TWO programs connecting school students with Bendigo businesses will be expanded under a Labor government.
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The Career Horizons and Passions and Pathways programs, both initiatives of the City of Greater Bendigo, received funding announcements from Labor on Wednesday.
Career Horizons will receive an additional $300,000 over three years. The program displays work experience opportunities available for high school students on a webpage.
Passions and Pathways, which provides business visits for Grade 5 and 6 students, will receive $150,000 over three years.
City of Greater Bendigo director of city futures Stan Liacos said the funding "was more than enough" to help the programs expand.
"It's mainly been council-funded to help it get off the ground, generally funded by the Bendigo Manufacturers Group," he said.
"More than 500 people have been put into work experience since the March 2013 launch."
The Career Horizons program is unique to Bendigo.
City of Greater Bendigo business development manager Peter Jeffrey said the programs showed high school students the diverse range of jobs available in Bendigo.
"It allows businesses to forecast the sort of work experience opportunities they will have in the future and to let schools know in advance," he said.
"Business, like Keech Castings, have a lot of different opportunities, whether it's in sales, marketing or accounts. These sorts of positions are often missed by schools.
"Students might not want to move to Melbourne for work. These programs show them that they might not have to move away from Bendigo."
Bendigo's Labor state MPs Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards made the funding announcement at Keech Castings' new offices at Bendigo East.
Ms Allan said the programs formed part of the party's skills plan for Bendigo.
"These programs need a helping hand to be able to increase the number of people who can be a part of it," she said.
"These great programs have started off small, but we want to take them on a broader level. We want to see more primary and secondary school students walk around the factories, see the new technology, talk to the local employers."
Businesses including Bendigo Bank, Myer, Bunnings and Bendigo Health have taken part in the work experience programs, while Hazeldene's was also looking to get on board.