Employment through innovation
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 2:49PM St Joseph’s College Trade Training Centre was the back drop for Business after Hours in March attracting a big turnout of ACCI members.
The new $2.7 million trade training centre is now in operation and offers students from Year Seven to Year 12 many opportunities to develop and enhance their ‘hands-on’ skills.
The evening’s hosts St Joseph’s College, ATC Work Smart and the Great Southern Employment Development Committee, all had a role in delivering St Joseph’s College Trade Training Centre.
According to St Joseph’s College Principal Bradley Hall, the state-of-the-art facility will benefit the Great Southern economy by providing industry skills to graduating students. St Joseph’s College is a co-educational Catholic College of about 640 students from a Three-Year-Old program to Year 12.
“Year 11 and 12 students can enhance their education with pre-apprentice courses in building and construction, and metal engineering and furnishing, in addition to their academic studies,” Bradley Hall said. “In addition to our excellent academic results and dedicated pastoral care program, St Joseph’s College is now providing certificate level courses in our new Trade Training Centre.”
Peter Adams explained that ATC Work Smart is an incorporated not-for-profit community- based organisation overseen by a board of directors operating across the Great Southern and Esperance. “Our primary role is to create employment positions for apprentices and trainees and provide businesses with the opportunity to have access to apprentices and trainees without many of the employment and training related hassles,” he said. “ATC Work Smart also provides a labour hire, recruitment, selection, training and administrative support service to industry.”
Peter said ATC Work Smart made a significant contribution to the community, believed in partnerships and supported pilot projects.
The third BAH host - Great Southern Employment Development Committee has had more than 20 years’ experience engaging the community and business to develop relationships and facilitate partnerships in order that successful projects, programs and activities are delivered to the region.
According to Chairman Geoff Bowley, GSEDC is not-for-profit agency made up of representatives from a broad range of groups in the community. The eight-member board is supported by a staff of 15, with offices in Albany, Bunbury, Busselton and Manjimup. “Our mission is to support lifelong education, training and employment opportunities for all people in the Great Southern and the South West of WA. We facilitate innovative, sustainable and socially inclusive employment and training initiatives,” Geoff said. “GSEDC is all about making things happen, responding to opportunities, making the region’s needs known and undertaking a visible advocacy role.”
