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A North Queensland training project that makes it easier for school students to complete both the Year 12 Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and a school-based apprenticeship has been awarded the 2010 Group Training Australia (GTA) Partnership Award.
The GTA Partnership Award was announced today at the Career Developers Association of Australia Conference in Adelaide. It recognises and promotes effective and innovative collaboration between one or more schools and a group training organisation. The winning program, SchoolTech, involves a partnership between Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE, group training organisation, Skill360 Australia, and Woree State High School in Cairns. It allows school subjects, such as mathematics and English, to be arranged around work placement and training instead of competing with them. This gives school students greater flexibility to complete both their QCE and their apprenticeship or traineeship. Through the SchoolTech program, QCE subjects are delivered by Woree State High School teachers at the TAFE campus, and employer support is provided by Skill360 Australia. The program began with 56 Year Eleven students in 2008 studying trade qualifications in diesel fitting, construction, metal fabrication and electrical. In 2010, more than 200 students will be engaged in the project, studying one of eight vocational areas. Group Training Australia, CEO Jim Barron, said, “By creating greater flexibility for students to meld their school studies with their trade studies, the organisations involved are giving students a better chance of success in both areas of study. “The SchoolTech program shows the community benefits that can be achieved by creating effective partnerships between education providers and local business”, he said. Skill360 Australia’s Manager, Employment and Training Development, Mark England, said the success of the program can be attributed to the robust relationships between each organisation involved in the project. “The program is a unique concept that has been built on strong partnerships. “It has had such a positive impact on the students, particularly for those who, without the program, would have left school after Year 10 to commence a trade rather than completing their QCE.”
L-R Tony Fuller, Principal Woree State High School, Mark England, Business Development Manager Skill360 Australia, Leonie Stanfield GTA, Ron Todd, Business Development & Marketing Manager Tropical North Queensland TAFE, Shelley Hundley, Employment Coordinator Skill360 Australia
See how the 2009 winning partnership works in practice (wmv version). The document “A Spotlight on Valuable Practice” provides a snapshot of 12 exciting school and GTO projects to inform and encourage further good practice. |
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Background
Group Training Australia (GTA) is the national association representing over 150 group training organisations located throughout the metropolitan and regional areas of Australia.
This national network of group training organisations employs over 40,000 apprentices and trainees, Australia’s largest employer of apprentices and trainees.
Group training is an important intermediary between young people and employers. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) March Quarter 2006 Apprenticeship and Traineeship statistics show group training has a significant involvement in School Based New Apprenticeships with 20% of School Based New Apprentices currently employed through group training organisations. School-Based New Apprentices now make up almost 9% of all group training apprentices and trainees with continued growth expected.
Award Objectives
The GTA Partnership Award was established in 2003 to raise the profile of group training organisations (GTOs) with careers advisers and to encourage more collaborative partnerships at the local level.
The award process identifies effective and innovative collaboration between a school or school cluster and a group training organisation. The winning and highly commended case studies are promoted through the group training network newsletter and through careers association newsletters with the aim of sharing good practice and highlighting a wide range of post school opportunities and pathways for secondary students.
Award Criteria
Nominations for the award outline the collaboration, the planning, implementation, challenges, monitoring for improvement and positive outcomes (for students and others involved) of their partnership:
- How and why the partnership was established – identified needs.
- Detail the program activities and how they are meeting those needs.
- The strategies and factors that have contributed to the success of the program or provided learning opportunities.
- What has the partnership achieved for the school / cluster, students, group training organisation, community
- What processes are in place to monitor, assess and review the partnership activities.
- Attach photos or supporting materials where relevant.
Nominations are also assessed against four paths of quality partnering – shared goals, shared effort and culture, shared learning and shared information
Award Prize
The winning school/program representative will receive:
- $1000 to be spent on careers resources/program
- One free registration for the AACC national conference
- Travel and accommodation for one person to attend the AACC national conference
- Trophy presented at the conference.
The winning group training organisation will receive:
- One free registration for the AACC national conference
- Travel and accommodation for one person to attend the AACC national conference
- Trophy presented at the conference.
Closing date for nominations: 19 December 2009
| Promotion > Group Training Australia Partnership Award |
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