TAFE instructor David Hold and marketing officer Barbara Caldarola  …  Barbara tested her dirt digging skills on the excavator display

August 6, 2014

The 2014 South Burnett Careers Market had something for everyone at the TAFE South West campus in Kingaroy on Tuesday.

The careers market attracted more than 500 students from five local schools.

Director of Client Services Jenelle Choyce said there were also quite a lot of home-schooled children, as well as adults in attendance.

“Did you know 40 per cent of our students are over 40 years of age?” she asked.

“They are people looking for advancement , or for a career change.”

The Careers Market has been held at Kingaroy State High School for the past few years.

Jenelle said the return to the TAFE College had encouraged more adults to attend.

There were a number of fun “Try-a-Trade” displays where participants could  do everything from changing a nappy to driving a coal truck.

There were also hairdressing, hospitality challenges and heaps of career information.

In one area, students could try their hand at guiding a large excavator, scooping up sand from one pile and placing it on another.

In another, they could race against the clock to change a wheel.

As well as TAFE teachers, representatives from a number of local employers were on hand to answer students’ questions.

Hairdressing teacher Candy Bond, right, was showing Kingaroy SHS Year 1o students some of the tricks of the trade 

Louise Judge, from Centacare, with Dennis Franklin, Stanwell

Year 12 student Sophia Taylor wore ear-plugs in a communication exercise  
Alana Yates, Year 11; Leah Brownlee, Year 12; and Rachel Weier, Year 11; with the automotive apprenticeship display from Huston Ford

Cooking up the sausage sizzle were Rotary Club of Kingaroy members Des Cook, Ron Roberts, Val Hooper and Geoff Hosking

Manning the police display were Const Samantha Vickers, Snr Const Dan Walters, Const Chris Truscott and volunteer Peter Verbakel
Hospitality teacher Jason Ford was conducting blind taste tests … Year 10 student Bree Carroll and Caitlin Handford,Year 11, were blindfolded and fitted with headphones for the experiment 

Stanwell CEO Richard Van Breda with Frances Ross (Mrael) and Peter Johnston (Stanwell)  

UGL HR adviser Chantalle Leung with Stanwell site services officer Ian Heard
Stanwell general manager gas and hydro operations (Steve Quilter) tried out the coal truck simulator under the guidance of  Hitachi applications engineer Robert Tse
Childcare can be a real handful … the TAFE college has lifelike “babies” to practise on that can scream and squeal as their nappies are changed; teacher Lori Jones with  Alana Yates, Leah Brownlee and Brittany Cronin
Luke Tilney, from Wondai Mechanical, won the tyre-changing competition  with the fastest time of 31 seconds

Murgon State High School’s Laurita Alberts and Brittany Holding were checking out career options  (Photo: Marcus Priaulx)

St Mary’s Year 12s Ashleigh Hayden and Nakita McGregor have their hearts set on a health career  (Photo: Marcus Priaulx)
Murgon State High School seniors check out the Mustang on display    (Photo: Marcus Priaulx)