Our achievements so far...

  • All Age Group unemployment benefits have been reduced by 35% from December 2007–December 2008 and 93% overall since 2005
  • Otorohanga has strong businesses with access to local skilled young people
  • Otorohanga is a tidy, vibrant community with minimal graffiti, vandalism or crime
  • Youth apprehensions across all Resolved Crime were reduced by 75% within two years from 2005. Currently less than 1:5 Resolved Crime Apprehensions are youth aged under 25 years (down from 1:2)
  • There are minimal problems with frustrated, unemployed and under-appreciated young people.

District Demographics

  • Population – 9,500 Otorohanga District-wide (2,700 Otorohanga community, 300 Kawhia community)
  • Area – approximately 2,200 square kilometers
  • Education – 1 secondary school, 11 primary schools
  • Main communities – Otorohanga (rural service centre) and Kawhia (coastal community)
  • 28% Maori population
  • Lower than national average income
  • Numerous large employers including national and international companies (eg. Freightlines, McDonald’s Lime Ltd), Giltrap Engineering, OTC Timber, Giltrap AgriZone, Envirowaste.

Youth Programmes (suite of 11 key projects)

PROGRAMME ADMINISTERED BY
Wintec Otorohanga Trade Training Centre Marlene Perry (Wintec)
Trade Apprentice Coordinator Ray Haley (Trade Training Centre)
McDonald’s Lime Student Scholarships Dale Williams (Mayor - Otorohanga District Council)
Trade Brochures Andrew Giltrap (Otorohanga District Development Board)
Careers Expos Ray Haley (Trade Training Centre)
Mayoral Graduation Ceremony Anne Burdon (Otorohanga District Council)
Young Achievers Awards Anne Burdon (Otorohanga District & Community Charitable Trust)
Otorohanga College Gateway (Otorohanga College)
‘MPowa’ School leavers connection programme Carole Coventry (Harvest Trust)
Harvest Rock Youth Centre Peter Coventry (Harvest Trust)
Project Grow Oto Administered by Harvest Trust.
(Young leaders, Henare Raukawa and Melissa Cosgrove, work alongside local rangatahi at the Harvest Youth Centre and Otorohanga College, sharing inspiration and aspiration).

The journey so far

About seven years ago a small group investigated why Otorohanga District school leavers were not taking up locally available trade jobs and apprenticeships.

A fundamental finding:
Young people were leaving the Otorohanga District to take up pre-employment qualifications and study elsewhere.

The solution:
The Otorohanga Trade Training Centre was established in partnership with the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).

  • Research was undertaken to identify the industries with the greatest uptake of apprentices.
  • Specific courses were developed to train school leavers in skills that local employers needed. (Some courses are free)
  • Employment guarantees were negotiated with employers for some courses to provide jobs for graduates.

The Wintec Otorohanga Trade Training Centre has successfully graduated 66 students in the foundation course (National Certificate in Automotive and Engineering Level 2) and maintained a 100% employment record.

Wintec Otorohanga students
Wintec Otorohanga
Contact: Marlene Perry
Phone: 07 878 6558 or 0274 811 779
Email: marlene.perry@wintec.ac.nz
Website: www.wintec.ac.nz

 

The Centre's Trade Apprentice Coordinator:

  • provides weekly night-school classes and regular contact with employers and apprentices
  • supports all district apprentices to complete contracts successfully and on time.

National apprentice completion rates are less than 20%. The Otorohanga programme is achieving 90%+ completion rates.

Otorohanga Trade Training Centre
Trade Apprentice Coordinator
Contact: Ray Haley
Phone: 0800 873 001
Email: ray@comettraining.co.nz
Website: www.comettraining.co.nz

 

McDonald's Lime Ltd scholarships assist Trade Centre students meet their course fees, accommodation and travel needs. Local employer McDonald's Lime Ltd and the Otorohanga Rotary Club contribute to the scholarships.

Scholarships
Contact: Mayor Dale Williams
Phone: 07 873 4379
Email: anne@otodc.govt.nz

Many people and organisations have also helped establish the following:


Annual Careers Expo

Introducing local industries to school students in an entertaining, hands-on and informative way
Contact: Ray Haley
Phone: 0800 873 001
Email: ray@comettraining.co.nz
Website: www.comettraining.co.nz
Point of Sale Trade Brochures

Highlighting the career opportunities and the attraction of living locally
Contact: Andrew Giltrap
Phone: 07 873 4004
Email: andrew@gfm.co.nz

 


Young Achievers Awards

Acknowledging and rewarding excellence in sport, culture, academia etc in young people aged 16–25 years
Contact: Anne Burdon
Phone: 07 873 4379
Email: anne@otodc.govt.nz
Annual Mayoral Graduation Ceremonies

Honour Trade Centre graduates and successful Otorohanga District apprentices and elevate the status of trade qualifications
Contact: Anne Burdon
Phone: 07 873 4379
Email: anne@otodc.govt.nz

 

MPowa School Leavers Connection Programme

Established in early 2008 to support school leavers in their transition to further education, training and employment
  • Receives details of local students as they leave secondary school
  • Connects with school leavers to assist them in making future choices and ensure that they are supported during this transition period
  • Maintains a database of all providers, agencies, trainers, educators and employer networks that offer opportunities in the Otorohanga district.
Contact: Carole Coventry
Phone: 07 873 8993 or 027 215 3331
Email: oto.mpowa@xtra.co.nz
Otorohanga College Gateway Programmes

Training students in practical work skills off-site or in the workplace
Contact: Otorohanga College
Phone: 07 873 8029
Website: www.otocoll.school.nz

The Harvest Rock Youth Centre

Established by Assembly of God's Harvest Christian Fellowship and Harvest Trust. The centre provides school holiday, leadership and mentoring programmes, after school activities, and has a state of the art indoor rock climbing wall where young people learn climbing skills. Open Monday–Saturday for groups, schools and corporate hire (closed Sundays for church activities)
Contact: Peter Coventry
Phone: 07 873 8893 or 027 493 0117
Email: Harvest.pc@xtra.co.nz

Effective Otorohanga District infrastructure and networks are fundamental to success:

Otorohanga District Council and staff, Otorohanga and Kawhia Community Boards, Otorohanga District Development Board, Project Kiwiana, Otorohanga Business Association, Otorohanga and Kawhia Service Clubs, Churches, Schools, Student Leaders Forum, Community Trusts, Community groups, Police, businesses, residents and ratepayers.

The results are obvious! Otorohanga people are proud, enthusiastic and determined to make an impact. Come and visit the Otorohanga District soon and experience the difference as you truly 'Make the Kiwi Connection'!

 

Sincere thanks to all our supporters and contributors:

Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Work and Income, Ministry of Social Development, Wintec, Employment Catalyst Fund, Tindall Foundation, Harvest Rock Youth Centre, Otorohanga College, McDonald’s Lime Ltd., Otorohanga Rotary Club, Otorohanga District Council, Otorohanga District Development Board, Otorohanga and District Community Charitable Trust and especially the people of the Otorohanga District.