Locals on course to jobs

A new Work and Income-funded programme is successfully getting Wairarapa beneficiaries back into the workforce.

Wanganui-based Land Based Training, which offers training for work programmes for the Ministry of Social Development, brought the course to Wairarapa.

During the 13-week course, participants learn skills such as how to write CVs and cover letters and an employment coach helps them find work experience and paid work throughout the programme.

The classes, now in week 10, have been running on Mondays and Wednesdays, at REAP House, with a mixture of classroom and work-based programmes.

About 15 Work and Income-referred beneficiaries aged 18 and over are on the roll.

Tutor Pam Somerton, from Masterton, said the lessons have been going "really well".

"[We've had] pretty good attendance, the same people turn up all the time and that's really good. We're doing unit standards so that means they're getting free qualifications which is pretty rare these days."

Ms Somerton said she hoped all students would gain work or experience by the end of the course. One student had already gained full-time employment. A further two had been placed in work experience.

"It's hard at the moment with the economic climate but I think those that really want to work can get work, if they're really out there looking for it."