Three years running! James, Ahanu & Clayton in prestigious leadership program

Claytons story

Clayton Lavis (left) wasn’t sure where his career would take him at first. After feeling unfulfilled at university, he completed a civil construction traineeship before realising his real interest was in business. In May 2023, he started a Certificate III in Business Administration through Community Solutions and completed it two months ahead of schedule.

Now completing his traineeship at Pacific Rim Technical Services, Clayton has impressed both his employer and his field officer with his commitment to learning and improving processes.

Clayton’s hard work has also had a personal impact on his younger siblings who see him as proof that unconventional pathways can lead to success.

On top of being selected for TSTL for 2024, Clayton was a state finalist at the 2024 Queensland Training Awards, after winning the North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award.

“It’s scary doing something new, but if you really want something, you can go get it. I want my siblings to see that they can step outside their comfort zones too.”

Ahanu’s story

Ahanu Dewhirst always had a passion for tech, but a four-year uni degree wasn’t the right fit for him. Instead, he worked in customer service management for years before deciding to go after the IT career he really wanted.

Through Community Solutions, he completed a Certificate III in Information Technology, working in the Support Centre ICT team. Determined to make the most of the opportunity, he completed his qualification in just seven months, 17 months early!

Since then, Ahanu has landed a permanent job as a Service Desk Technician and then as a Planning and Governance Analyst, not to mention has won three #TeamPossible Reward and Recognition awards. Keen to keep moving forward, he applied for and thrived in the 2023 TSTL program.

James’ story

James Hewitson has had a varied career. After serving in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), an injury at 21 meant he had to rethink everything. Over the years, he worked in security, car sales, train driving, labouring and even owned his own mechanic business.

But between redundancies and industry instability, it was tough to find long-term security. With another baby on the way, James needed a stable career that could support his family. That’s when a mate from the ADF mentioned a maritime traineeship. The applications were already closed, but James took a chance, handed in his resume in person and got the job on the spot.

Through Community Solutions, he completed a Certificate III in Maritime Operations (Master up to 24 metres Near Coastal), hosted by Pacific Marine Group. He worked hard, finished his two-year traineeship in just 14 months and was hired permanently the day after he completed.

Since then, James has had some pretty incredible experiences, including spending three weeks working on a research vessel in the Great Barrier Reef.