School students try a trade

SkillsTech Australia Business Manager Colin Marshall said students from seven schools attended the day to try out a trade and have a taste of what to expect if enrolling in a school-based apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program for 2012.

“We had stations set up from Painting and Decorating, Solid Plastering, Bricklaying, Wall and Floor Tiling, Flooring Technology, Wall and Ceiling Lining - and in the Foundry we had Patternmaking and Moulding to give the students an idea of what trade training looks like,” Mr Marshall said.

“We also had small projects set up at each station, so students could really gain some practical hands-on experience to give them a real look at what it is to learn a trade.

“Students from Beenleigh and Nanango State High Schools, Kingston College, BoysTown, Yeronga and Shailer Park State High Schools and Murri School were able to talk to teachers and representatives from apprenticeship centres firsthand to gain information about school-based apprenticeships.

“Representatives from Busy at Work, MEGT and Australian Apprenticeships Centres were present to answer questions from students and we even fired up the wood-fired oven built by bricklaying students and fed the students pizza while they were here.

“We recently opened our $8 million Wet Trades Facility with all the latest equipment and resources to match our contemporary training methods. To bring the students in to try firsthand and have all the information provided gives students the opportunity to really get a sense of what it takes to work towards a trade and decide if it is a good fit for them.”

For more information about school-based apprenticeships, please phone 1800 654 447 or visit: www.skillstech.tafe.qld.gov.au/prospective_students/school.html#3