For almost a decade, The Ville Resort-Casino has been helping the North Queensland Cowboys change lives.
Since becoming an industry partner of the Dream, Believe, Achieve employment program the property has delivered around 16,000 hours of work placement for jobseekers from across the region.
Dream, Believe, Achieve is open to North Queenslanders who are over 15 years and not currently working or enrolled in school or other training courses.
Over the course of the 10-week intensive training, the participants complete their Certificate III in Hospitality, including their Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), Responsible Gambling Services (RSG), and food safety certificates.
As well as the all-important qualifications, the participants also get the opportunity to complete real-life experience through work placement at a local hospitality business.
North Queensland Cowboys Programs Mentor Albey Reuben says it’s the experience of working somewhere like The Ville that really sets students up for success.
“Industry partners are vital to the course because they facilitate on-the-job work experience for our participants, which gives them the opportunity to experience a workplace before committing to a role and helps them build the skills and confidence they need to succeed,” he said.
“Our students who work at The Ville really love it. It’s a great employer because of the range of opportunities available from the variety of restaurants through to hotel, gaming, functions, and major events,”
Albey Reuben, North Queensland Cowboys Programs Mentor
Cowboys House
“I see students really grow in confidence as well as ability. That type of environment really helps them decide what career path they want to follow once they finish their training.
“We’ve had students who have gained full-time employment and elevated themselves to supervisor positions at The Ville after completing the course which speaks volumes for the opportunities on offer.”
Recent graduate Cutika Illin is just one of the many Dream, Believe, Achieve alumni who was employed by The Ville at the end of her work experience.
“I see students really grow in confidence as well as ability. That type of environment really helps them decide what career path they want to follow once they finish their training.
“We’ve had students who have gained full-time employment and elevated themselves to supervisor positions at The Ville after completing the course which speaks volumes for the opportunities on offer.”
Recent graduate Cutika Illin is just one of the many Dream, Believe, Achieve alumni who was employed by The Ville at the end of her work experience.
“It’s so rewarding to watch our participants grow every day they are with us, from being very shy and reserved, to achieving their goals,”
Albey Reuben, North Queensland Cowboys Programs Mentor
“They finish with a sense of confidence, purpose, and routine that they didn’t have before. A lot of people walk around with two left feet because they’re unsure of what they want to do, or don’t have the support they need to achieve their dreams.
“Once they get the confidence to believe in themselves and their abilities, that’s where the purpose comes from because they can see they have a bright future and people want them to succeed.”
For Albey, one of the most inspiring success stories the program has seen was a participant named Terrance.
“When he started with us, he hadn’t worked in 10 years and was living in a men’s shelter,” Albey said.
“Sometimes it was a struggle for him to show up every day for 10 weeks, especially after being out of the workforce for so long. But he persevered through the course, showed resilience, and really demonstrated that you can get to where you want to be with the right support and determination.
“The Ville really embraced him and supported him on that journey and now he’s one of the favourites on the team.”
Albey says it’s stories like Terrance’s and Cutika’s that are testament to the power of collaboration between the program and industry partners like The Ville.
“We’re really proud of the outcomes Dream, Believe, Achieve is seeing and we’re excited to continue providing opportunities for North Queenslanders,”
“We’re really appreciative of our industry partners like The Ville, for the real opportunities they provide for our participants to achieve their goals.”