There was a time when Indiana felt directionless. Struggling at school, she was feeling left behind and unsure of her future. Hearing about The BUSY School, which offers an alternative education approach for senior high school students, with support from her mother, Indiana decided to enrol. The smaller class sizes and personalised approach from the staff and teachers soon saw Indiana re-engaged with her education and her future.
Indiana said of The BUSY School, “My experience was really good, they were very welcoming and comforting when I first got there. I found normal school hard. At The BUSY School they gave me a lot of support as there wasn’t as many students in the class and you could reach out to any teacher and they’d be there to always help you, any way they could.”
After expressing an interest in becoming an electrician, through The BUSY School, which offers students opportunities to explore career paths through school-based apprenticeships and work experience trials, Indiana undertook a five-day work experience opportunity at Alba Electrical. Indiana must have impressed the manager of the business, Gavin, as she was then offered an apprenticeship opportunity with the business.
Supporting Indiana has been a collaborative approach by The BUSY Group. After recently completing Year 11 at The BUSY School, Indiana has now been signed up into a full-time apprenticeship with Alba Electrical by BUSY At Work, an Australian Apprenticeship Support Services provider. As Indiana is a proud First Nations woman, she has also opted for the ongoing mentoring support through BUSY At Work’s Together program for First Nation apprentices. Indiana will also be offered mentoring support through BUSY Sisters, a program and network community for Women in Trades.
While undertaking her paid apprenticeship where Indiana is gaining skills on the job, she will also be completing a Certificate III in Electrotechnology.
Indiana is excited about the future and has dreams of starting her own electrical business one day.
“I’ve started full time in the apprenticeship which will go for four years. It’s awesome, everything I dreamed of and I’m glad I am now doing this!
“I’m the only girl that has been to the many work sites I have been to in the past two weeks, which is normal, but I wish there were more girls in this.
“The guys help me a lot, especially with things I haven’t done before, they show me a lot.”
Indiana has this to say to other young people considering their career path, “Push through whatever is stopping you from achieving your dreams. If that’s your goal, you need to get there and even if it’s really hard, keep pushing because you’ll get there in the end.”
Find out more about The BUSY Schools.
Find out more about BUSY At Work’s Apprenticeship Support Services.
Indiana (L), with her supervisor Gavin, has started a four year full time electrical apprenticeship with Alba Electrical.
