The WIN Program engages students in year 10 who have been identified as wanting to leave school to pursue a career after completing year 10. The WIN Program can work with up to 20 students at a school for a term and is offered in terms 1, 2, and 3. It incorporates GetSet facilitated work experience placements that commence one day a week, for ten weeks in the term following their WIN Training day. The work experience is spaced out over a longer period of time to allow students to observe the fluctuations of the industry and gain a better overall experience while not compromising their ability to stay on top of their studies at school. All participating students are expected to abide by our WIN Code of Conduct and stay on top of their studies. Should attendance at school or their work experience placement become an issue, or if they fall behind in their studies or breach the code of conduct expectations, students will be removed from the program

The WIN Program Training Day is designed to work closely with students and school careers advisors to prepare the students to leave school after completing year 10 and successfully enter the workforce. Upon gaining an understanding of the school’s work to prepare students for entering the workforce, we can address with students the protocols of applying for work; the importance of a well written cover letter and resume; interview preparation including mock interviews; the importance and role of PPE and WH&S; what harassment and bullying is in the workplace and proper protocols to respond; confidentiality and how it applies to the workplace; and an employer forum. We specifically tailor the employer forum to engage relevant industries to match specific interests of the students. We also engage TAFE NSW to deliver ‘read and respond to basic workplace signs and symbols’ (FSKRDG02) and ‘read and respond to basic workplace information’ (FSKRDG04) to further aid students in successfully entering the workforce.

Students who participate in the program register several industries or fields of interest for work experience placements. That information is used to organize representatives of the most popular industries who directly engage with the students in smaller groups during the employer forum. This intimate setting gives students an opportunity to engage the representative and gain a better understanding of ‘what a day in the life of’ might look like. It also helps students identify a stable career in a stable industry as well as the various career options each industry has to offer.

This program includes GetSet facilitated work experience placements. If requested, GetSet placement monitoring can also be added to the program. Again, if a student’s goal is to gain an apprenticeship or traineeship, we strongly recommend students commence and successfully complete work experience placements prior to the end of the school year as traineeships and apprenticeships commence after the start of the new school year. While work experience placements are not a guarantee of future employment, it gives the student the chance to prove themselves. When an apprenticeship, traineeship or entry level position opens up, the employer will already know what the student is capable of.