Cr Column Councillor Michael Detenon

There is a lot of talk about the future of regional Queensland, but if you want to see where the Burdekin is heading, you don’t need a spreadsheet. You just need to look at our local workshops, worksites, and businesses.

‍

You need to look at our apprentices and trainees.

‍

For a long time, there was a belief that to "make it," regional kids had to pack their bags for the big cities. But here in the Burdekin, we prove every day that you can build a first-class career right here in your own backyard.

‍

When a local business takes on an apprentice, they aren't just filling a vacancy, they are investing in the survival of our community. Keeping our young people local means keeping our sporting clubs full, our volunteer groups alive, and ensuring the next generation is here to raise families in Ayr, Home Hill, and our districts.

Council plays its part by hosting trainees and apprentices across our departments, but the real heavy lifting is done by our local businesses and contractors. Taking on a young worker takes time, patience, and money. To every Burdekin business owner who backs our youth, thank you! You are the backbone of our economy.

‍

To the young men and women currently turning spanners or learning a trade, stick with it. The skills you are learning right here are world-class.

‍

Let’s keep backing our kids, supporting our local shops, and keeping the Burdekin the best place in the North to build a life and raise a family.

‍