Tennant Creek students Felicia Floyd and Donnella Hayes learnt how to fix punctured tyres, slice meat and care for newborns in an exciting hands-on trades taster event held in Alice Springs last week.
The duo from Barkly College joined around 200 other year nine students from across Central Australia at Try-A-Trade, an annual event that gives the students an insight into the diversity of trade courses on offer at the local campuses of Charles Darwin University.
The University opened its Alice Springs doors to the students who participated in 30 minute introductions to child care, butchery, cookery, welding, horticulture, media and automotive careers.
The first day saw students from a range of remote areas including Tennant Creek at the CDU campus. Local Alice Springs students attended the following day.
Felicia Floyd thought child care would be an exciting career.
"Butchery was a bit scary but I really liked child care because I like kids," she said.
Meanwhile Donnella Hayes pictured a career fixing cars.
Automotive Lecturer Tony Harding said the Tennant Creek students were like many others on the day.
"They were like most students who took an interest in the course and we think that's great," he said.
Minister for Housing Dr Chris Burns MLA and Deputy Administrator of the Northern Territory, Dr Patricia Miller AO, attended the first day and both were excited to see the enthusiasm of students.
Dr Miller was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm of the women.
"It's heartening to see so many young women trying trades careers," she said.
Event organiser and CDU Senior VET Advisor Mr Lyle Mellors thanked industry partners Group Training Northern Territory, the NT Government and local business for their contributions.
“This event continues to inspire Territorian youth and we are proud to be a part of it," he said.
Try-A-Trade is a Worldskills initiative and held annually in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs.