Job hunters graduate with a handy suite of skills

Jobseekers build more than 100 chicken boxes for the Laidley Showgrounds

NEXT CHAPTER: Daryl Cowling (with his son), Corey Chance and Kristel graduate from the Laidley Construction Skilling Queenslanders for Work program. Picture: Ebony Graveur

DURING an 18-week traineeship, jobseekers worked together to build more than 100 chicken boxes for the Laidley Showgrounds.

Moreover, they built a combination of soft and practical skills in the hopes of finding employment.

The participants gathered at the Laidley Showgrounds on July 11 to celebrate completing the course.

Two of the participants - Daryl Cowling and Corey Chance - had signed up expecting to learn how to saw, sand and build, both envisioning a future in the construction industry.

But they also learnt first aid skills and had the opportunity to put what they'd learnt in the unit to the test before the course wrapped up when they were first on scene at a hit-and-run.

"We secured him off the road... rang ambulances and stayed with him until the ambos got there,” Mr Cowling said.

Challenge Employment and Training supervisor Ray Livermore said he was "very, very happy” with the program's outcome and the quality of work the participants produced.

"I'm exceptionally happy, especially when you can see birds in the cages and when other show societies ask who did this,” Mr Livermore said.

During the 18 weeks, participants built chicken boxes for the poultry section of the Laidley Show and, with show time just around the corner, the deadline was strict.

"It's a very similar basis as working as a subcontractor as you have a very strict timeframe,” Mr Livermore said.

He said a hold-up meant cage fronts didn't arrive until a few days before the start of the show.

"The challenge then was to get the cage fronts in straight away,” he said.

"And they pulled it off; it was sensational and I'm very proud.”

At the time of their graduation, most participants had already secured employment.