Caring for our land – DEECA Hume
What they got back
DEECA Hume runs structured 5-day placements for students aged 15+ across Corryong, Tallangatta, Mitta Valley, Ovens and Bright — up to 2 students per centre per term across Terms 2 and 3. Outcomes: a sustained, predictable annual pipeline of young people who have done real frontline fire management work; a known route from work experience to DEECA traineeship and seasonal firefighter roles; and a coordination model where individual work centres host without administrative overhead.
What other employers can learn from this
If you're a regional employer with multiple worksites and a single HR/admin function, the managed-placement model removes the friction that usually stops you hosting at all. NELLEN becomes the single front door for every school enquiry — your worksites just host. Particularly relevant for local government, large agricultural operations, multi-site healthcare, and regional manufacturers.