Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

Marketing

New TEC attracts student interest

The new Shepparton Technical Education Centre (TEC) is attracting significant student interest following two information evenings and a promotion campaign in December/January in the local media.

The TEC is an initiative of local secondary schools in the City of Greater Shepparton and Moira Shire and GOTAFE to address the regional, state and national skills crisis.

As of 21 January, 142 students have registered expressions of interest in a variety of courses that will be available at the TEC in 2008 - the TEC's foundation year - and will lead to the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), a nationally recognised AQF Certificate II and to apprenticeships in the traditional trades.

A breakdown of student numbers includes 60 students who are interested in Work Ready VCAL courses, 12 students who would enrol in the Koorie VCAL with a strong vocational focus and 70 students who have left school and are expected to enrol in pre-apprenticeship programs in coming weeks, with additional support in literacy, numeracy and career planning.

Industry streams available in 2008 include Automotive, Building & Construction, Cookery, Electrical, Engineering, Furnishing, Hairdressing and Plumbing.

According to Thomas Greene, General Manager VET, GOTAFE, the Institute is very pleased with the level of student interest in the Shepparton TEC and he attributes the level of student interest to a number of factors.

"The prospect of high level skills training in industry standard workshops, and with teachers who have recent industry experience, is obviously a draw card," says Mr. Greene.

"The increasing awareness in the community of the demand for skilled tradespeople, and the money which can be earned in the trades, is also having an impact, as is the opportunity to fast-track to a career with up to a year off the time that an apprenticeship normally requires." Other features attracting students to the TEC include the opportunity to do a full time vocational course, to combine skills training with a senior school certificate, to undertake courses at both school and GOTAFE or at GOTAFE alone or, if young people have left school, the opportunity to undertake an intensive pre-apprenticeship program.

Mr Greene believes the Shepparton TEC is assured of a bright future with plans to offer Trade Tasters to Year 10 students in the second half of 2008, to develop special facilities for young people at the William Orr campus in Wanganui Road in 2008/2009 (as part of a $12m building project involving the William Orr campus and the Fryers Street campus) and to establish an industry reference group to provide strategic advice to the TEC's on-going development.

For more information on the TEC call 1300 GOTAFE (468 233).