Benalla students inspired by more than 50 organisations at Hands on Trades Expo in Winton

Organiser Annette Borradale said more than 1500 students from Seymour to Albury, Echuca to Swiss Creek and everywhere in between attended.

Locally, students from FCJ College, Benalla P-12 College, the Flexible Learning Centre and the Australian Christian College Hume were all there.

“The Flexi Learning Centre brought their coffee van along again, which people have been enjoying,” Ms Borradale said.

“We have heaps of different types of exhibitors here today. Everything from plumbing to electrical, North East Tree Service are here, Thales, Police, ADF, CFA, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Extons, LS Quarry, GOTAFE and much more.”

Ms Borradale said the feedback from students had been great.

“Most of them have been overwhelmed with how much variety there's been,” she said.

“It's not just been focused all towards your typical hands-on trades.

“They had nursing, childcare and Tomorrow Today discussing their peep sessions among other things.

“We've had tech companies, we've had virtual reality, heaps of different displays.

“I think the students have been very impressed with it all.”

Ms Borradale said one of the things that has pleased organisers this year is how many students brought their resumes along.

“It’s brilliant,” she said.

“They've actually been handing them out to the organisations that they're interested in working for.

“And a lot of these companies offer school-based apprenticeships, so I’m sure a few of them will get something from doing that.”

Felxible Learning Centre’s Brad Hearn said students have operated its coffee van at the expo since it started.

“The students have been learning their barista skills,” Mr Hearn said.

“It's one of our social enterprises. They raise money and give back to local charities in the Banalla area.

“While also training up their skills because there's always jobs in coffees.

“I think we've brought out about four busloads of students today, in our little 12-seater that we've got in the school.

“It's great to get those kids through, checking out the stalls and picking up information about what they want to do next in life.

“Some have found work experience opportunities with some of the local vendors, with hopefully, some apprenticeships to follow.”

One of the well-visited exhibitors was Woop Woop Walkabout Tours operated by Butchulla woman Avalon Karatau.

She spoke to students about the Aboriginal heritage of the area, and further afield.

“We do school programs, among a lot of other things,” she said.

“We teach spirituality, about our tools, and our laws.

“We have fun games to show them, that people have forgotten because they don't play them any more

“We teach them about cooking, and offer classes on that.

Ms Karatau said as a Butchulla woman from K’Gari (Fraser Island) who had been displaced from her land due to cyclones, she was proud to be in Winton supporting the Yorta Yorta nation.

“I hope everyone had a deadly day,” she said.

The emergency services demonstrations were some of the most popular, and Ben Meritt, from Forest Fire Management Victoria, said students had really embraced the day.

“They've been interested in looking at both our project firefighter summer roles and finding out more about future work opportunities, after school,” he said.

“It's been a really good opportunity to show kids what we do and also a bit of fire safety as well.”

Mr Meritt also took the opportunity to remind readers of the Ensign that fire safety is always important, especially as summer gets closer.

“Around half our fires are still coming from camp fires,” he said.

He said people should remember to put camp fires out with at least two buckets of water, not by kicking dirt on top.

Find out more about what NE Tracks LLEN does, and how to get involved with next year's expo via www.netracksllen.org.au/