A group of Year 11 students from across the Yorke Peninsula recently gained valuable real-world experience through a hands-on partnership with Yorke Peninsula Council.

The students are part of the Yorke Peninsula Secondary Alliance’s Certificate II in Construction program, delivered in collaboration with Adelaide Training and Employment Centre.

The program equips young people with hands-on, multi-trade skills and real industry experience.

It also fosters strong connections with local employers and encourages students to give back to their communities, laying the foundation for sustainable partnerships and future employment pathways.

In an exciting extension of their training, the students partnered with Council’s operations team to work on real Council projects, gaining firsthand experience in the field.

In Yorketown, students installed paving at the local airstrip, while in Maitland they were involved in signage installation and concrete formwork.

Workplace Health and Safety processes were a key focus throughout the program, helping to reinforce industry best practice.

Acting Mayor Richard Carruthers said the initiative had been a huge success.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to combine learning with community service, and the students truly embraced the experience,” Mr Carruthers said.

“We’re incredibly proud of our operations team for going above and beyond to support the students—not just by supervising their work, but by mentoring them, encouraging them, and ensuring they gained a genuine insight into construction and Council operations.

“Opportunities like this help build career pathways for young people while also strengthening our future workforce.

“We’re looking forward to continuing and expanding this great partnership.”

Yorke Peninsula Council looks forward to continuing its support for local training initiatives that deliver real value for young people and the broader community.