Early start for career seeker

Starting work at 2am was a shock to the system for school leaver Taine Hanara - but in no time at all he was learning there's no business like dough business.

Taine got a taste of the life as an apprentice baker at Heaven's Bakery in Hawke's Bay during filming for the TV series Just the Job, which profiles career options for school leavers.

For baker Jason Heaven, who is Taine's mentor in the TV segment, the early starts are just part of what he calls "a passionate kind of industry". His family-owned business, started by his parents Graham and Denise, has grown to five bakeries and won several awards.

"Once you get the flour in the blood it's hard to get it out," he told his young learner. "And once you're qualified as a baker you could get a job anywhere in the world."

Over two days of filming, Taine tried his hand at preparing dough for bread, making pies and scones, and putting the finishing touches on cakes, buns and pastries.

Taine, from St Johns College, applied to be on the show after watching a Just the Job DVD at school.

His verdict: "It's been awesome - a big eye-opener. I got a really good insight of what the job involves."

Competenz is a sponsor of the Just the Job series which highlights careers options for school leavers. Apprenticeships in the fire protection, refrigeration and rail industries also feature in the 10-part series, which starts on TV2 on Saturday, March 7 (9.30am). DVDs of the first two series have become a valuable resource for high school careers advisors around New Zealand.

On March 14, Just the Job goes behind the scenes at the Auckland War Memorial Museum to learn about a career in fire protection, and also checks out what it takes to become a refrigeration technician.

On March 28, the show profiles the baking and rail industries. For details, see www.tvnz.co.nz