Students from Boort District School, Charlton College, Donald High School, East Loddon P-12 College, Pyramid Hill College, St. Arnaud Secondary College, Wedderburn College and Wycheproof P-12 College attended the North Central Trade Training Centre (NCTTC) in Charlton to sample the VET subjects available to study in 2024.
The NCTTC offers amazing learning opportunities for students who wish to enrol in Vocational Educational Training (VET).
Courses offered are, Certificate II Agriculture, Certificate III Allied Health Assistance, Certificate II Animal Care, Certificate II Building & Construction, Certificate III Community Services, Certificate II Engineering Studies, Certificate II Hospitality, Certificate III Sport & Recreation, Certificate III Beauty Services and Certificate II Salon Assistant.
Newly appointed NCTTC manager, Natasha Saunders, welcomed the 100-plus Year 9 students in attendance and introduced the NCTTC and the VET subjects on offer.
Before the students began trialling their subjects, they had the opportunity to participate in an industry engagement event. Julie Bourke, Events Co-ordinator from the North Central LLEN, facilitated a panel of industry speakers to discuss careers and how VET studies can be a pathway to jobs of the future.
Students formed three groups and rotated through each of the industry panels to engage with the inspiring speakers. The industry sessions focused on Agriculture, Health and Engineering, with Charlton Year 9 students asking the panels engaging questions about their various experiences, career paths and study.
Speakers
Guest speakers Viv Cossar and Tahlijia Sheahan represented Agriculture and spoke about the diversity of careers within this industry and the endless opportunities it can provide. Viv and Tahlijia spoke on their pathways to where they are working today. Viv studied at Dookie, went into careers in agronomy then on to the finance industry before coming home to the family farm. He is currently running a large-scale mixed enterprise and enjoying raising a family on the land.
Tahlijia studied Certificate II in Animal Studies while undertaking Years 11 and 12 and went on to study Certificate III in Business. She is currently completing Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety. Tahlijia has always had a passion for agriculture and has held a variety of roles in both NSW and Victoria, all within agriculture and animal health. She is currently the Compliance Officer with Teys, a large-scale cattle feedlot near Charlton. Although Tahlijia and Viv have different pathways, their message was strong; do what you enjoy and don’t be afraid to make changes along the way.
Joe Durie and Jackson Zagame represented the Engineering industry and their passion for working with metal. Joe and Jackson both spoke fondly of their time spent at the NCTTC and how their chosen VET courses set them up for success in their careers. Joe spoke of the importance of maths and having a willingness to learn, and Jackson was proud to be back at school as a role model in his industry.
Both Joe and Jackson spoke of the positive guidance they received during their time at the NCTTC and how that positivity impacted their lives and helped them achieve wonderful successes within the engineering field, whilst remaining in a small rural town.
Joe runs his own business; Dirt Fabrication, and is currently working on some large projects in the local area, with Jackson employed by Joe as an apprentice in Heavy Metal fabrication.
Martin “Bluey” McGeown and Hayley Start represented the health industry, both working in different roles within the East Wimmera Health Service. Their journeys into health were vastly different, but both were drawn to this area, as their passion was to care for and support others.
Hayley’s pathway began on completion of her VCE studies, studying a Diploma of Nursing at Bendigo Tafe.
Bluey’s early working life began in a few different industries before he headed into health as a mature-aged student, studying at Tafe and then on to university. Bluey spoke fondly of personal experiences observing the support and services that health professionals provide, which inspired him to start a career in this important industry.
These representatives were a wealth of knowledge and provided prospective students with an overview of their industries and life experiences, which complemented the course content presented by NCTTC respective subject teachers. The guest speakers and the Charlton Year 9 students were thanked with gifts of appreciation from the NCTTC.
Trials
Students spent the remainder of the day trialling their three selected subjects of interest in order to make informed decisions about their choice of VET study for 2024. Each session provided an overview of course content and expectations, and a range of practical and theoretical activities were undertaken throughout the day.
Students were treated with a delicious barbecue lunch and a GWM water bottle; GWM water was proud sponsor of the event.
The positive feedback from the day was overwhelming. The state-of-the-art facilities and VET courses available at the NCTTC will certainly support a bright and positive future for the young people in our communities.
Further information about the North Central Trade Training Centre facilities and their VET subject information, including videos, can be found at: www.ncttc.charlton. vic.edu.au
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 18 July 2023.
