We are involved with communities in the following ways:  

First Australians
MEGT recognises that local communities underpin our work and strives to address the under-representation of Aboriginal people in the workforce by a deliberate policy of investment in Aboriginal Australian relationships.

Our Indigenous Employment and Liaison Policy focuses on education and employment of Aboriginal Australians and addressing their specific needs.

MEGT is committed to building long term relationships with individuals, local groups and organisations representing Aboriginal Australians through the improvement of our understanding of the needs of these communities and, with their input, direction and collaboration, identifying ways we can either auspice or provide ways to increase their participation in meaningful, rewarding careers.

Australian School-based Apprenticeships
MEGT supports the Australian School-based Apprenticeships program to help young Australians step into a career stream while gaining credit for their years 11 and 12 studies.      

To help make the transition to work, MEGT provides ongoing coaching for students, mock interviews and taking students to interviews.  

Youth Initiative Program
MEGT promotes apprenticeships and traineeships to Melbourne school students in the eastern and south eastern suburbs through its Youth Initiative Program.   

This Program includes the development and delivery of two newsletters per school term for schools, careers teachers and community groups. The newsletter carries job vacancies available in the area.   

MEGT holds regular class information sessions at schools to explain the career paths available to students through the VET system.    

Work experience placements
To further assist the transition of students to successful careers, the Newcastle office of MEGT Group Training places several Year 12 students in work experience.

Automotive Manufacturing Technology Centre
MEGT supports careers in the automotive industry through the Ringwood Automotive Manufacturing Technology Centre.  
MEGT is on the management committee and provides support through its links with community and skills in training.  

Australian Technical College, East Melbourne
MEGT supports the Australian Government initiative to provide apprenticeships in automotive, furniture making and electrotechnology to Year 11 and 12 students in the eastern region of Melbourne through the Eastern Melbourne Australian Technical College.   

MEGT is contracted to provide the employment placement services for the apprentices. This can be either via Group Training or direct employment. 

Partnerships with community  

• MEGT’s Indigenous Liaison Officer promotes apprentices and traineeships to Aboriginal Australian communities.  
• In cooperation with Bizlinks, MEGT promotes school and business links in Maroondah with community breakfasts.  
• MEGT judges for the Victorian State Trainee of the Year Awards and for the Bendigo and Echuca Loddon Shire Business Excellence Awards.  
• MEGT’s Industry Employment Consultants often assist with resume writing and mock interviews at interested schools to assist students in gaining skills that will assist them to become ‘job ready’.  
• Both Group Training and Australian Apprenticeships Centre personnel attend school career nights and career expositions to help students make decisions about their future
• MEGT, Stocklands and Porter Davis Homes, along with funding from SkillsVic, built six houses in eastern Melbourne, employing 15 apprentices and trainees and selling the houses at a socially affordable price and resulted in ongoing employment opportunities for the local community.

MEGT committee involvement 

• Australian Council for Private Education and Training (Vic)
• Australian Council for Private Education and Training (National)
• Australian Business Chamber
• NSW Department of Education and Training Vocational Training Tribunal
• Vocational Training Appeals Panel
• Group Training Australia National
• Group Training Australia Victoria
• Jobs Australia
• Outer Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network
• National Australian Apprenticeships Centre Industry Forum
• Australian Apprenticeships Centre National Reference Group
• National Employment Services Association (NESA)
• Echuca and Swan Hill Local Learning and Employment Network
• Ballarat Local Learning and Employment Network sub committee
• Committee of Management, Australian Technical College Eastern Melbourne
• Committee of Management of Automotive & Manufacturing Technology Centre
• Group Training Australia NSW
• Network for Educational Workplacements (NEW) Committee
• Management Committee overseeing the work placement of 3,500 NSW vocational education students in years 11 and 12. This is the largest Local Community Partnership (LCP) in NSW.
• Maroondah Careers Group
• David Windridge is a Fellow of the Group Training Association of Victoria.  

 
Worldskills competitions
MEGT is involved in the national annual awards for all apprentices and trainees.   

Field Officers are often guest speakers at regional Worldskills competitions.     

Community contributions

Maldives study tour
April 2012
MEGT hosted a delegation from the Maldives at our Bowen Hills office in Queensland. The purpose of the tour is 'Developing assistance in establishing an apprenticeship framework and industry linkage system for improved Vocational Education and Training in the Maldives'.  Key industry focus is on Tourism and Hospitality, Construction, Transport, Social and Health Sector (community services), Fisheries and Agriculture.

Wall of Hand
March 2012
MEGT supports ‘The Wall of Hands’ campaign (18th June until  9th September 2012) that seeks  public support to continue meeting the overwhelming demand to help for Indigenous Australians to access vital literacy and numeracy skills.

Good Friday Appeal
April 2012
MEGT has contributed to the Good Friday Appeal to assist the Royal Melbourne Children's hospital.

Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne
April 2012
Melbourne staff 'The Yack Pack', raise $2,000 for Oxfam through sponsorship of their 48 hour walk of the 100km trail from Wheelers Hill to Wesburn Park in the Yarra Valley. MEGT doubles the value of donations raised by staff by dollar matching.

Colombian government
March 2012
MEGT Institute, together with Box Hill TAFE, showed a delegation from the Colombian leadership group, our vocational systems, processes and training facilities. The leadership group is researching ways to improve the education and social systems of Colombia. Diana Naranjo, MEGT’s Student Support Services Officer from our Swanston Street campus, was on hand to assist with any of the tricky translations from Australian vernacular.

Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer
2011 and 2012
Tony Patterson, State Manager for MEGT Institute NSW raises money for the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital through sponsorships of his 200km bike ride. MEGT doubles the value of donations raised by staff by dollar matching.

Flood relief in Queensland
2011
In 2011 Queensland staff swung into action as volunteers to assist their communities to clean up after the floods. Staff from around Australia also donated money towards the Premier's fund and MEGT doubled the value of their contributions by dollar matching money raised.

Bushfire Disaster Relief Fund
2009
MEGT staff and organisation donated $32,124 to Red Cross to assist communities affected by the February 2009 bushfires. Staff also made personal contributions and donated a large amount of goods to the RSPCA to support their work in assisting distressed and injured birds and animals.

South African sponsorship
MEGT is helping the Republic of South Africa introduce a Group Training program to the country. We believe this system will provide access to employment and training in order to improve life and work skills that can lead to improved standards of living.

Tsunami
May 2005
In May 2005 staff combined with MEGT’s donation to World Vision, Red Cross and Care and to the National Heroes Foundation, Sri Lanka to contribute towards the building of a house in a Rehab Village.   
MEGT also joined ACPET‘s Tsunami fund where the money was put towards providing alternative educational opportunities for students at a number of Aceh schools which were destroyed.

Annual hampers
Food hampers donated by MEGT staff are provided to Eastern Anglicare Victoria each Christmas.

Annual ongoing support
The Adelaide Australian Apprenticeships team supports Bedford's activities in encouraging employers to take on people with a disability as Australian Apprentices.

2008 and 2009 Run for Kids
The Melbourne Group Training team participated in the Citylink Run For Kids in 2008 and 2009 in order to raise money for the Children's Hospital.

Uganda
2008 and September 2010
Andrew Roberts, one of MEGT Institute's trainers for its Melbourne Carpentry Trades Skills Centre, used his skills in 2008 to build classrooms for severely disadvantaged communities in eastern Uganda. In September 2010 Andrew will return to build more classrooms for a different school in the same region.

Ongoing support
Many staff voluntarily direct debit some of their pay to sponsor a World Vision child and to provide three primary school Educational Sponsorships through the Smith Family.

Disability agencies in Traralgon
MEGT is leading with the number of disability placements in the Traralgon region.  

These placements make MEGT the leading Australian Apprenticeships Centre for registration of people with disabilities in the region.  

Ongoing support
Regional consultants are involved in       

• Apex and Rotary memberships
• membership of local community sporting groups       
•  local Chamber of Commerce memberships

Environment policy

Wherever possible, MEGT tries to reduce its impact on the environment by  

•  providing shredded paper to local pet shops
• maintaining a fleet of gas-powered vehicles
• encouraging  double siding of paper copying
• using hand dryers instead of paper towells
• recycling paper.