support the scholarship provides is intended to be used by the recipient to reduce the burden of costs associated with undertaking their qualification, such as travel for work and/or training, tools, maintaining reliable transport, living away from home expenses, etc.

The $3000 scholarship is open to any apprentice or trainee who is employed by Group Training Employment, lives in the Limestone Coast and who is employed under a Contract of Training which is current at the time of nomination and still has a minimum of 10 months until the nominal completion date.

Community Bank Mt Gambier & District branch manager Emma Horrigan said they had a long relationship with GTE as a Host Employer, with five trainees now having completed their training while working in the local branch.

“Our most recent trainee Taylor Freeman was also a GTE Trainee of the Year Award recipient and since completing her traineeship has moved into the new role of Customer Service Officer,” Emma said. “Through the awards process I had asked Charlie if there was more we could do with GTE, maybe sponsoring one of their awards, and that is where the suggestion to create this scholarship came from.

“Taylor had been outstanding during her traineeship and provided a lot of value to the branch and its daily operations. She worked hard and made a genuine positive impact in the workplace. If we were to have lost that due to her not wanting to continue because of financial hardship, it would’ve been a terrible loss.

“Fortunately that wasn’t the case for us, but if we can provide this scholarship as a way of supporting a trainee or apprentice in our region who is at risk of not continuing, we will be proud to have helped them and our community.”

Taylor Freeman said the opportunity to complete her traineeship with GTE and Community Bank Mount Gambier & District really set her off on a great career path.

“I have learnt new skills while earning and formed some great relationships,” she said. “I am appreciative of the support I’ve received from Emma and the team and am glad to see them being able to offer more of that to an apprentice or trainee outside of our immediate workplace.”

GTE WHS & compliance officer Charlie Matthews said the way the apprenticeship and traineeship system was structured, with tiered wage progression over time, sees many people that take this career path struggle due to earning a lower income in the early stages.

“This unfortunately increases the potential for workers to leave their apprenticeship or traineeship before completing in order to secure more gainful employment and reduce their financial strain,” he said. “The problem with this is that while paying more early on, those job roles nearly always see a worker’s overall earning potential significantly limited and foster less formally accredited skills development.

“Now with the support of the Community Bank Mount Gambier & District we can help make that journey a bit easier for someone who might otherwise find it difficult to complete. This doesn’t just benefit the individual, but also the wider community.”

Apprentices and trainees can nominate themselves or be nominated by their employer, trade school lecturer, parent or anyone who feels that the nominee has an aptitude in their employment and would benefit from financial assistance.

Nomination forms and further information are available from Group Training Employment, 173 Commercial Street West, Mount Gambier SA 5290 or email [email protected]

Nominations need to be lodged prior to 5pm Friday, February 21, 2025.