It was the second crop of Inverell High SES cadet graduates, and 13 year 9 students received their certificates of completion and badges from Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall on Tuesday morning.

Their SES student trainers presented each graduate with a stuffed Paddy Platypus afterwards, and the proud cadets flung their toys in the air with abandon.

Emily Riys said the experience had been fun.

“The Emu Gully Camp was really good. We did hiking and team building skills.”

Lachlan Smith believed his expectations of the SES training were fulfilled.

“It was great, good fun, learnt a lot of new skills,” he said.

SES volunteer Caron Miller has been a student trainer several times, and said the experience was very positive.

“It’s actually a privilege to be able to do it, and to watch them grow,” she said.

“They often grow from meek and mild children, to quite out there and good team leaders at the end of it.”

Inverell unit controller Dale Hersee said the training had a transformative effect, especially in groups.

“When they come into a group and they’ve got a scenario, and they have to work out a solution to the scenario, it gets them to think in real terms,” he said.

Dale said the training captured concepts of empathy and compassion.

“Both, very much so, and an appreciation for not only SES, but what all emergency services have to deal with at different points.”

Mr Marshall was happy to see the interest of the young trainees in the SES.

“Talking to the students, they’ve all had an absolute ball, but all of them have actually picked up some really valuable skills,” he said.

Alexander Knight was one of those students. He signed up for the SES training week because he was considering SES in the future for several reasons.

“New friends, new skills, and skills I can keep for life,” he said.

“If you ever get the chance to do it, do it.”