Sixty year nine students and 18 tradespeople and businesses took part.

The event was coordinated by Gloucester Shire Council, the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with Gloucester community workshop project team.

Try a Trade is a program where local students, business owners and training facilitators get together on a day to demonstrate and discuss employment opportunities.

Trades and skills on offer this year were wide and varied. These included Agriculture, Administration, Auto Electrics, Building, Boat Building, Beauty, Electrical, Food Technology, Hairdresser, Horticulture, Metal fabrication (welding), Motor Mechanics, Motor car restoration (sheet metal), Plant Operator, Plumber, Real Estate and Sports Massage.

The day was opened by Geoff Marshall representing Gloucester Shire Council and Geoff went back to his trade of metal fabrication guiding students through the finer points of arc welding.

Bob Harper representing HGT Australia (Hunter Group Training) made a short address to the students and prospective employers. He discussed the many options for skills training available as well as describing what employers look for in job applicants.

“What employers such as us (HGT) look for in candidates is good school attendance and consistent performance over a number of topics particularly from year nine on,” he said.

He stressed the importance of being confident in one’s own ability and to “have a go” sighting Jennifer Hawkins as an inspirational local person who, with determination, went on to excel in modelling and fashion.

HGT is expecting to employ and place one of its first Gloucester based apprentices with R&D Technology who were a finalist in last year’s NSW small business apprentice trainer of the year awards.

R&D Technology opened its Gloucester electrical workshop earlier this year and has begun manufacture of electrical control devices.