92 11th Avenue, Tauranga

1 Palmer Place, Te Puke

17b Commerce Street, Whakatane

Job Club Newsletter

...December 2009...

Hasn't this been a year of excitement, change and opportunity?

Congratulations to all of you who have taken the chance to increase your skills; to add value to your employer and your customers; and to take the time to review your goals and objectives and prepare for 2010.

Thanks also to our industry partners who have continued to provide our learners with valuable on-job experience - and even more valuable jobs; and to Work and Income who have supported their clients and our learners in their transition into employment.

See you all next year...

"Open your presents at Christmastime but be thankful year round for the gifts you receive."

Lorinda Ruth Lowen

ITS BEEN A GREAT YEAR FOR EMPLOYNZ!  Thank you for sharing it with us....

8 out of 10 people who attended our TEC funded programmes went on to employment, or higher tertiary education!

40% of our youth learners decided to take the opportunity to gain National Certificates while preparing for work with us.

Of these youth, 71% achieved NCEA level 1; with a number going on to achieve NCEA level 2 as well as National Certificate in Employment Skills (level 1); National Certificate in Computing (level 2); National Certificate in Business Administration and Computing (level 2).

100% of the learners who enrolled on our Knife Handling Skills course offered in partnership with Affco Rangiuru went into fulltime employment.

80% of the learners who enrolled on our Retailing in the BOP programmes in partnership with The Warehouse (Tauranga, Tokoroa and Taupo stores) went into employment.

Come and join us in 2010 and get the success you deserve!

Talk over your expectations of Christmas with those you are sharing the day with.  Come up with some guidelines for gift giving and hosting that you can all afford - and try to be innovative.  If money is tight, look for alternatives.  Pull a name out of the hat and you only buy for that person; consider home-made gifts; or joke gifts under $10.00.

Set the scene. Play Christmas music, watch the 'feel-good' Christmas movies.  Get into the mood of the season.

While you are doing that, get all the kids (or adults) together to make Christmas decorations, then decorate the house together (if there are a few of you; have a house decorating day and do everybody's house).  There are some great hints on the internet for making home-made decorations; try googling 'homemade Christmas decorations" for some great and fun ideas.

While everybody is in one place, talk to them about putting on a Christmas show.  You can decide if you want to do the traditional Nativity Play; or maybe a Christmas themed talent quest...

Take part in local Christmas activities in the lead up to Christmas.  Go on a Christmas lights tour; go and listen to Christmas carolers and go to Christmas in the Park.

Organise a potluck dinner for Christmas Day at a local park or beach; then invite everybody to bring a plate and a game (nothing says summer fun more than beach cricket ).  The less time you spent on preparing home and hearth the more time you can spend enjoying the ones you love.

And remember the Christmas Spirit - Christmas is not the 20 minutes of exchanging gifts; it is the way we wish strangers well in the street; that we think about how we can make our loved ones happy; and most of all it is about spending time and attention on those we hold dear - for far more than that 20 minute flurry of Christmas paper.

EmployNZ will be closing on 18 December 2009; and reopening for training on Monday 18 January 2010.

Our emails will be monitored daily during this period; so please contact us if you have any queries.

Wishing you all a safe, festive and happy holiday season.

The EmployNZ team.