A proud day for all concerned

It was a proud day for graduates and their supporters when six young women celebrated the completion of their Far North District Council cadetship at a graduation ceremony last week. (week ending Friday August 31)

Proud whanau looked on as the cadets accepted certificates and gifts from Mayor Yvonne Sharp in front of guests including programme partners from Work & Income NZ and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), who fund and support the programme along with the region’s local authorities.

It is the third year the successful Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs employment initiative has been running and about 20 young people have gained confidence and skills by filling various roles at the council during this time.

The cadets at last week’s ceremony thanked the organisations involved for giving them an opportunity to stand on their own two feet. Several talked about how shy and overwhelmed they had felt when they first came to the council and how they could now look back on those days as more confident, skilled and happier women.

Several had already found jobs and there was optimism that the remaining cadets were well on the way to fulltime employment, having completed their year’s work experience.

Council community development advisor Tania McInnes says the programme is a real success story and most cadets have moved on to good jobs or tertiary education in the years the scheme has been running.

“These young people emerge from the programme with a range of new skills, much more confidence and the disciplines necessary to take on full time employment and career challenges,” she said. “The council will take on a new group of cadets next year.”

Caption: Happy faces on graduation day from left, back row are: Marama Wiki, Work & Income; Mana Blackburn, cadet; Gloria Waru, cadet; Sue Reed, TEC; Sue Davies and Lynne McRae, Work and Income; Edna Tait, TEC

Middle row, from left: Sheree Tango, cadet; Sharlene Reti cadet; Angelina Blackwood, cadet; Far North Mayor Yvonne Sharp

Front row, from left: Aisha Huriwai, cadet; Tania McInnes, council community development advisor.