AITC Blueprint Magazine - Edition 5, 2022

DELIBERATELY DIFFERENT. N 05 JULY 2022 AITC SHAPES OFAPPRENTICETHEYEAR NEW DOORS OPENED AT SPRING HILL SHORT STORYFORWINNER2022

01FROMTHE CEO + 4 What a year it has been so farupfrontAPPRENTICEOFTHE YEAR + 6 TAFE Gold Coast School-Based Apprentice of the Year 02HORSEDENTISTRY + 19 Work experience insight WHY IS WORK EXPERIENCE IMPORTANT? + 16 Perspective from Jay Harris OPENING OUR DOORS AT THE NEW SPRING HILL (INTRODUCINGCAMPUSTEAM AT SPRING HILL) Page FAME9— INTERVIEW WITH PageAUSTRALIATOOHEYSCARLETT—AVIATION12features connect04SPORTINGCHANCE+ 42 Our young people shine in their chosen sport GIFT OF GIVING + 44 Lending a hand across the Ipswich region TAFE + 47 Overview of benefits endnoteAROUNDCAMPUS + 54 peopleyoungTHELASTBREATH + 14 By William Palmer SIGNUPS + 20 Celebrating the outstanding performance of our young people ON THE ROAD + 36 Alumni working at the Frizelle Sunshine Automotive Group ARISE CAMP + 40 An oresome week 03ASTYLISH INDUSTY + 38 Interview with Carolyn at S&S Hair.Beauty IN THEIR OWN WORDS + 25 Meet students from different campuses WORLD FIRST FJ49 + 29 How dreams can become a reality FUTURE TRADIE KICKING GOALS + 32 Stella Young’s story INDUSTRY PATHWAY + 34 Stand out student finds fantastic industry pathway LEADIN 2022 + 50 Professional development for teachers PERSONAL INDUSTRY COACH + 52 Their role at the AITC WIRED FOR ELECTRIC CAREER + 28 Find the right pathway with the AITC blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

Rebecca Reis EDITOR

Deliberately different. DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY3

The Queensland.acrosscampusschool,deliberatelyCollegeIndustryAustralianTradeisadifferentwithsixlocationssoutheast

Earlier this year, after much planning and promotion (and excitement!), we opened our newest campus in Spring Hill, Brisbane. In addition to opening the new campus, the AITC also partnered with the Protech Group to launch the AITC x Protech Academy. The first of its kind in our state! Close to 55 Year 10 young people now call the Spring Hill campus home and are proudly pursuing an industry pathway. Behind every face at the AITC is a unique story. Our industry partners, campus employees and our young people all have a story about what led them to the AITC. Twice a year we love being able to share some of these stories in our Blueprint Thismagazine.edition of Blueprint shares many stories of success, both in and out of the classroom. You will read about our apprentice of the year who has come so far since joining the AITC. Our short story winner demonstrates how our young people can excel when given a task that feels relatable. In fact, you won’t read about Shakespeare at our College. We acknowledge our employees who walk with each and every young person. Our unique model requires a diverse set of roles and skillsets which can be different yet purposeful to ensure that our young people are coached and mentored; we know they need to be work ready. At the AITC, it is about finding what fits and loving what you do. You will read about the importance of work experience which allows our young people to try out many Weindustries.areproud to share that organisations love working with us and want more of our young people. Organisations like Frizelle Sunshine Automotive and S&S Hair.Beauty know that our young people show up prepared for the world of work. I hope you enjoy learning more about our College – where young people can stand tall, stand proud and stand out.

Mark HandsAITC CEO AFTER A SUCCESSFUL 2021, 2022 IS CERTAINLY SHAPING UP TO BE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER. THIS IS TESTIMONY TO THE FANTASTIC EMPLOYEES AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WALKING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. It has been a year of significant growth for the AITC with 6 campuses now operating across southeast Queensland. We are proud to share that there are over 1050 young people enrolled! This the first year the College has had over 1000 young people proudly pursuing industry pathways at the AITC. Our College offering has been strengthened by some unique industry partnerships, with the AITC x Protech Academy now operating with over 20 Year 10 young people preparing for big careers on big projects. In addition to this, our first equine students have joined the Gold Coast campus, following a pathway specifically in the racing industry. WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN SO FAR. 6 CAMPUSES NOW OPERATING ACROSS SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND. 1050 YOUNGENROLLEDPEOPLE 1000 YOUNG PEOPLE PROUDLY PURSUING INDUSTRY PATHWAYS AT THE AITC OVER blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

The AITC x Protech Academy is Brisbane’s first industry-driven program for school students wishing to pursue a career with big industry on major Basedprojects.inBrisbane (at the Spring Hill campus), the program is for high achievers in hi-vis who have the ambition to work on large-scale construction sites with multimilliondollar projects. Put simply, the program is a combination of deliberately different education, industry-driven training, and technical expertise to develop apprentices and trainees of the highest calibre, starting in Year 10.

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THE EQUINE QUICKSTARTINDUSTRY(IQ)

Above: AITC X Protech Academy students.

The racing industry provides a breadth of career opportunities for young people and can take you close to home or as far away abroad as you wish. The AITC has partnered with the Gold Coast Turf Club to develop a bespoke Equine Industry QuickStart (IQ) to run out of our Robina campus. The tailored program is designed to educate young people to become apprentices and trainees of the highest calibre, specifically for the equine Whetherindustry.yourinterests lie with horses, working outdoors, pursuing a trade or administration; with an industrydriven education, the right training and unmatched immersion, the Equine IQ program is sure to deliver a head start.

INTRODUCING THE AITC X ACADEMYPROTECH

Left: Mark Hands (AITC Executive Principal) and Marc Meili (Protech General Manager)

BEST STRATEGIC PLAN EXCELLENCE AWARDEE We have been acknowledged by The Educator who runs leading awards events to highlight achievements of independent schools nationally. The Educator received hundreds of nominations for their 2022 awards. Following an intensive research period by The Educator, we are proud to share that the Australian Industry Trade College was awarded an excellence award for the Best Strategic Plan.

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The AITC “helped me excel with my career choice,” she says. With many industries on offer at the AITC, Kristy-Lee also tried hairdressing and childcare. She’s glad she tried a few things but “definitely prefers my apprenticeship and is excited to become an Kristy-Leeauto-electrician!”likesthe structure at the AITC with the Industry and Education Blocks while completing her Year 12 Queensland Certificate of Education. “I like working for several weeks and then going back to school for five weeks,” says Kristy-Lee. “It’s different from the 10-week school blocks — I was bored. It wasn’t enjoyable,” she explains. “What I have learnt is very different to what other people my age learn in a classroom.”

“At the AITC, where you have five weeks to get everything done, it’s so much more thrilling. You know you’ve finished and then you’re about to go out and earn an income — it’s great.”

With the bonus of spending full weeks engaged with work experience in Industry Blocks, rather than one day per week, KristyLee excelled in this deliberately different program. In fact, KristyLee’s personal drive and skills she learnt on the job were recently recognised when she won the 2021 School-Based Apprentice of the Year at TAFE Queensland Gold Coast.

Her life changed course in 2020 when Kristy-Lee changed schools.

Kristy-Lee Young knew that she wanted to focus on becoming an auto-electrician whilst completing her senior years at High School. Her mainstream school didn’t support this opportunity however she soon discovered a new school which would — the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC). AITC

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People to thank at the AITC: There are a few people from the AITC who have helped me through. Robin and Vanessa (teacher aides) were my rocks throughout the whole of 2021. They helped me out a lot—they are supportive. I love them so much. It’s difficult to put into words. They are just so amazing. Divina obviously helped me through a lot as well. Nathan is also great #whatwouldNathando — that’s all I’ve got to say. Nathan is an absolute legend.

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It’s so great how far I’ve come and only one more year left and I will have a full-time job. There aren’t many women in the trade and it’s good to be a trailblazer. australian industry trade college

Kristy-Lee says it’s important to follow what you want to do and not get distracted. “At the AITC I’ve only heard words of encouragement and honestly, never give up, you will be able to do it. Just come in, be true to you, get good grades and go to work.”

She believes her qualities for winning Apprentice of the Year include her time management, communication and trade skills. “It only takes a short amount of time in this industry to develop a lot of experience and I will keep getting stronger.”

The AITC has helped me develop “a strong work ethic. It’s also been great to have support from staff. Being able to call your teacher by their first name instead of ‘Miss’ or ‘Sir’ — it gives you a sense of talking to your boss.” Her skills as an auto-electrician were widely recognised by the AITC and she was nominated for the 2021 School-Based Apprentice of the Year at the TAFE Gold Coast awards. “Winning the award in auto-electrical is exciting. I was not expecting it at all. It’s really empowering to know I’ve got that.”

In the future Kristy-Lee has her eye on the family business. “I love the idea of working for my dad’s company and taking it over some day when he retires.”

Her more immediate goal for this year, while studying Year 12, is to “help the new girls who come to the AITC. You become friends with everyone but the first few weeks can be scary, so I’m going to encourage all the girls.”

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OPENING OUR DOORS AT THE NEW SPRING HILL CAMPUS...DELIBERATELYDIFFERENT.9

At the beginning of the year, during COVID restrictions, Rhys organised an AITC campus and community-wide online seminar with best-selling Brisbane author Trent Dalton. Trent is a highly awarded journalist as well as a world-famous author. His first story Boy Swallows Universe is roughly based on his actual life. He faced lots of challenges growing up, became a cadet journalist then went into the journalism industry. “His whole approach is to listen and learn from people— that lifelong learning approach,” says Rhys. “In English we’re writing short stories. That task will be around basing a main character on themselves but projecting into the future — what will industry be like and what will the world be like.” Trent discussed basing a character on yourself but fictionalising that. Young people learnt “How to imagine yourself in that space (whether utopia or dystopia) as a fictional character, trying to change the world, and making things better.”

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introducing...

The AITC Brisbane campus has a great set of young people already and the selection process to apply to the College has been strong. “We’ve got all these industries coming to us saying they need young people right now,” explains Rhys. “We have other campuses to help industries and in the meantime we are helping our Brisbane young people to be industry safe, ready and employable before going out to work experience placements.”

“We’ve been looking at how to blend industry and education together. The approach here is to stop treating education and industry as two separate silos. They are one and the same. We are blending our program from the outset,” explains Rhys. Rhys sees the new Brisbane campus as a blank slate. “We are building on our one school, one system, one way approach. The city is our classroom. We can look out the windows, see the cityscape, and view the places where our young people can potentially work in the future. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us as staff and young people learning together in this space where there’s so much to do and so many opportunities we can connect with.”

TEAM LEADER, BRISBANE CAMPUS RHYS CASSIDY

AUTHORSEMINARCOMMUNITY-WIDEBYWORLD-FAMOUSTRENTDALTON

With approximately 30 young people at the new Brisbane campus in Spring Hill, Team Leader and Industry Consultant, Rhys Cassidy, says the new College maintains a ‘deliberately different’ approach.

Rhys says even though “in the challenging times with COVID” the opportunity to talk with Trent across the AITC campuses is worth it. “It opens up opportunities to the whole AITC community and brings our parents with us on the learning journey as well.”

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“I get this vibe that everyone shares the same values and everyone is here to support and collaborate. I don’t feel like we’re disjointed at all. It feels like one big College. We are all moving on the same journey so it’s great.”

TEAM LEADER & INDUSTRY CONSULTANT, BRISBANE CAMPUS LARISSA PORTER

In the future Larissa says she hopes to help young people learn more about themselves and how they need to grow to be that valued employee in the workplace. “Also to absolutely graduate with their Year 12 QCE. This way they’re looking for a career rather than just a job.”

Larissa says she “was very picky with the jobs I applied for because during my placements I realised traditional school was not for me.” She began looking for alternative schools and the AITC came up in the job search. “I did my research and thought ‘This is fantastic, their values align with mine, they are all about the young people before the curriculum — which is still a priority. This is me!’.”

Larissa Porter has recently come to the AITC from 16 years in the Australian Army. Her first five years in the army was spent as a Combat Engineer Clark and then Larissa spent the next 11 years in psychology. “That gives me civil engineering skills, admin skills and psychology as well,” she says. At some point in there Larrisa started her own personal training business and was running CrossFit kid, “this is where I got into health and fitness with adolescents and loved it.”

As Team Leader and Industry Consultant Larissa says she’s focused on developing her skills in different ways. Team Leader from Brisbane, Rhys Cassidy, and Matt Sweetman, Industry Consultant from Redlands, have been helping Larissa to understand the Industry Consultant role and how to make industry connections.

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With the will to bring health and fitness into schools Larissa started studying to be a teacher. Working full time she studied her teaching degree part-time and finished in 2020. “I spent half of last year in Malaysia with work and then the rest transitioning and looking for teaching jobs.”

“I get this vibe that everyone shares the same values and everyone is here to support and collaborate. It feels like one big College. We are all moving on the same journey so it’s great.”

After her Cert IV Scarlett is determined to become a helicopter mechanic. “I will be doing a mechanical structural course so I will be learning how to maintain and build the structural parts of helicopters and planes, as well as learn how to strip down engines and rebuild them.”

AITC SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES take flight at Aviation Australia

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The Queensland Government subsidises the schooling at Aviation Australia but there is an out-of-pocket fee the student normally pays to be part of the course. “Our industry partners have covered the outstanding gap between what the Queensland government subsidises and what the student would normally pay themselves,” explains Leif. “We’re really excited. We know we have a lot of hard work ahead but we’re really looking forward to supporting these women as they start their first steps into aircraft Currentlymaintenance.”they have almost 20 enrolments for FAME 2022, “which is significantly higher than our average female students per year. This is a really good sign we are on the right track.” The course started in mid-January and will run through to the end of November 2022. “During that time students will gain a lot of the theoretical knowledge that underpins an apprenticeship. They will learn practical skills and that will set them up for when they gain an apprenticeship,” says Leif.

“Our industry is really having a skill shortage at the moment so there’s never been a better time to join our industry and have a job outcome at the end of it.”

The Australian Industry Trade College (AITC), industry partner of Aviation Australia, is sponsoring 2020 graduate Scarlett Toohey-Crock to complete her goal and achieve a Cert IV in Aeroskills (Mechanical). Glenn English, AITC Industry Engagement Advisor, says “Scarlett’s dream was to do that course at the end of her graduation but unfortunately she wasn’t able to cover the cost of that course. When the opportunity came up for us to sponsor a position in the FAME program the first thing we did was contact Scarlett and ask her if she was interested.”

Her advice to others who have an interest in aviation is to “keep your options open and take whatever people are willing to offer you — but don’t just sit there, look around to try and find something. Don’t wait for it to come to you.”

Leif Mawson, Technical Training Manager, Aviation Australia says, “we want to make a really big difference. To have a healthy pipeline of women going to our employer partners is something that we feel really passionate about.”

Scarlett says she “was really excited” with the opportunity of the FAME scholarship from the AITC. “My main goal now is to get through the course and do well in my exams.”

Glenn says looking after an AITC past graduate, “is positive proof that the AITC has a vested interest in supporting our young people even after they’ve graduated from the College. We have that community mind and we are looking out for the best interests of our young people.”

Aviation Australia recently announced the launch of their FAME (Female Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) program. FAME is an aviation industry-first initiative designed to support and nurture future female aircraft maintenance engineers as they build their careers in a traditionally male dominated field. The launch gave an opportunity for students to mix and connect with industry, students like 2020 graduate Scarlett Toohey-Crock who was sponsored by the AITC.

The AITC has been working with Aviation Australia for a little over 12 months. “We originally began the relationship around site tours for our young people. That partnership has grown to the point where we are sponsoring a young person into the FAME program. There are other programs

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we are running with Aviation Australia including pre-apprenticeship training courses and potentially, in the future, the possibility of a couple of our campuses becoming gateway schools for the aviation “Thisindustry.”isthe first time the FAME program has been run. To the best of our knowledge it’s the only program of its kind in the country. This has the potential to almost double the workforce of females as mechanical engineers in the aviation industry,” says Glenn. At the AITC “we encourage young women to be involved in different industries. It’s also important to provide opportunities for all our young people to gain employment outcomes in fields they had never previously considered.” For next year’s FAME scholarship, “we will start promoting this to our young people throughout 2022. We will expose them to the industry by bringing them to Aviation Australia for tours. They have also agreed to come on campus to talk to our young people as well.”

““Iwillbedoinga mechanical structural course so I will be learning how to maintain and build the structural parts of helicopters and planes, as well as learn how to strip down engines and rebuild them.”

The Last Breath BY WILLIAM PALMER INTERCAMPUS SHORT STORY WINNER FOR 2022 blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

The aftershock is happening now. The walls of the tunnel are crashing down and the dust is chasing behind them. Bang! Crash! The rocks are falling near the ute, and one hits Bill. He is lost in the cloud of dark dust. Matt thinks this might have all been for nothing. He reaches near the top of the mine and the lights are flashing as he speeds past. The dust is creeping up behind him. Every light he passes by makes him think. Flash! The mines they’re dangerous. Flash! The mines are destroying my kids’ future. Flash! It was probably the cause of this earthquake. Matt sees the end of the tunnel, but the mine is slowly falling behind him.

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“It’s minutes before the aftershock and sending the squad in will put them in danger.”

“I’ll go in,” shouts Matt hesitantly Matt stands in front of the entrance to the mine. Dust is everywhere thickening the air and you can’t see inside the shaft. It’s death defyingly dangerous but Matt knows the risk. In his years of experience, he knows that this could be any one of them. Traumatizingly and terrifyingly Slam!trapped.The ute door shuts and Matt starts driving down the ever-winding shaft until a steep decline leads to darkness and engulfs Matt’s ute. The lights from his ute are fully lit but the glare from the dust is dazing to look into. He thinks to himself, there is no turning back now, this is it. He calls over the radio for the younger worker… There is no response. Maybe he’s already dead, maybe he is suffering. Matt is filled with tonnes of emotions all at once; ones he cannot name or describe. Thankfully adrenaline kicked in as Matt speeds down the shaft passing fallen rocks in hope that he is safe. His body sways side to side in no particular rhythm but more in random jolts. He stops suddenly as he can hear something muffled in the air. There is a huge blinding light moving with a grumbling sound. He fears the sound might be the aftershock. Matt has this shivering feeing down his spine and his tongue is dry. His body goes numb, and the car speeds up. Memories flash before him of his kids. Their faces are clear and realistic enough to stretch out and touch. They are laughing. It is a glimpse of the joy in his life. Matt’s eyes start to tear up. He thinks to himself, and says aloud, “will I ever see my family again, my kids, my wife”. Wondering if he was a good father and how he let them down. He had a gut wrenching feeling that he wouldn’t be making it out of this mine. He starts to regroup and knows that he needs to focus on the here and now. He finds Bill on the machinery doing work. Matt feels betrayed and is filled with anger but there is no time, and they have to get out of the mine before it collapses. Bill is rattled and in complete shock. Matt puts him in the seat, and they start speeding out of the mine. A great roar rumbles down the mine.

Beep! Beep! Beep! The sirens are screaming to evacuate the mines. We were warned but nobody believed it. The earthquake was only supposed to be a small one. The structure is barely holding. The sirens are deafening and the creaking on the surrounds is eerily telling the story on its own. If and when the mine collapses, people will die and people effected forever. Matt, we still have one guy down deep with bad reliefshouldcommunications,wesendthesquad?”

“Almost there” he whispers to himself as a tear comes out. Bang! The mine exhales out a gust of dust and nothing else. No sign of the boss. Nothing but dust and smoke.

IMPORTANT FOR ALL YEAR 10 YOUNG PEOPLE?

blueprintexperiencework

Young people quickly learn about industry expectations, valuing safety and working on projects that may start from the ground up and turn into a completed house. They also begin to understand what it takes to become employable through the employability Under our model, young people begin to get the feeling of what the real working world feels like.

WORK EXPERIENCE

WHYHARRISIS

Year 10 work experience (WEX) for all AITC young people is a critical point in their journey. They can take advantage of finding opportunities across any industry they feel drawn to and obtain work experience. We encourage all young people in Year 10 to sample many trades. When a young person starts with the AITC they think they know what trade they want to pursue. After completing some work experience, they can realise maybe the trade isn’t quite what they thought it was. We encourage young people to think outside the box with their work experience opportunities by doing the required research in all industries. This encourages them to think about what the future might look like and also where they may find happiness in their daily job.

Work experience serves as a major part in the development of an AITC young person and their journey to secure a school-based apprenticeship. Under our model, young people begin to get the feeling of what the real working world feels like. Working in hard labour— intense industries, quite often turning up to their first full time week of work experience sees a young person in bed at 7:30pm most nights. We often get feedback from parents that it’s great to see their young person working so hard.

-INTERVIEWREGIONAL INDUSTRY OFFICER JAY

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• Once work experience has been secured, young people take the business details and pass it onto the Industry Consultant

• The Industry Consultant follows up and confirms the placement, completes an onsite risk assessment and arranges the placement details using Connect

• Before the start date, the young people have the responsibility to reach out to the host employer again and confirm start times, location and dress code, as well as required safety gear

• Once the list is complete there is some coaching provided on how to make a positive impact during a phone call

All young people go through many coaching sessions on how to obtain work experience. The process is as follows:

HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT OBTAINING WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE AITC?

• All young people are encouraged the night before the placement to get a good night’s sleep and have their uniform and lunch ready to go so they are organised

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• Young people begin to make phone calls with their prospective employers hopefully receiving a ‘yes’ to lock in work experience dates

• Young people make a list of at least 12 employers, including the business name, contact number, contact person and business address

• All young people are asked to research prospective local employers (to where they live)

metrics. Quite often work experience provides a huge learning curve. An Industry Consultant receives feedback and then prepares the young person through that feedback and support.

Often young people head out to work experience thinking it’s an unpaid opportunity. What they might not see is that there is a hidden expense for the employer to take on a young person for work experience. There is not a monetary value and no direct out-of-pocket expense for the employer. However, the employer needs to provide a staff member to train a young person on how to complete jobs and learn required skills. This expense doesn’t disappear once a young person is signed-up as an apprentice. The learning involved for an apprentice is taught by a qualified tradesperson who also mentors and supports them through their apprenticeship.

It’s common for young people to get a ‘no thank you’ on their first phone call for work experience. This is the reason that we facilitate coaching and mentoring beforehand. We let young people know it’s likely they may not get work experience first go and we talk through ways to approach that conversation. The employer may already have someone or maybe they don’t have the capability to coach and train a young person during work experience. We encourage them to ask if there is an opportunity for work experience at a later date. This helps the young person to know who they can call next time they need work experience. It also shows the employer the young person is keen and confident to be in industry as It’swell.great when an employer receives a phone call from a confident young person keen for work experience. Having a confident tone, and talking directly about the need for work experience gives the employer an indication of what to expect and helps drive the decision to a ‘yes’.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE CHALLENGING FOR YEAR 10 s ?

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Having confidence to make the phone calls, while we encourage this to happen some young people don’t have that natural ability. Coaching helps but it sometimes can take six to 12 months to build up. This is why our Year 10 program is so important. We are selective when it comes to bringing in Year 11 students as we want to make sure they have clear direction about the journey they want to pursue and how they will achieve that. We encourage young people to be the foundation of their own success through organising their own phone calls and seeking out opportunities.apprenticeship industry trade college 2022

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WHY IS THIS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CURRICULUM AT THE AITC?

It’s who we are, we are deliberately different, most schools have a work experience coordinator or use an external service to find work experience for their young people. We encourage young people to be the foundation of their own success through organising their own phone calls and seeking out apprenticeship opportunities.

HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THEM TO KEEP GOING IF THEY’VE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING WEX?

You may say, ‘I’m not sure if I can do this because no one else is.’ Just do it. Just go for it!”

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Looking at a horse in the mouth for work experience

Finding work experience for the first time in this unique field presented a challenge but Nazar found lots of support at the AITC. “Everyone here is so helpful. My Industry Consultant, Divina, helped me find work experience. I’m hoping I can get as much experience as I can on the job and then find an apprenticeship.” Her interest for this unique industry began when she watched an equine dentist help her horse. “It is a dangerous industry to go into because anything can happen really. I trust myself to do this and be the best I can Havingbe.”owned three horses in her life, Nazar says a person should call an equine dentist when an owner sees a change in their horse’s behaviour. “Usually if a horse is tossing its head, or showing signs of distress while eating, or they look like they are experiencing pain, that’s when you should get them checked. Once a year you have to file their teeth down because they continually grow. Some sharp points can happen and they can get ulcers within the gums if they’re cut. Taking care of their teeth is a very important thing to do for your Nazar’shorse.”passion for this niche trade is truly inspiring. She says to others who are also looking at a niche career trade: “You may say, ‘I’m not sure if I can do this because no one else is.’ Just do it. Just go for it!”

Nazar has been working with horses for most of her life and finds the prospect of a career as an equine dentist (horse dentistry) fascinating. During her first work experience block in 2021 Nazar worked with Samantha Gunter Equine Dentistry and has taken her first steps to achieving her ultimate career goal. “Equine dentistry really interests me,” explains Nazar. “I know it’s different to everyone else so I’ve really got to try my Nazarbest.” decided the AITC would be a good pathway to get into that industry while finishing her Year 12 Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). “If you want to study anatomy of horses and animals in the long term you should definitely get your QCE. The QCE will give me the opportunity to expand on my future in this industry.”

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CJ BLIGNAUT 21 March 2022, Plumber blueprint australian industry trade college 2022

sign-ups

KYE RAMSDEN 21 March 2022, Electrical Fitting CJ was signed-up with the energetic and dedicated team at Shark Plumbing. He put in the hours and proved his commitment working with Sharks throughout his summer holidays — reaping the reward when the apprenticeship contract was signed. Awesome work CJ, smashing goals academically (soon to finish Year 12) and now you are part of the Shark Plumbing crew.

PHOEBE DREW 29 November 2021, Companion Animal Services Charlie and his new employer Geoff will be cooking up a storm for hundreds of Queensland kids on school camp every week at the awesome CYC Burleigh. When Geoff reached out to Divina, our Industry Consultant, looking for an honest, reliable and hardworking young person to join his team, she knew exactly who would fit the role.

Congratulations to Phoebe who is beginning an exciting career in the animal care industry with AAA Pet Resort! She has been signed-up into a schoolbased traineeship —Certificate III Companion Animal Services. After a couple of placements within the animal industry at doggy day cares and groomers, Phoebe knew she had found a career she was going to love.

CHARLIE WHITTRED 4 April 2022, Hospitality Kye started started his work experience block with Odyssey Marine Electrical mid 2021, found his passion for the marine industry, and never looked back. Owner of Odyssey, Jim Gray, was keen to sign Kye up as a school-based apprentice in electrical fitting and now Kye is part of the team.

Thymias is a courageous, quiet achiever who is always driven to achieve his best and works hard as a result. He immersed himself in different industries including electrical, landscaping, automotive, and construction before finding a career path with Grambower Concreting. He has now been signed-up in a school-based apprenticeship as a carpenter.

Toby joined the team at Sanctuary Early Education Adventure in Ashmore as a school-based trainee. He began his journey by trying construction. Although he enjoyed it, and received great feedback, Toby followed his heart to the world of Early Childhood, Education and Care, which may eventually take him onto a career in teaching.

THYMIAS STENSON 13 December 2021, Carpentry Oliver tried trades including carpentry, landscaping and large construction. A cabinet maker, installing cupboards at his home, piqued his interest. Thompson Custom Cabinetry were looking to add to their team so Oliver tried work experience with them. They were so impressed they offered Oliver a school-based apprenticeship in cabinet making.

OLIVER ROBERTSON 22 March 2022, Cabinet Making

Eddie wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps as a builder. Matt at Oxley Contracting was looking for a schoolbased carpenter’s apprentice. When asked about how Eddie was doing, Matt replied — “What a ripper! When can we sign him up?” Great Work Eddie and thank you Matt — what a team they will make!

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TOBY ROLFE 17 January 2022, Early Childhood Education and Care

EDDISON WALTER 30 March 2022, Carpentry

Stella represents everything the AITC stands for. Her hard work paid off as she was signed-up into a school-based hairdressing apprenticeship at Jazzy Lane Hair Studio. She showed courage by completing her sign-up after a recent life changing event. You are amazing and we are proud of you. Bo has shown great maturity and strong commitment to succeed at the AITC. Her hard work and commitment to work experience was rewarded with a sign-up as a school-based apprentice with Holden Toowoomba. Bo is working with a team of factorytrained professionals and is sure to have an excellent career trajectory.

Ethan gained skills in the heavy vehicle maintenance industry and excelled at his Certificate II in Automotive at TAFE. He found a connection with a national company based locally, the Wideland Group. After work experience placements Ethan was offered a school-based apprenticeship, fulfilling his goal to become a heavy transport vehicle mechanic.

Kayla worked hard on developing her skills and her confidence grew dramatically through various industry experiences. She consistently demonstrates all the AITC values and works hard in all areas of her industry education. After recently completing work experience with the amazing team at Watson’s Plumbing and Gas she was rewarded with a school-based plumbing apprenticeship.

ESTELLA RODIGHIERO 2 February 2022, Hairdressing BO DANGERFIELD 10 January 2022, Light Vehicle Mechanical

HUNTER CASEY 7 March 2022, Plumber

ETHAN JARRETT 28 March 2022, Heavy Transport Vehicle Mechanic

Hunter achieved a school-based plumbing apprenticeship with Eco Earth Plumbing & Gas Fitting Sunshine Coast. He successfully completed his Certificate II in Plumbing which reinforced his aspiration towards a plumbing trade. Maria and Aaron Fisher, owners of Eco Earth Plumbing, have experienced Hunter’s growth first-hand and brought him on-board with their team.

KAYLA LAMPE 10 January 2022, Plumbing blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

LACHLAN WRIGHT 21 February 2022, Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic Bella came to the AITC with a mature, confident attitude and excelled in her education. She consistently demonstrated a drive to succeed especially during her work experience placements. After exploring her passion for barbering through work experience placements she impressed Sarge with her enthusiasm and was rewarded with a barbering apprenticeship at Sarge’s Barbershop.

BELLA MAUGER 4 January 2022, Barbering

IZEIAH DASS 28 March 2022, Electrician A strong passion for heavy vehicles led Lachlan to the AITC— where he sought out an apprenticeship. Through his hard work, energy and devotedness, Lachlan has earned his dream job at Volvo as a heavy commercial vehicle mechanic. Volvo recognised the great potential in Lachlan by offering him a well-deserved school-based apprenticeship.

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EDWARD PALMER 28 February Fitter/Welder2022, Harvey set his sights on becoming a machinist and completed work experience with Shine Precision. After this he obtained part-time work during his education block and on weekends. His hard work paid off and he was offered a school-based apprenticeship in Engineering—Mechanical Trade.

The smile on Edward’s face says it all — Edward was signed-up for his schoolbased apprenticeship as a fitter/welder with the Nicko Group, Capalaba. This is a big commitment for a young person in Year 11 and Edward has shown determination and commitment to his career path.

Recently Daniel was signed-up in the electrical trade with Paul Wiedman Electrical. He showed that hard work and persistence definitely pays off — both in education and in industry. Daniel was able to show during his work experience blocks that he had the skills and tenacity for the industry and fit in well with the employer.

DANIEL CHARD 21 March 2022, Electrician With every work experience opportunity Izeiah gained valuable skills on the tools and has always received positive feedback. It was Izeiah’s hard work and motivation to learn that has given him favour with this current employer. Corey, from E&C Electrical, was thrilled to offer him a school-based electrical apprenticeship and welcome him on board.

HARVEY TOMKINS 17 January 2022, Engineering—Mechanical Trade

HANNAH RATTEY 15 March 2022, Cabinet Maker Jaydyn never waivered from his decision to become a plumber. He completed work experience with Corey and the team at OA Plumbing and they challenged him to show he was ready to undertake a school-based apprenticeship. His determination paid off and now Jayden is signed-up as a schoolbased plumber’s apprentice.

JAYME GRIEVE 9 March 2022, Hairdressing Lachlan was signed-up into a school-based apprenticeship in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology with Black Truck & Ag in Gatton. After completing a work experience placement with the company, and receiving great feedback, Terry said he was a great fit for the team and was keen to sign him up.

JAYDYN BAXTER 24 January 2022, Plumbing Isaac has been signed-up with Enerflex as their first ever school-based apprentice in engineering (fixed and mobile plant). On his first placement with the team Isaac showed fantastic levels of employability and skills. The leading hand was impressed with Isaac’s level of maturity and ability to engage with the work and the team.

NATHAN PORTER 4 April 2022, Plumbing

ISAAC PRASSER 4 April 2022, Engineering (Fixed and Mobile Plant) Nathan obtained a school-based plumbing apprenticeship with Blake Purity Plumbing. After amazing feedback from all of Nathan’s work experience placements it was only a matter of time before someone snapped him up. He always displays the best approach with his attitude, aptitude and drive, to be a great asset to any business.

Since Hannah was five she enjoyed putting Ikea flatpacks together. So it’s no surprise Hannah is being signed-up as an apprentice cabinet maker with Spoke Joinery (Quadric). Hannah is a young person who has stood out from her selection day and has continued to impress both staff and employers throughout her journey at the AITC.

LACHLAN JENDRA 7 February 2022, Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

Congratulations to Jayme on her school-based hairdressing apprenticeship with Gaye’s Hair fashions. Jayme spent her work experience with many hairdressers before signing-up with a powerhouse in the hairdressing scene in Ipswich. Jayme’s hard work and attention to detail will ensure her success long into her career in the hair and beauty industry.

wordsIn their own

YEAR 12 + ELECTRICAL REDLANDS 25DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

Cayden’s advice Stay strong, keep up your work, keep up your grades, you will get there eventually. It doesn’t matter what anyone tells you. What you want to do is what you will do, as long as you focus on that you will achieve your goal of coming to the AITC.

CAYDEN KIME When I first came to the AITC I wanted to achieve a goal of being an electrical apprentice. My grades weren’t the best and everyone was starting to think I might need to look at choosing something different. I pretty much told them ‘No. This is what I want.’ I worked hard and was signed-up as a schoolbased apprentice electrician with Zamlec Contractors. I won an award for my hard work. It makes me feel really proud of myself and good that I’ve come to the AITC. I’ve achieved my goal. I looked at different educational pathways but they weren’t for me. I’m more of a practical learner and once I found the AITC I realised it would be the perfect fit for me. I get heaps of support from all the teachers, from my parents, from my mates. Everyone thought coming here was a good idea. For work experience, from Year 10 all the way up, I went through 10 or so companies. I looked at all sides of the electrical trade including solar, refrigeration, air conditioning and industrial. I finally found the perfect company for me which was the commercial side of electrical work. Being a sparky is the best job. It’s important to do work experience because you gain the knowledge of what you want to do. It gives you a bit of experience to try every trade out there to see what you like. The experience is good for you — it’s good to learn different trades. It is definitely important to finish Year 12 so you can get your QCE. I know there are many companies who want apprentices to finish their QCE so it’s very important to have this.

I started at the AITC Toowoomba in 2021. Other schools didn’t provide you many employment opportunities. I heard about the AITC through a friend of mine saying it would really help me with my career and my future so I decided to come here. I knew I wanted to get into hospitality in front-of-house. I’ve always been a people person and I’m drawn to an industry where I can help people.

Telia’s advice When managing the front-ofhouse an employee needs to be across areas including the following (but not limited to):

HOSPITALITYTOOWOOMBA blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

You introduce yourself, say your name, say that you’re from the AITC, give them a bit of a rundown — say you do the education and industry blocks for five weeks so they know you will be able to work with them consistently. Then you ask the business if they accept people for work experience. Sometimes they want to talk to your Industry Consultant. I found it easier to go into the place in person. That way you can see them and you can see they are not a big, scary manager, you can see they are just a normal person. A lot of employers prefer that because they can see your confidence going in. When I finish my traineeship in July I will go back to doing work experience but I will also work casually at Junktion on weekends and before and after school. After Year 12 I can hopefully work there full-time. No matter what — if you have been offered a full-time apprenticeship it’s important to finish school and get your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Finishing Year 12 is absolutely worth it. If you’re at the AITC you only have two to three years left to achieve it so you should finish. I was determined to finish my Year 12 QCE so it opens more doors for me. Even if you’re not sure what industry you want to go into — coming to the AITC is worth it because you can try different trades. You can do one week in carpentry, one week in mechanical, one week in childcare, you can really do anything. I started off in hairdressing and beauty, then I went into childcare and then hospitality. You get a lot of support here at the AITC, their doors are always open to go in and have a chat to staff. You can always message your Industry Consultant and ask for advice.

I’ve been working at Junktion Coffee House in Toowoomba for about eight months in my school-based hospitality Thetraineeship.industry and education blocks are really interesting. When you find work experience you also have the responsibilities of getting up early and going to work, finding your own way there. It’s a great way to teach you time management, independence and Teliaresponsibilities.offersadvice to young people trying to find work experience: Honestly just get into it. After your first few calls you get into the routine and you become more confident knowing what you’ve got to say. You need to speak politely, end the call properly.

• Managing stock and the front of house area design Planning menus, promotions and events. 12 +

A host/hostess is the first front-ofhouse restaurant staff member to interact with guests and imparts an all-important first impression. They greet guests and show them to their table. They also take reservations and, if a table is not ready when guests arrive, estimate the wait time.

• Delivering outstanding customer service

• Employee management: hiring, training and developing

The host or hostess keeps things running on schedule and requires strong leadership, effective team management and attention to detail.

TELIA YEAR

•

Charlotte’s advice Research the company first. Look at their website and comments on Facebook or testimonials. Try locations closer to home or close to public transport so you can get there easily. Just go for it! You never know what pathway you could follow. Just make the phone-call for work experience, you could always get a great opportunity from there. While at work experience the first two weeks can be pretty nervewrecking but you will get through it. It’s pretty great—and you get to bond with everyone.

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YEAR 11 REDLANDS CHARLOTTECANNING I was at a mainstream school and it wasn’t the perfect fit for me as I like more hands-on work. When I found out about the AITC I heard about the amazing teachers and program and I couldn’t wait to come here. The reason I came here was to get a head-start in industry. At the AITC you’re not in the classroom for ten weeks straight—there are five-week blocks of education and industry. I love it, it’s such a great program, it makes everything ten times better. I wanted to give everything a go. When I came to the AITC I was expecting my direction to be in motorcycle mechanics. I’ve tried painting — I did that for seven weeks, I tried engineering for two weeks, and I’ve also tried childcare. I think I’m actually going to follow through with childcare and maybe become a primary school teacher in the future. I love working with little kids. I would love to help them in a school environment. I have a five-year-old sister and I love spending time with her. Making that a job it doesn’t even sound real but I can do that. Childcare feels like I’m hanging out with friends. I found that childcare doesn’t feel like a job. I’m very happy. I want to try multiple companies to see which one is the right fit. Then I want to go to TAFE and work on my Cert III in IChildcare.alsowant to finish Year 12 and my QCE in case I need a back-up plan. Finishing Year 12 is important to me because people close to me didn’t expect me to finish Year 10. The fact I can finish Year 12 with my QCE, and knowing what I want to do in my career, is pretty cool. I can hardly wait to tell the people who doubted me that I made it.

Keeley’s hard work impressed Dawson Electric and this is where she is now signed into a school-based apprenticeship. “I did my first block of work experience at the end of Year 10 in November 2020. I couldn’t go back there until September 2021 and on my second block of work experience, they offered to sign me up,” said Keeley.

Keeley Tilbrook is in her final year of high school at the AITC and is signed up as an electrical school-based apprentice. The Year 12 student joined the College in 2020 in pursuit of a trade-based career. Keeley’s father is also an electrician however Keeley wanted to try several different trades to ensure she found her perfect fit. At the AITC, students spend half the term in the classroom and the other half in work experience or a paid “Whenapprenticeship.Ifirststarted at the AITC, I didn’t really know which industry I wanted to work in, I tried metal fabrication as well as some carpentry work and bricklaying.” Keeley said. “I started some work experience with Dawson Electric at the end of Year 10 and loved it,” Keeley added.

Keeley loves the diversity she has in her trade and is the youngest apprentice at her workplace. “I’m a first-year apprentice so it’s good being able to learn from my team. Every day you learn more, and you grow.”

It is exciting that young women can pursue careers in maledominated industries. Keeley is very well supported by a team of uplifting tradespeople who also support the importance of Keeley completing Year 12 at the AITC. “My boss was a teacher and knows how important it is. If one day you want to do something else or move into electrical engineering, its importance to have had completed senior school.”

“Joining the AITC is a great pathway. You can find a career, finish Year 12 with your QCE, save money and have no university debt.”

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Keeley recommends those considering industry-based pathways to consider enrolling at the AITC. “Coming here you’re going to figure out what trade you want.”

Keeley wired for an electrical career blueprint

ASHTON WORLD-FIRSTSHOWCASESFJ49HOWDREAMSCANBECOMEAREALITY 29DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

“Theimportancewith this car is to really show how anything can be possible as long as you put your mind to it. Dreams can really become a reality if you work hard enough for them...”

Ashton Montesalvo, Year 12 Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) student from the Gold Coast, brought a unique car to the campus as part of an inspirational talk to his peers. The car, (an FJ49), is a combination of old meets new, and is the first of its kind in the world. For those car enthusiasts it’s an FJ45 with an LC79 VDJ transplant which took two years to build. “The importance with this car is to really show to everyone how anything can be possible as long as you put your mind to it. Dreams can really become a reality if you work hard enough for them,” says “AAshton.lotof my peers did get the idea of what I was trying to say and they really appreciated how I wasn’t being arrogant by saying, ‘Hey, you can do this too if you put your mind to it!’.”

The labour of love has been about two years of work including lots of late nights and working weekends. “There’s been a lot of custom work on the car because obviously it hasn’t been done before,” explains Ashton. “There was definitely a lot of times I felt unmotivated and didn’t want to keep going but some great things don’t always come instantly and without hard work. “That’s why I brought the car in to the AITC — to show how times do get tough but it’s worth it in the end.” The whole build has been documented on YouTube into an 18-part series — Patriot Games FJ49.

The FJ49 began as an iconic, old school, 1977 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45. “It used to have an old engine and drive chain 6-cylinder petrol engine in it. I took all the running gear out of a rolled over ex-mining car — a 2011 Toyota Landcruiser 79 series (which is the newer version of the old FJ’s). I mixed all of the good things about the 79 in with the old style FJ45. Anyone who is into cars loves these FJ’s so I wanted to make the most of it — new meets old heritage version of the car.”

blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

WISDOM Ashton has other big goals as well like achieving his Year 12 Queensland Certificate of Education. “It’s like a life goal that everyone deserves to get. Finishing Year 12 is important for me and honestly I love being here at the AITC so I want to be here for as long as I can.” He finds the structure of Industry and Education Blocks at the AITC “really good and intuitive. It helps people to learn what they need for a trade. When you’re a teenager, and doing 40 or so weeks of school, it can be tough for some because it can’t hold their focus. The AITC program breaks that up and it’s more fun. The program gives people time to learn their field on the job while achieving an education. Everyone has heard the saying ‘you don’t learn this in school’. So the AITC program helps people learn more in a hands-on way.”

31DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

Ashton’s background in mechanics began in his dad’s company, Patriot Campers, from an early age. He is now signed-up as a school-based apprentice mechanic with Patriot. “My dad, Justin, owns the company and I take care of his race cars and all of his personal cars. I’ve been doing that since I was 10-years-old. I’ve been working on everything and learning as much as I can.”

Ashton began at the AITC in June 2021 in Year 11. “The AITC focuses on treating you like an adult and really teaches you everything about trades. My old school didn’t have a trade focus at all. There was an attitude that if you weren’t going to Uni you weren’t going anywhere in life and I didn’t agree with that. The AITC has been a way better fit for what I do and what I love. “Some people don’t want to go to Uni. They like working with their hands and doing a trade — it needs to be embraced way more in normal schools.”

FUTURE TRADIE KICKING GOALS blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

STELLA YOUNG, YEAR 10, JOINED THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY TRADE COLLEGE (AITC) THIS YEAR WITH SOME BIG GOALS IN MIND… FIND A TRADE, GRADUATE YEAR 12 WITH QCE AND TRAIN HARD IN THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE (AFLW) TO BECOME PART OF THE BRISBANE LIONS.

Stella is an inspiration for many young people — in sports and in life — and her confidence is sure to take her far beyond the goal Stellaposts.firstcame to the AITC because the College “was offering a lot more opportunities than my old school,” explains Stella. “I really wanted to go forward in my career and hopefully have better options and life choices. I’m into carpentry, I want to be a chippie, which is not a popular option for women.”

With the common theme of being actively involved in a male dominated sport and industry, Stella says she brings the same strategy to her sport as in the AITC. “I think the fact they are both male dominated makes me more willing to do it. I like to prove people wrong. You hear things from different people saying, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’ and I answer with confidence ‘Yeah, it is.’!”

‘Yes — I kick like a girl and run like a girl and that’s great—I’m proud of it!’ I don’t get put down by those words anymore. I take charge of my own narrative,” explains Stella. “I’ve always had big aspirations my whole life. My parents are a huge inspiration to me. If I didn’t have so many great people around me, I wouldn’t have made it as far in footy or pursued an industry pathway. At every footy game, and in life, they’re always supporting me, and they were the first ones to support my move to the AITC.”

After reading about the AITC on Facebook the family researched the school further. “I went to the Ipswich Open Day and looked around as much as I could. You could tell staff were welcoming and at the Selection Day everyone was lovely.” Now, “I’ve made friends with everyone in my grade at the AITC. I have a good relationship with everyone.”

Stella is excited about the career pathways open to her including tasting the trades at TAFE. “I could live out my dreams here. The school is interesting and I’m keen to get out and do some work experience. I want to test different things, even though I like carpentry I’m not locked into one thing yet, I have options and an open Apartmindset.”fromfinding a career path Stella’s extracurricular pathway is in AFLW. “It’s a great opportunity and getting to play for Metropolitan West School Sport (Met West) teams and going further in footy is exciting. It’s my passion. I first started in under 11s and now I’m turning 15 and I hope to do it for a lot longer,” says Stella. “Met West is a big deal because you’re versing all the different Regions in Queensland. You compete and do heaps of trial games, friendly games. It can be quite a big deal because by making the team you get to compete at the State championships for your Region and you’re also representing a school, and it’s very exciting,” she explains. “I want to play for the Brisbane Lions when I get to the right age. I have played for the Brisbane Lions Academy so I’m already in touch with them. My club and school is opening up so many opportunities like Met West, Districts and Brisbane Lions. I hope to go far.”

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‘YES — I KICK LIKE A GIRL AND RUN LIKE A GIRL AND THAT’S GREAT—I’M PROUD OF IT!’ I DON’T GET PUT DOWN BY THOSE WORDS ANYMORE. I TAKE CHARGE OF MY OWN NARRATIVE.”

Stella offers wisdom from the challenges she’s faced so far. “You want to push your limits. You want to go as far as you can. People can try and push you down, “saying ‘You can’t do it.’, or, ‘It’s because you’re a girl… You kick like a girl.’…

PATHWAYINDUSTRYFANTASTIC

blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

WISDOM AITC Industry Consultant, Brenda Roney, agrees “Hannah has been a stand-out since beginning at the AITC and continues to impress everyone. She has a great attitude and always puts in her best effort. She is fortunate to be working with a great multifaceted company like Spoke Joinery where she will flourish.”

Not many people can say they enjoy putting Ikea flatpacks together but Hannah Rattey, student from the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC), has been doing that since she was five-years-old. It was inevitable that her talent brought her to the doors of the AITC to pursue a pathway in industry.

Like all AITC students Hannah found work experience and tried various industries while working hard to complete her Year 12 Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). “When I was at my old school I hadn’t done any work experience,” says Hannah. “The extent of building anything was a 50-minute lesson about three or four times a week. It was fun but it wasn’t going to get me Theanywhere.”AITCencourages

all students to find their career with a series of work experience placements during Industry blocks. Hannah’s work experience last year included “cutting chipboards out, edging them, cleaning them, constructing them into lockers. It’s been pretty cool. I hadn’t done a lot of building but when I did it was really fun,” says Hannah. Being at the AITC “has really helped me to have that extra push to start my career.” That extra push led her to work experience with Spoke Joinery (Quadric) at the beginning of this year. After only a few weeks Lee Wood (Manager), could see that Hannah was a great fit for the team and was keen to sign her up as a school-based apprentice in cabinet making. Hannah will be Spoke Joinery’s fifth school-based apprentice from the AITC with three young people still working with the team. Hannah says, “It feels amazing to be signed-up. All that hard work and exploring what I want to do has finally paid off. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now I can settle into one place and learn more every day.”

STAND-OUT STUDENT AT THE AITC FINDS

Yvette Pratt, Ipswich AITC Campus Manager, says “Hannah demonstrates the school’s values and outcome to the highest level. It is one of the reasons she was chosen to become one of the school’s leaders. Hannah’s commitment to her trade and leading women forward in industry helps #breakthebias every day. We are grateful to have such a hardworking, dedicated young woman to represent the AITC and we are proud of all that she has accomplished. Our promise is to connect young people with opportunities in Industry, and Industry with GREAT young people, and Hannah is a true testament of that promise.”

Hannah will no doubt flourish in her new role at Spoke Joinery and offers advice for young people who want to get a head-start in industry while at school. “Come to the AITC and achieve your QCE. Get out into industry—even if you’re nervous or scared. Get a head start and find your industry pathway.”

A STYLISH INDUSTRY Interview with Carolyn at S&S Hair. Beauty ON THE ROAD Alumni working at the Frizelle Sunshine Automotive Group ARISE CAMP An oresome week 36 4038 industry insight 35DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

AITC YOUNG PEOPLE on the road TO SUCCESS WITH THE FRIZELLE SUNSHINE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP “Work experience provides a great way for young people to find the perfect fit with a team in the automotive industry...

Brendan started working with the AITC five years ago, “we’ve got 27 AITC graduates in our business now. The end goal is to develop them in a fantastic company. The joint relationship between us and the AITC is doing just that,” he says. “The AITC student is a well-prepared student. They go through a series of processes. They go through training and development. They come well-presented and understand what it is that they are trying to achieve.”

Young people with a passion for the automotive industry are happiest when actively problem-solving in the garage. They diagnose faults, dismantle and reassemble engines, repair defective parts and make sure everything is performing properly. That’s just on their own cars. At the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) we help industry connect with these dedicated young people. Young people who are keen to get a head-start in industry and work while they are studying. Industry partnerships, such as the one with the Frizelle Sunshine Automotive Group, offer a road to success. This road will lead to a school-based apprenticeship for those who work hard to develop a fulfilling career. Work experience provides a great way for young people to find the perfect fit with a team in the automotive industry. Brendan Dennett, Staff Development Manager for the Frizelle Sunshine Automotive Group (Northern Division), says, “the student gets to see what we do and how we do it. It overcomes any doubts about the Thereindustry.”areseveral attributes Frizelle looks for in a young person before offering them an apprenticeship, “good presentation, good communication skills, the want to be in the industry, that’s where the work experience process comes in. Dedication is also important — finish what you start,” advises BrendanBrendan.worksin the Training Centre is heavily involved in the recruitment process. “I develop, train, mentor and set-up apprentices and trainees in the Frizelle Group. Currently we have 227 apprentices and trainees and we’re about 900 strong from Lismore to Springwood.”

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AITC 2021 graduate, Bryce Hutchins, is a recent apprentice to Mazda. His brother inspired his move to the AITC to become a mechanic. “It’s a very helpful school to get into a trade and start your apprenticeship,” says Bryce. Before his sign-up Bryce did work experience during his Industry Blocks. “Work experience helps you build your reputation and develop the skills you need for your trade.” Work experience isn’t the only thing employers look for before a sign-up. “Your Year 12 QCE is important because employers look at how well you’ve been doing in school prior to getting signedup,” explains Bryce. Kaleb Drew, a second-year apprentice with Robina Volkswagen agrees, “Getting your QCE is important. It really looks good on a resume to show you’re educated. You don’t want to drop out and not get that certificate.”

After building numerous projects in his garage, Kaleb’s path seemed set, but he still tried all the trades he could at the AITC, “I tried all those great trades — bricklaying, electrical, plumbing but I really liked playing with cars and that’s what I do in my spare time at home.” He did work experience for the entire three years at the AITC — from Year 10 to Year 12. “I went to almost every dealership we’ve got under the brand and Volkswagen is what was right for me.”

AITC helped me find my apprenticeship and find who I wanted to work with. They helped boost my confidence and independence.”

Zara chose automotive for work experience and the first place she called was Volkswagen Robina, “I did work experience with them for about nine months and they signed me up,” she says. “Work experience is so important. You need to get to know what the trade is about, the people you work with, the cars, the brands, just everything.”

Zara van Rijssen, also an apprentice mechanic working at Volkswagen Robina, is passionate about being a trailblazer in the industry, “I love being hands-on. I also want to encourage females to consider taking on this trade. Everyone should have a Successgo!”runs in Zara’s family — Zara’s brother (also an AITC graduate) is now a successful business owner and employs his own apprentices. “I thought doing the same thing would be awesome,” explains “TheZara.

In the future Kaleb wants to start up his own business and eventually own a chain of mechanical workshops. He also knows it’s important to keep learning. “Technology is evolving. All the cars are computerised these days. My job is 75% computer work compared to what it used to be which was mechanical all day long.” Kaleb says being a mechanic “feels amazing. I’m doing what I love and I’m progressing every day.”

She advises those starting out in the industry to “be confident. Have faith in yourself and keep pushing through.”

ATTRIBUTESKEY Brendan’s advice FOR BEING OFFERED AN APPRENTICESHIP P Good presentation P Good communication skills P The want to be in the industry P Complete work experience P Dedication P Be well prepared Bryce Kaleb Zara 37DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

BEING A HAIRDRESSER OFFERS THE CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES, EXCELLENT JOB SECURITY AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS LEARNING TO WORK SUCCESSFULLY AS PART OF A TEAM IN A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED INDUSTRY. australian

S&S Hair.Beauty has 22 salons across Brisbane and one at the Gold Coast. Carolyn Lee, Human Resources Manager at S&S has an increasingly busy job which includes sourcing appropriate candidates, recruitment, onboarding, induction, performance management and continuous education and training, covering all aspects of the employee lifecycle.

S&S and the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) have recently embarked on a partnership “but we are looking forward to an ongoing successful and rewarding relationship,” says Carolyn. “We recently signed up a great AITC apprentice. We were so impressed, after only three days of work experience, we offered our now employee an apprenticeship.”

S&S partnersHair.Beautywiththe

AITC to provide a pathway into a stylish industry

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Abbey (Year 10 2021), began her school-based apprenticeship with S&S and believes the AITC was a great start to finding her career path. “I love being creative and finding out how to do different techniques and try new things.” She says the S&S team are “a great team” to work with, “we help each other out a lot.”

Carolyn says she looks for an apprentice with a “passion for hairdressing” and someone reliable “because you’re working very closely as part of a team, you need to be able to support that team, and the team needs to be able to rely on you.”

Bringing her AITC values of honesty and mateship into the role, Abbey is looking forward to developing into a successful hairdresser and progressing into a management position in the future.

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Another important aspect of being a hairdresser is the ability to provide excellent customer service. “We find the AITC young people are more mature in their outlook in terms of work. They come into our salons with a passion for hairdressing. They know ‘This is what I want to be. This is what I want to do.’ They already have that direction. They’re unlike some candidates who are unsure.”

Carolyn says apprentices feel very supported in their learning at S&S. “A lot of effort, skill and time goes into training apprentices to a very high level.” TAFE trainers provide training in our salons rather than at TAFE itself. This makes it easier for everyone and maximises the amount of training completed. Matrix is “our main product supplier and provides further ongoing education and training.” S&S have over 5,000 clients a week, “that’s why apprentices really enjoy being with us, they get a lot of hands-on experience throughout the day.”

During ‘WhatwonderingyoucareerknowtryinterestIfeverythingpeopleadvisesforbeissaysexperienceworkLauracommunicationimportant,“nevertooscaredtoaskhelp.”Shealsootheryoungto“giveago.youhavean—atleastitoutsoyouwillwhatyourpathisandwon’tbeleft—if?’.”

Work experience is teaching Laura a lot about herself including building her confidence, helping with time management and communication skills.

The arrangement with the AITC is apprentices come in every week on the busiest days, Thursday to Saturday. Young people then spend Monday to Wednesday at the College completing their formal education through to Year Finishing12.

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Laura, (Year 10 2021), tried work experience at S&S during her Industry Block. “I came to the AITC wanting to be a hairdresser.” She tried a TAFE Trade Taster and from there tried a few different industries but came back to hairdressing. “It’s a good way to express your creativity and you can have lots of fun with experimenting with different looks.”

the Queensland Certificate in Education (QCE) in Year 12 is important. “By the time they get to the end of Year 12 they have a solid academic background and a continued passion for hairdressing as well,” says Carolyn. Work experience is an extremely important step before being offered an apprenticeship. “We want to get them involved so they can see and experience what the job of a hairdresser actually is.”

The camp kicked off in Moranbah, where students stayed at Civeo’s Coppabella village and worked alongside BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) staff at Caval Ridge Mine. From there, they moved east to stay at CQUniversity’s Canefield College and experienced working life at BMA’s Hay Point Coal Terminal. They also toured Mackay’s Resources Centre of Excellence. Students worked in groups, alongside engineers and other key industry staff from BHP Queensland and New South Wales at Caval Ridge Mine and Hay Point Coal Terminal. Together they worked to formulate a solution to a real-world industry-based project, taking in aspects ‘From pit to port’. Students learned what it took to extract, process, transport, store and dispatch a new product blend for BMA’s operations in the Bowen Basin. The mathematical modelling, along with environmental, community, safety and logistical considerations needed to be considered within the final reports and presentations were outstanding. The ARISE Initiative was established to broaden the geographic reach of the highly-successful industry-led education and skills training initiative, QMEA, in states and territories across Australia.

The initiative encourages secondary school students into STEM-related careers in the resources sector, with a focus on female and indigenous participation. The initiative is made possible through the support of foundation partners, BHP and BMA, and provides students and teachers the opportunity to experience the resources sector operations through on-site and in-school activities, flagship camps, and scholarships.

IN DECEMBER 2021 SUNSHINE COAST YOUNG PERSON, LIAM HUGGINS, WAS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS FROM ACROSS QUEENSLAND CHOSEN TO GO TO THE BOWEN BASIN FOR THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES INDUSTRY SKILLS AND EDUCATION (ARISE) ORESOME MINDS CAMP.

Oresome week provides incredible learning experience

The Oresome Minds camp was targeted at Year 10 and 11 students from the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) network of schools. This camp was specifically designed for students who are interested in pursuing a professional pathway (University Engineering, Science, Mathematics, etc.) after school, and have an interest in a career in the resources sector. Liam, from the Sunshine Coast AITC, was part of the team of sixteen students chosen to spend the week in Mackay.

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TAFE Overview of benefits SPORTING CHANCE Our young people shine in their chosen sport PERSONAL INDUSTRY COACH Their role at AITC 42 5247 connect 41DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

Taking part in sport can help you feel healthier and mentally strong, and that is just the theirtothedemonstrateactivity.chosenshinepeoplemanyAITClevel.anaitshine,individualsopportunityprovidesleadersdevelopSportbeginning.cangreatandanfortowhetherisplayingforlocalcluboratinternationalAtthewehaveyoungwhointheirsportorTheyAITCvaluesachievebest.

chancesporting

Riding a Ducati Panigale V4 R prepared by his father’s own Desmosport team, Oli has rapidly settled into the 1000cc way of life. Currently he sits fourth in the championship standings (19 points from the top) having scored his first win at the Hidden Valley round in Darwin in June in 2021. At 17-years-old Oli is the youngest rider to win an Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) Normallyrace.there are around seven to eight championship rounds every year. “In the last two years we’ve hardly raced because of COVID. I’ve managed to do some little races to prepare for Hidden Valley and keep my form on the bike going. I’m still learning things which is good,” says Oli. He trains two to three times a day every day to keep physically fit. “I ride a push bike in the morning and ride the surf in a race kayak. I’ve been training for a long time and it’s become a ritual in my life. When I get up in the morning, and before I go to bed, I go out and train so I don’t have to worry about physical fitness. When it comes to concentration it all just happens when I’m racing.”

With his goal set firmly on the World Championships, education is still an important part of his life. “I’m lucky. I moved to this school because they understand I have commitments. During my work block, I work two days at my brother’s gym and it gives me more time to train. This way I don’t miss out on schoolwork.” Whilst enrolled in our program Oli was awarded his Certificate II in Information, Digital Media and Technology and his Certificate III in Business. BAYLISS — AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPION

Racing motor bikes since he was 12-years-old, Oli is the son of three-time World SBK Champion Troy Bayliss. “My dad raced his whole life and it got passed to me when I started growing up,” says Oli. It was clear “I realised what I wanted to be.”

Year 12 AITC graduate, Oli Bayliss, brings dedication and focus to everything he does. Currently he is the Australian Superbike Champion and races for Ducati Australia. In the next couple of years, he will be moving overseas to race professionally with the ultimate goal to compete in the Moto2 2022 World Championship.

OLI

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WORLD CHEERLEADERSCHAMPION AIDEN PROUDLY REPRESENTS AUSTRALIA IN SOFTBALL 43DIFFERENT.DELIBERATELY

As a quiet, confident, achiever Aiden says life “feels pretty good. I feel like I’ve accomplished some great things.”

Ebony says the competition was filmed and submitted via an app in real time. “It allowed you to only record one video for five minutes and you submitted it straight away. It’s like competing in real time. It’s not like you could submit your best edited video as that would be Elliecheating.”explains, “There was a lot of hard work put into every single training session. We trained for three hours every day from Monday to Wednesday. We practiced all our stunts, tumbling and dance routines. We went over everything to make sure our execution was perfect for competition. We make sure we hit everything nice and solid and clean—which we did at Worlds.”

Ebony and Ellie from the Gold Coast competed in the World’s Competition for Cheerleading in 2021. The girls’ club team from Inspire Athletics— Fame 5, came first in the world and the team made history as World Champions. This is the first time an Australian team has won that elite division. These girls work extremely hard at their sport, and we recognise their achievement, dedication and hard work.

“I feel really good about winning. It’s still a shock to me. Obviously, we couldn’t go to America to compete but knowing we were versing teams all over the world, and knowing we pulled it off and won, was amazing. It’s a dream come true.”

Using the AITC values also helps. Aiden says hard work and mateship are key points. “Mateship is important. In a team, it helps you be a better player. I help classmates when friends are struggling. I focus on getting the work done and making sure I listen. I don’t want to fall behind.”

Aiden Champneys has been chosen to represent Australia for softball—a high intensity fast game played between two teams of nine players. Since the age of six, Aiden has been playing softball for the Scorpions at Redlands—from T-Ball under 13s, on from there to regional and then the Queensland state team. He’s played at nationals, winning a place on the Australian team. Aiden now has his sights set on the Men’s Softball World Cup Representingtournament.Australia, Aiden says it’s important to keep focus on what’s important, “I’ve reached the top side and I have to maintain that and work the hardest I can. Being part of the Australian team is a great Theaccomplishment.”dedicatedyoung sportsman puts in at least three days per week for practice depending on his other responsibilities. He spends time getting ready for tournaments and always tries to do his best. Aiden has a busy life, carefully balancing his part-time job, studying at the AITC for his QCE, working in the electrical industry for work experience and playing softball. He says it’s important not to pile everything on yourself at once and to organise a schedule. “I aim for balance. If you overcommit yourself then you become tired, you don’t want to be tired for the next day of work or training.”

“I like working in the electrical industry—it’s the variety, doing something different every day, it’s fun to be out there,” says Aiden.

gift of giving GARDENS AT WALLACE PARK, NOOSA WALKING TRACKS AT KARINGAL, MT COTTON SHOWGROUND GARDENS AT TOOWOOMBA blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

The new location, at the Wallace Park precinct, will be more inviting to a larger number of people in the community including children, families, disabled, and the maturing population.

WALLACE SUNSHINENOOSAPARK,COAST

• soil preparation and planning of construction

• moved a shade net green house

• concreting of posts etc and much more AITC rookies in Year 11 had the opportunity to be coached on employability metrics as they engaged with the various tasks at hand and received valuable feedback on their work and performance.

GIFT

• 21 meter garden bed

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Young people also learned the value of using their skills, knowledge and resources to give back to the community they are part of. We are looking forward to working with the group again this term with the year 10 rookies as well. As said this was definitely not the last time that AITC Sunshine Coast will be working with this community group and we are looking forward to partnering with them with their ongoing future projects as they rebuild the garden so all in the community can enjoy it once again.

• building 4 wicking garden beds with irrigation pipes

• reading plans

OF GIVING HELPS CREATE GARDENS AT WALLACE PARK NOOSA As part of the Gift of Giving program our young people helped with the replanting of a community garden at Wallace Park. Last year the garden faced a few challenges as Council designated the previous garden site as a homeless precinct as well as a COVID testing site. The garden was dismantled and put into storage while Council found a new site. Noosa Community Gardens has been establishing the infrastructure of a new and better garden in a community precinct with a library, fitness centre and aged care support services.

After securing funding for materials for the relocation of the garden our young people helped the team to rebuild and give back to the community. It was a fantastic learning opportunity. Our young people were provided with a comprehensive landscape plan and the enormous task was broken up into manageable mini-projects throughout the week. From Leon AITC was contacted by June from Noosa Community Gardens to see if we would be interested to partner with them to reestablish their much loved community garden. Their gardens were disassembled a few months ago as they had to move to new premises that was given to them at Wallace Park in Noosa. This is a huge undertaking and will take them months to recreate what they once had.

AITC young people under the supervision of AITC team worked side by side with community members to undertake the following garden works:

REDLANDS ROOKIES HELPED DURING TERM 1 ON CLEARING THE MTCAMPSITEKARINGALTRACKSWALKINGATTHESCOUTATCOTTON.KARINGALSCOUTCAMPSITE

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TOOWOOMBA ROOKIES HELP THE MULBERRY PROJECT PREPARE GARDENS AT SHOWGROUNDS As part of the Gift of Giving our AITC young people helped The Mulberry Project to prepare the gardens at the showgrounds for the Heritage Bank Toowoomba Royal Show. The show represents a place of community and organisers bring together the pieces that connect community with food, with careers and pathways into agriculture. The Mulberry Project is a team which helps organise and transform unused patches of farming land around the Toowoomba area into profitable, working market gardens, tended by a number of new Australians from the region. Louise Noble, founder of The Mulberry Project worked with our young people to help bring the gardens to life.

SHOWGROUNDSTOOWOOMBA blueprint australian industry trade college 2022

It was hard work, walking up and down the trails all day, but it was a great experience and provided a great bonding exercise for the staff and young people to get to know each other more. Team Leaders, Personal Industry Coach, Michelle, and Industry Consultants helped out and also supervised our young people. The AITC have helped maintain the property over the past couple of years and this also helps our young people build strong teamwork, communicate effectively, plan and prioritise the work for the day. The team at Karingal rely on volunteers so this is a great way for the AITC to help the community in providing assistance.

Karingal is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘Happy Home’ or ‘Happy Hut. Managed by Scouts Queensland Karingal offers a range of outdoor and adventurous activities with over 300 acres of pristine bushland.

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THE OFFORPEOPLEHELPSANDBETWEENPARTNERSHIPTAFETHEAITCYOUNGPREPARETHEWORLDWORKYear10rookiescompleteTAFETradeTasterProgramYear11rookiescompleteTAFEPre-VocationalCourse Begin industry career Addconfidentlyvalueto their business of choice Be more prepared than the typical work experience person blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

Young people across each campus visit TAFE Queensland in their various regions for the TAFE Trade Taster and pre-vocational training courses.

The strategic partnership with TAFE allows the AITC to send students in extended blocks to participate in a dedicated class. We also support our young people who are pursuing other trades where training is one day per week. These young people will participate in the TAFE VET-in-Schools programs along with other external students. Examples of this include hospitality and hair dressing. “The great thing about having our students complete blocks of up to four weeks at a time is that all pre-vocational training is finished in Semester 1 of Year 11. This allows our young people in Semester 2 to confidently pursue work experience and go out into industry for up to seven weeks at a time. “The training, along with a good keen attitude and drive, allows young people to begin their industry career confidently. The skills they gain will add value to their business of choice. Their extensive training creates an opportunity that possibly wasn’t there prior to commencing work experience.” explains Dave.

While visiting TAFE Toowoomba in February, Year 10 rookies were immersed in tasting their trades. “It’s great to see smiling faces and everyone is participating,” says Dave Breeze, AITC Regional Industry Officer (Western). “We’ve challenged our young people to keep an open mind, enjoy the sampling and give things a go. A key part of their future success is understanding what they don’t want to do as much as what they do enjoy. The program offers the opportunity to acquire and develop transferable skills they can take into any other trade if they wish.”

The Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) and TAFE have an integral relationship which plays a critical role in supporting the journey of our young people. For some, the TAFE program is their first foray into industry. The program provides a great opportunity for young people to participate in an adult learning environment prior to an actual industry placement with a host employer. All Year 10 rookies complete the TAFE Trade Taster program as it supports the AITC’s commitment to safety and training regardless of what industry a young person will pursue.

The program is split over Term 1 and Term 2. The Trade Taster program includes traditional trades such as construction, plumbing, electrical, automotive and engineering. Some campuses will have the opportunity to sample other skills such as hospitality, hairdressing and in the future the possibility of health and associated services. It’s important for young people to also obtain their White Card which is an essential licence required to enter and work on construction sites in StudentsAustralia.attendTAFE for four weeks in total doing Trade Tasters, while pre-vocational courses typically last for 35 days or seven weeks in total. The electrical trade provides further training due to the extensive teaching required, going for 40 days or eight weeks in total.

For example, Year 11 rookies will participate in a pre-vocational course in construction at TAFE— a very popular course on all AITC campuses. “Young people have the opportunity to delve further into construction trades,” explains Dave. “They learn building skills, how to do wall-lining with plasterboard and then a bit of plastering as well.” They receive further training, further knowledge and further skills which will help them obtain a work experience placement. This could then lead to a school-based apprenticeship. “The comments we get from our employers is that our AITC young people are more prepared than the typical work experience young person — because of the training they’ve had.”

Units of competency are completed which include theory in the classroom, understanding the task at hand, then the opportunity to get into the workshop and put it all into practice. Each lesson will always start with a safety talk. “This is a critical part of the journey for a young person. It puts them ahead of other young people. That’s the feedback we are getting from industry. It puts them in a position where industry might start considering the young person for a school-based apprenticeship sooner.”

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Teaching Certificate III in Innovation and Entrepreneurship as well as Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways, Emma’s classroom activities, “help young people get used to interacting with adults and with industry — this includes speed networking activities and team building. We also teach digital skills, business and marketing knowledge which are all vital to a young person’s career development.”

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Being chosen for this event in Mackay and, “being able to see the opportunities in person, will convert this knowledge and experience to the classroom environment,” explains Emma. “It will help me better prepare our young people for careers in the mining and energy sector before they leave school. I think the mining and energy sector would have a lot to offer our young people.”

Growing up in a remote mining town Emma understands the importance of infrastructure in supporting people and families who work in regional areas. “To me LeadIN is about understanding how innovation and technology can create jobs and business growth in these types of areas. Being able to share ideas and other people’s visions in the classroom would be fantastic. It sounds like there will be a wealth of knowledge at the conference with amazing keynote speakers.”

LeadIN 2022, held at the Resources Centre of Excellence, will showcase how innovation is being used within industry to drive change and growth with a regional focus. The event is ideal for teachers who are keen to understand how new technologies are being implemented, how data is being used to improve economic outcomes, and a better understanding of what innovation looks like from an industry perspective.

We wish to acknowledge Glenn English, the AITC’s Industry Engagement Advisor, and member of the Future Schools and Partnerships Team. “Glenn is helping connect the AITC with these industry bodies and thus opening up these opportunities for our young people,” explains Leon. “I would like to encourage us all to be actively engaged with industry so we can look out for opportunities to connect, learn and build lasting relationships.”

Team Leader chosen to attend Transformative Future Conference

Leon van Niekerk, Deputy Head of Industry Education (Northern) from the AITC says, “professional development events are important for our AITC Team Leaders. LeadIN 2022 will help education professional development and create an opportunity to learn from industry. Events like this help frame the question – What does industry need from our education program to give the next generation of industry professionals the necessary skills to Moreexcel?”experiences like LeadIN will encourage the AITC to continually look for opportunities where education can learn from industry. “I know Emma will come back and help paint the picture of what skills, character and education this industry see as employable and sought after. This will help focus our Industry Education program so we may continue to prepare our young people to proudly pursue their pathway into Emmaindustry.”van Oostrum, Team Leader at the AITC Sunshine Coast, says LeadIN will be the perfect opportunity for professional development outside the classroom. “It will be a great experience and I feel lucky to be attending,” she says.

This year the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) Sunshine Coast Team Leader, Emma van Oostrum, was chosen to attend an extraordinary professional development opportunity in Mackay.

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LeadIN is part of an exciting series of events in conjunction with the Greater Whitsunday Alliance. The events are designed to become part of the greater region’s transformative future by being part of a conversation with a consequence. Attendees will hear from speakers with genuine experience and see real-life, relevant business case studies related to three key themes: Transformation is now – proof of technology and innovation creating new jobs. Transformation through data - how data can drive a competitive advantage. Transformative future – how harnessing the right opportunities can make our region stand out, not just fit in. Being chosen for this event in Mackay and, “being able to see the opportunities in person, will convert this knowledge and experience to the environment.”classroom

PERSONALAINDUSTRYCOACHATTHEAITC

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THE ROLE OF

Now Mike has taken the role of Personal Industry Coach (PIC) at the Ipswich campus — working with young people who are maybe at a standstill in their career journey. “It could be personal issues they have to work through,” explains Mike, “Or it could also be they come to the College with one idea of a trade they wanted to get into and they realised (through work experience) ‘That’s not me.’ That might be a real identity shock,” explains Mike. If they come to the AITC wanting something specific, and realise they don’t want that, they have a dilemma of not knowing what to do next. In these situations, “I coach and mentor young people into exploring different options. We also figure out if something didn’t work, then look at why it’s not working so we don’t go with the same approach to the next work experience placement,” says Mike. “Being a PIC is a great role in that it’s coaching and mentoring which I wish I had received in my personal apprenticeship program. It was confronting for me to come straight from school to an apprenticeship —it was a different environment. I’m able to share wisdom and tips to success — that’s the best way to describe it.”

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MIKE’S WORDS OF WISDOM Try as many different experiences as you can. It’s a great thing to have something that you’re set on doing but sampling other things gives you a great range and a good view of life. Seek wisdom out from the people who have done it before, that’s how we avoid mistakes and have fun. It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to get into paid work while you’re finishing school and have a career path at the AITC. A lot of people would be jealous of that opportunity, especially what young people can achieve here. It’s such a good program and all it requires is commitment. We’ve done it before for a long time and seen many young people come through and go onto successful ventures. If you’re committed and want to see a better version of yourself this is a fantastic opportunity.

Michael Webb started at the AITC in July 2020 as an Assistant Team Leader. Prior to that he worked as a mechanic in a fouryear apprenticeship at a prestigious car dealership. “I’d already been studying part-time to be a secondary education teacher,” says Mike. During COVID several mechanics from the same company were put on JobKeeper while there was a shortage of work. “I began to look around my local area and I saw an advertised position as Assistant Team Leader at the Ipswich campus.” The AITC spoke about their mission for young people, and getting them into apprenticeships, trades and giving them pride in their work. “This is what I felt was missing when I went through my apprenticeship journey,” says Mike. “It’s exciting now that I’ve seen a cohort start in Year 10 and some finishing in Year 12 — you get to be part of that whole journey. An exciting part for me is when young people come to the College with one idea of what they want to do and discover something completely different— just from that sampling and work experience program. It’s rounding out their character as well. It’s not just getting them a job, it’s firming up what they want to be as a person, an apprenticeship and a trade, and skills are part of that. It’s really rewarding to see how their character develops.”

This year Mike had his final teaching prac at the Brisbane campus and then returned to his PIC role in Ipswich. “It’s very exciting to be doing a teaching prac at a new campus. My university officer couldn’t believe I was starting at a new school on the first day it’s opening as a prac student. These are the opportunities the AITC brings.”

1 Redlands campus staff Lee and Laura 8 Gold Coast Year 11 young people finetune their interview skills 5 Sunshine Coast rookies playing basketball To learn more about the AITC visit www.aitc.qld.edu.au or connect with us via around@aitc_qldsocial campus 2 Ipswich young people at Llewellyn Motors blueprint australian industry trade college N 05 JULY 2022

3 Redlands Campus ‘Do It For Dolly Day’ 9 Gold Coast Year 10 excursion 10 Brisbane Campus site visit to Landscape Skills 7 Gold Coast Open Afternoon6 Brisbane campus STEM Excursion 4 Gold Coast campus roof shout

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1 Our staff across the AITC campuses have TradeMutt Friday when they wear their TradeMutt industry gear to work. When someone buys something from TradeMutt it enables the business to fund mental health support service TIACS.org which can be accessed by anyone doing it tough. This is industry work wear that makes an impact. 2 Ipswich young people visited Llewellyn Motors and swapped the classroom for an industry setting to complete College work. This supports our key messages on the importance of education for young people in the world of work. 3 Our Redlands staff and young people dressed in blue for ‘Do It For Dolly Day’— a day dedicated to bringing the community together, spreading kindness and uniting in taking a stand against bullying. 4 The Roof Shout, and ringing the bell, symbolises reaching the pinnacle of what our young people have come to the AITC to do. They worked hard for their apprenticeship, they’ve received an apprenticeship, and they get to ring the bell to say ‘Hey, I’ve done it!’. (Gold Coast YP —from left Tynan, Seth and Imogen). 5 As part of the ‘Be Prepared’ program our Year 10 Sunshine Coast rookies had an inter-house sports competition. This supports the program as it helps rookies start building relationships on an individual and community level. 6 At the end of a busy week focussed on STeM — Brisbane young people visited PFi (Products for Industry) Aerospace for the Science of Rockets program. The group were fortunate to meet PFi Group’s CEO Gavin Dunwoodie. 7 Our Gold Coast young people cooking at the BBQ for our spectacular Open Afternoon. It was wonderful to meet so many families and help give some insight into our unique, deliberately different, education program. 8 Employers came along to help our Gold Coast Year 11 young people finetune their interview skills. Our Team Leaders (Lisa, Kelly and Jeanelle) arranged an incredible training opportunity for young people doing their Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways. 9 Finding your footing in life and reaching your goals can be a bit tricky but our Year 10’s made it look easy with their excursion to Core Rock-Climbing. The excursion focused on our young people participating in a team building, resilience focused rock-climbing experience. 10 Our Brisbane young people enjoyed a site visit to Landscape Skills to experience a range of activities associated with the landscaping industry.

Make SWITCHswitchthe YOUR APPRENTICE OR TRAINEE TO TAFE QUEENSLAND FOR QUALITY TRAINING THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF YOUR BUSINESS. It’s easy to change your training provider to TAFE Queensland. Just use the QR code to provide us with a few details, and we’ll take care of the rest.