THE new trade centre at Chevalier College is a huge asset for the Highlands and its young people.
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In a community where there is a growing concern about young people moving away for education and career opportunities this facility provides new hope.
It also has the potential to boost the skilled tradespeople in the region in construction and primary industries.
For many years school work experience programs were the first opportunity young people had to get a taste of a possible career in a trade.
While these work experience programs are good, Occupational Health and Safety laws have made this program more of a watch and learn experience in recent years.
But there is nothing like hands on opportunities to provide a real taste of any career.
With the introduction of VET courses within secondary schools these young people have been able to gain valuable learning and truly get a feel for various potential career paths as well as a better idea about whether or not they are suited to a chosen career path.
The Highlands Trades Skills Centre at Chevalier College is the icing on the cake of such learning, providing a purpose-built centre where young people from all Highlands schools could hone and develop skills that will better prepare them and make them more suitable employees.
An added bonus of VET courses is that they can reduce the amount of continued tertiary study required of those who go into trades such as construction, proving a benefit to both the student and the employer.
For example, a construction apprentice who has completed a VET course is generally required to do only two more years of TAFE studies, rather than the standard three years.
This means less travelling for TAFE courses for the apprentice. That is great news for the apprentice considering the tertiary courses often involve regular travel to Campbelltown or Wollongong. It also means more time on the tools leading to more productivity for the employer.
The new trade centre at Chevalier College is an inspired initiative and clearly a huge boost for young people of the Highlands. Well done to all those involved in making it a reality and good luck to all those who benefit from it.