Nine year 10 students from Tamworth’s Oxley High School are the latest group in the region to take part in the TAFE NSW Trade Readiness Program.
Run by experienced TAFE teachers, the program gives students the chance to learn about trades in plumbing, manufacturing and construction.
Following this week-long introduction, the hope is that some students will go on to a career in the trades, especially in regional New South Wales where there’s a shortage of such workers.
TAFE teacher Paul Gray says he’s been running classes across the region and has been pleased by the level of interest among his students.
“You can’t learn plumbing in four days, but we make it interesting for them by doing things they’d do in a [TAFE] plumbing course,” Gray said.
“We want to let them know that as apprentices they’ve got to learn about WHS (workplace health and safety), how to use hand and power tools and drawing. We touch on a few different subjects.”
Gray says the students are working with drills, metal sheet folders and rivets among other tools and materials, all toward a practical goal.
“We get them to make a little expandable sheet metal toolbox,” he said.
“In doing this they learn things such as measuring as well as patent development. At the end of the few days they go home with a toolbox and are quite proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Senior project officer at the Department of Education, Regional Industry Education Partnerships, Karly Brogan says the program gives students a taste of what it’s actually like to work in trade industries, helping them make informed decisions about taking up such a career in the future.
“The program aims to give students both skills and confidence to learn the basics of using tools in a trade,” Brogan said.
“It’s more practical than theory and so is very hands-on. But in saying that there are obviously components of theory like drawing up a project and taking measurements.”
Classes have typically had about nine to 15 students per group and Brogan says that many of the kids have been interested in building and construction, as well as metal fabrication.
“We run a lot of programs that complement engineering [trades] as well,” she said.
This is important for a town like Tamworth, which is expected to increase by 13,500 people by 2041, and should see a growing demand for new infrastructure.
With mixed classes it seems all hands are on deck – both boys and girls are enthusiastic about the idea of working in a trade, Gray says.
“This program gives the kids a bit of an opportunity to have a go,” he said.
Something going on in your part of the New England people should know about? Let us know by emailing newsdesk@netimes.com.au