New Year starts at pace for interns

28 January 2019

The Health and Safety Summer interns have been busy over the last two weeks with a visit to NZDF’s Trentham base and a sit down with NZISM.

On Friday 17 January, 19 interns were welcomed onto the Trentham Military Camp to learn about how the New Zealand Defence Force manage health, safety and wellbeing on a busy training base.

Interns outside the Youth Development Unit at NZDF's Trentham base.

The interns had a tour of the base, including the tactical training unit and the hangers, where recruits learn how to repair and maintain ground transport and machinery such as military trucks, medium and heavy operational vehicles

The group were also shown around the unit where the Youth Development Programme is run. The programme supports 18-24 year olds who are unemployed and is similar to an outward bounds programme; building self-discipline, self-confident and initiative. The programme is run in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, and has an onsite councillor, psychiatrist and nurse and help participants with any mental health needs.

While on site, the interns were treated to lunch in the base’s mess hall – a unique and fun experience.

“It was amazing to be invited onto the base. I had no idea how many day to day aspects of H&S are addressed on the base. It was a really good and informative visit” was the feedback from the interns.

NZISM panel. From left to right: Mike Cosman, Kim Payton, Josh Durham, Selena Armstrong and Tina Paterson (GHSL).

On Friday 24 January, the interns sat down with key representatives from the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management for a Q&A panel session.

Mike Cosman, Governance Board Chair, Selena Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer, Josh Durham, Emerging Safety Leader Co-ordinator and Kim Payton, Wellington Branch Manager were all on hand to answer questions and discuss the importance of being part of a professional organisation, career development pathways, and insights and tips for building a career in the field of health and safety. The session was a fantastic chance for the interns to have access to expert advice and ask questions they might not otherwise have the opportunity to at this stage in their career.

A huge thank you to NZDF and NZISM for their time and support of the intern programme.