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Vocational Education and Training
55 students enrolled in the Structured Workplace Learning component of VET at the start of the year. The Year 11 contingent performed extremely well, persevering with the requirements of gaining the 27 generic workplace skills and spending up to 240 hours in the workplace. These students should be congratulated for this fine work, and for completing their normal school requirements in just four school days each week. Already some students have received offers of part time work during the holidays with the potential for more permanent work when they leave school. All received grades towards their Secondary graduation.
The Year 12 group was a large one. These also performed successfully, although some experienced disappointment when it became clear that some of the expected partnerships with Registered Training Organisations did not materialize. Trinity is discovering how difficult it is to find placements in certain industries, particularly in Information Technology. Several students, however, gained placements with Hospitality Group Training and one with Toyota. All others completed their Stage 2 skills and their Industry Specific requirements.
The year 2002 saw an increased enrolment by students in the training opportunities provided in the Trinity curriculum. Next year will see further developments which will bring Trinity into line with the planning by the Government and the Curriculum Council for more VET opportunities for students. This will require partnerships with industry and Registered Training Organisations. The Government’s plan for the restructuring of the Post Compulsory schooling programme will include some VET offerings in all the Courses of study chosen by students in the future.
In some cases, even next year, students will be able to qualify for dual certification: i.e., they will receive recognition by the Curriculum Council and by the Department of Training for certain elements of their school programme. This will assist students in their applications for further training at T.A.F.E or with other Training providers. It will also help students plan their futures with even more certainty than they can now.
Thanks are expressed here to our wonderful ONSITE office staff, who coordinate Trinity’s programme together with the other six schools in our Instep cluster. Under the leadership of Mr Paul Baker, the programme becomes more efficient and professional each year, giving students and parents a real pride in the standards achieved.
Congratulations, too, to the students who participated in the Mercedes College Hospitality programme. With another year of effort these will graduate with a Certificate 11 in Hospitality.
