Work Experience Connect Delivers Real Results
for Swansea High Students
The Caves Connect and Swansea High School partnership has delivered impressive results, with this year’s Work Experience Connect program helping students step confidently from the classroom into the workforce — and turning opportunities into real outcomes.
Stronger Connections, Real Opportunities
In 2025, 117 Year 10 students took part in Work Experience Week (24–28 November), gaining hands-on experience across a diverse range of industries — from trades and hospitality to retail, childcare, marine services, and health.
Local business engagement was stronger than ever, with around 20 new employers from the Caves Connect community opening their doors to students. Participating businesses included:
Fiducian Financial Services, ESGA, Eco Electrical, Caves Beach Gelato, Steel Boundary Fencing, Belmont Motor Repairs, Beau Pilgrim Photography, Women Soulful Surf, Botanical Social Florist, Creation Plumbing, psyborg® and Nova Auto.
This growing collaboration between local business and education reflects the very heart of Caves Connect — fostering community connection, mentorship and opportunity.
Measurable Success
The outcomes speak for themselves.
Of the 117 students who completed work experience:
2 secured apprenticeships
5 were offered part-time jobs
5 were invited back for further experience
1 began a School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT)
That’s 13 new opportunities created — an impressive 11% strike rate — and countless lessons learned along the way.
“The two apprenticeships were a particular highlight — it’s been a long road for those boys and this opportunity will make a huge difference for them to be out in the workforce!”
A Program with Purpose
Work experience is about more than just a week away from school — it’s a chance for young people to test their interests, develop confidence and understand what they might (or might not) want to pursue after school.
Swansea High Principal Andrew Pesley said programs like this help students discover who they are beyond the classroom.
Celebrating Collaboration
Caves Connect Founder Daniel Borg from psyborg® added:
“This is a clear example of what happens when schools and small businesses come together for a common goal. The collaboration between Swansea High and Caves Connect shows what community leadership looks like in action.”
The Bigger Picture
Work Experience Connect is helping redefine how schools and businesses collaborate in the Lake Macquarie region. By strengthening relationships, sharing resources and giving students real-world exposure, the initiative is building a stronger, more connected local economy — one placement at a time.
If your business would like to get involved in next year’s program, register your interest here:
👉 Caves Connect Work Experience Connections
cavesbeachconnect.
All businesses represented on Caves Beach Connect are owned or operated by locals that live in and around Caves Beach
although the businesses themselves may not necessarily operate in Caves Beach.
Our guiding principle for listing a business is for anyone that lives in or around Caves Beach and owns or
operates a business inside or outside of Caves Beach.
We want it to be a vehicle to encourage networking and for locals to support locals.
The views and opinions expressed by each business or community stakeholder are those of each business or community stakeholder and do not necessarily reflect the views of Caves Beach Connect.
Caves Beach Connect acknowledges the Aboriginal people known today as the Awabakal, as the traditional Custodians of the land, respecting Aboriginal Elders past, present and future. Caves Beach Connect recognises the local Aboriginal community today in all of their diversity, who came forward to share their experiences, knowledge, images and memories.