CALM officers presented with graduation certificates at ceremony held in Bunbury

29/7/99
Sixteen officers with the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) were presented with graduation certificates by Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes at a ceremony in Bunbury today.
The certificates mark the successful completion of a 14-week CALM training course the officers have undertaken in stages over the past two years.
Mrs Edwardes said the officers had been chosen following a rigorous selection process that involved reviewing more than 150 applicants of whom 61 were interviewed. The top 20 were invited to attend a five-day residential selection school at CALM's Training Centre in Dwellingup.
The final selection narrowed the field to16.
Mrs Edwardes said the program focused on Competency Based Training and was accredited with the State Training Board of Western Australia.
She said the programs reflected the Government's recognition of the need to invest in its workforce.
Mrs Edwardes also presented the Keynes Memorial Award for the most outstanding Field Officer recruit to Carissa Bathgate who works with CALM's Parks, Recreation, Planning and Tourism Division.
Carissa has a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) from Murdoch University. Her current duties include a wide range of activities in relation to additions and changes to the conservation estate, particularly proposals on land tenure.
The CALM Executive Director's Merit Award for the trainee who displays the best all round performance in both theoretical and practical areas was presented to Julie Gale. Julie has a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Management) via Edith Cowan University. Julie has been appointed as a Wildlife Officer based in Como. Her main duties are in the special investigation unit working on organised offences against native flora and fauna.
The Executive Director's Scholarship, made available to all CALM's Australian Workers Union people to assist them financially in their post secondary education studies to enter into field officer positions throughout the State, was awarded to Vince Hilder from the Pemberton district and Russell Wornes from the Albany District.
The Dr George Malajczuk Scholarship, which is available to all CALM people who have an undergraduate qualification, this year was awarded to Nick D'Adamo from the Marine Conservation Branch.
Nick is studying the hydrodynamics of Cockburn Sound as part of his PhD. His supervisors are Dr Bob Spegil from Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Dr Des Mills from the Department of Environmental Protection, Western Australia.
The post-graduate scholarship has been named in honour of the late Dr George Malajczuk who had a distinguished career with both the Forests Department and CALM.
The Seamus Mulholland Scholarship, available to all staff wishing to pursue further education in the management and leadership area, was awarded to Peter Dans from the Marine and Coastal District, Fremantle office.
Peter will use the scholarship to complete a Graduate Diploma in Business (Management Studies) at Edith Cowan University.
The scholarship has been named in honour of the late Seamus Mulholland who had a distinguished career as a leader and manager within CALM.
Media contacts: Ministerial, Nicole Trigwell 9421 7777
CALM, Dr Syd Shea 9442 0325