“It is a great way to begin your career,” South West TAFE in schools coordinator Susan Pettigrew said.  

Ms Pettigrew said the program offered benefits for businesses and students.

While students received on-the-job training in a paid position, employers had the opportunity to try out staff members for positions that could eventually become full time opportunities. 

Students have the opportunity to learn how to operate on the job in a real workplace, problem-solve, use time management, and all the other important skills that lead to success in a chosen field. The students work on the job one day a week, with the rest of the time spent in their normal studies. As part of the school-based apprenticeship program, South West TAFE offers students access to their state-of-the-art, purpose-built training facilities in block training sessions with industry-qualified instructors.

These brick and mortar resources have contributed to South West TAFE’s position as the leading provider of apprenticeship training in the region, Ms Pettigrew said. 

As well as offering school-based apprenticeships in the main manufacturing and agriculture areas, the TAFE has branched into specialty areas including health, aged care, horticulture, bread-making, butchery and more. 

More than 150 students around the region were part of the school-based apprenticeship program. The program’s focus was to offer high quality instruction, aiming to to help young people become job-ready through engagement with the industry while still at school.

NEXT month, the first students from WDEA Training’s new school-based apprenticeship child care program will graduate with a certificate qualification. 

The program, which allows students to complete a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, was completed by eight girls from Hamilton and Portland. 

WDEA’s Sharyn Meade said the program, which allowed students to complete one day on the job, one day of training and still attend school, gave the students excellent opportunities to pursue more training or take up positions in the industry. 

“It is such a rewarding industry for students to be involved in, and allows them to find out if working with children if something they want to do,” she said. 

The program has benefits that spill over into the students’ school lives in many cases, encouraging them to remain engaged in their education. The program is being expanded around the region and WDEA also offers a range of other training opportunities for people who are no longer in school.