Apprentice technician Annalise Fox, 16, is covered in mud splatters, a hose in hand, spraying down some equipment at Caffery’s CLAAS Harvest Centre when we find her.

It's demanding, hands-on work that takes her under machinery and into muddy fields; but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Annalise is a walking success story for the work experience program that sees Year 10 students walk out the school gates and out into various workforces across the community for a week or two.

She was one of two offered an apprenticeship after a week of working with the crew at CLAAS Harvest Centre, a time she described as “the best experience” she’s ever had.

As the week progressed, Annalise found herself warming to the environment, moving past the initial technical information overload to truly connect with the team.

“On the last day we had a going away lunch for me, and it just made me think this was a team that I want to work with,” she said.

“They know how to teach someone – and if you don’t know something, I felt comfortable to say so.”

Annalise had never been a studious type, preferring more hands-on duties – so when she was offered a full-time apprenticeship, she jumped at the opportunity.

“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was probably eight,” Annalise said.

“Not many industries say yes to, not only a girl, but to someone who doesn’t really have that much experience or qualifications because they’re in high school.”

Annalise’s enthusiasm is precisely what dealer principal Brendan Caffery looks for when he opens his doors to local students.

Caffery’s CLAAS Harvest Centre have been taking in Year 10 work experience students for nearly two decades, teaching students the ins and outs of what it takes to keep a harvest machinery business running.

Brendan said the work experience program not only benefits the students but also the business themselves as long as they embrace it.

“We try to get them as heavily involved that we can as long as it’s safe to do so – so they’re doing the jobs,” he said.

“It gives them a good experience of what it’s really like – the worst thing you can do is make them push a broom around for a week – that’s not reality.”

Brendan said it also provided an opportunity for the business to single out who the leaders are in their team.

“It gives me an opportunity to see who out of my staff is good at teaching others so we can see what their skill sets are,” he said.

“It’s great, a lot of technicians know what they know, but it’s a very important skill to know how to teach someone else also.”

He also said it provides students with a good insight into what an apprenticeship looks like instead of letting them apply blindly.

“It gives them a good overview of what happens - the reality of it - so they can make good choices about what apprenticeship they want to do,” he said.

“If you do an apprenticeship and you’re not passionate, not taught well, you’ll get to about two years and lose interest.

“Maintaining that interest for four years and developing is the key to it - but that starts with a good work experience.”

As Annalise continues her four-year journey, her story serves as a reminder to local businesses and students heading out on work experience: sometimes the best classroom doesn't have four walls — it’s the underside of the truck paired with a bit of a muddy face.

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Sunday, 25th November 2029

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