Local bike shop gives young people opportunities to build new skills

Roy Stevenson is a Central Coast employer who gives young people the chance to build new skills -and start on their career path.

He has offered work experience to two local students at his bike shop, Mates Cycles in East Gosford. And he recently signed up Kurt Adorna into a full time traineeship in bicycle sales under the Australian Apprenticeships program.

'We're a family bike shop with a family attitude. Giving young people these opportunities is just part of that,' said Roy.

Kurt has now moved on from doing basic repairs to doing everything in the shop including fitting helmets and operating the till.

He is working towards a nationally recognised qualification: Automotive Services - Automotive Sales (Bicycle) Certificate III.

This will be a great career start for a seventeen year old who has wanted to work in a bike shop long before he signed up with Roy. Kurt sees his future career in the bicycle repair and sales industry.

Roy's background is in engineering and management. He also holds training qualifications, and helps make sure that Kurt is pushed to succeed - even supplying a dictionary to make sure they both get the spelling correct when they write up repair reports!

The training is organised through a group training organisation (GTO).

Kurt is employed under a group training arrangement by YC Industry Link. Roy is the 'host employer'. The on-the-job training will be delivered by the Motor Traders Association's registered training organisation and supported by Roy.