Mel Phillips is enjoying her time on Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) at the Central Grampians Local Learning and Employment Network’s youth space, LenZone! in Stawell.

‘It is great to have a young person to work with’ said Miss Garton, ‘to see them take on new tasks and succeed is very rewarding’.

Mel’s SWL placement is a part of her assessment as a Senior Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) and will allow her to experience actual work tasks, improve the skills she is learning in the classroom and increase her overall employability.

Mel is working under the supervision of LenZone!’s Coordinator Sarah Garton and undertaking both administration tasks and events management activities with the Freeza committee. ‘It is great to have a young person to work with’ said Miss Garton, ‘to see them take on new tasks and succeed is very rewarding’.

David Wheaton, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Grampians LLEN, said he felt it was important for the LLEN and LenZone! to take on students for SWL, ‘not only because better education and training opportunities for young people is a part of our core business, but it provides our staff with the opportunity to develop through supervising and mentoring a new person in the workplace. It has been such a success in Stawell that we are currently seeking a student to undertake SWL at our Ararat office.’

This is Mel’s second time on SWL, last year she spent a similar amount of time at Taylor’s Gully Occasional Care while she undertook Intermediate VCAL and a Vocational Education and Training (VET) program in Community Services.

If you would like more information about the SWL program you can contact the CGLLEN’s Local Community Partnership SWL Coordinator, Dianne Stewart on 0438 502 411.