From board shorts to bow ties
Our Talent Pool program has been busy in Port Hedland, both in and out of the water! Last weekend Royal Life Saving WA hosted Bronze Medallion and Aquatic Trainer courses, with 22 participants getting involved from Hedland and across the Pilbara.
All participants completed their Bronze Medallion qualification, while six also took the next step, becoming Aquatic Trainers. They were taught by Royal Life Saving National President Cameron Eglington, who travelled from Perth to the Pilbara to teach, while the students came from as far afield as Karratha and Roebourne.
It was a jam-packed weekend which involved intensive water safety and first aid training along with the full Bronze Medallion course. Training like this is vital in regional WA as statistics show people are almost four times more likely to drown in regional parts of our state.
On Saturday night students from the Royal Life Saving WA youth squad then swapped their boardies for bow ties, affectionately taking on the title the Pilbara Penguins, as they stepped out of the pool to work at Port Hedland’s premier gala event, the Hedland Business Awards.
The awards were hosted by the Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce, and Royal Life Saving WA, in partnership with the Wild Thyme Café, arranged for more than 20 young people to work as service staff and kitchen hands at the black tie event.
During the event new elected Town of Port Hedland Mayor, Peter Carter, gave a shout out to the young people, who were all recognised by the creme de le creme of the Port Hedland business community on the night. They didn’t get much of a chance to bask in their success though, and after a late finish the Penguin Squad were back in the water early the next day to finish off their assessment as the emerging aquatic professionals they are training to become.
Royal Life Saving WA looks forward to continuing its work with these amazing young people, as we look to identify more opportunities for employment inside and outside the aquatic industry. The Talent Pool program’s aim is to provide a springboard for Aboriginal young people to take action and achieve employment in the aquatics industry. It’s supported by the State Government and Principal Community Partner BHP.
