The Western Bay of Plenty District Council is looking for youth "ready to push boundaries, challenge the status quo and do something extraordinary with their careers".

The Council is offering range of paid internships in our 2023/24 Summer Student Programme.

The programme offers an exciting opportunity for students to learn just how important Council’s mahi is in the community, and gain invaluable experience for their CV.

Emma Webb, a previous summer student and now Council Environmental Planner, encourages rangatahi studying relevant qualifications to put themselves out there and apply for the positions.

"Participating in the summer internship program at Western Bay was transformative for me. I learned the ins and outs of a workplace, how local government functions and insights into my field of study.

“I've also been fortunate to receive expert advice from the Council team on my university assignments too, so I can confidently say that this experience was instrumental in my academic and professional growth. 

“To anyone on the fence, I'd say this internship is a fantastic way to kickstart your career journey.”

Council Head of People and Capability, Darren Crowe says our summer students are an important part of the Western Bay whānau.

“This programme is designed to help build up passionate and skilled professionals who will shape the local government sector, and our communities, in the future. Whether you love engineering, finance, technology, writing, working with animals or people – we have a career pathway to get you started.

“As a Council we’re committed to making the Western Bay the best it can be by focusing on what we consider the most important issues facing our community right now. Whether it’s responding to climate change, helping deliver affordable house or growing authentic Te Tiriti based relationships, we can’t do this alone. The next generation will play a huge role in creating new solutions that make our communities lives better – and you can start now.”

In return we offer the summer students a supportive learning environment and great mentorship opportunities from our experienced team, as well as the chance to work in a dynamic environment. Whether our teams are out in the community or working in the office – no two days are the same.

Roles available for summer 2023/24 include:

• Water Services Summer Student (two roles): Support our Water Services Team in the important task of maintaining water compliance by doing water sampling and auditing water sampling locations across our District. Applications close on Sunday, 22 October 2023.
• Customer and Library Service Summer Student (four roles): Gain firsthand experience in organising and running Children's programs for our community. Applications close on Sunday, 29 October.
• IT Support Summer Student (one role): Help keep our organisation running by assisting our IT team in user support, hardware maintenance, inventory management, and collaborative IT projects. Applications close on Sunday, 22 October 2023. 
• Channels and Content Creator Summer Student (one role): Help our Communications and Engagement team elevate our digital presence to engage and educate our community, with a particular focus on reaching younger audiences. Applications close on Sunday, 5 November 2023.

Go on, do something extraordinary this summer. Apply now at westernbay.govt.nz/careers.

If you want to know more, please contact Paige Marshall in our People and Capability team on 0800 926 732.