Tuesday 23rd February
Thebarton is Registered Vocational Training Organisation.
A UN school for Peace
A former technical college opened in 1924 by Doctor Charles Fenner.The College delivered training to soldiers returning home after the First World War. He saw the benefits of a technical education. This concept was based on the Downton scheme, teaching subjects in a technical setting.
A vibrant and progressive learning environment delivering education for 1000 full time equivalent students.1500 students come and go during the week.70 different cultural groups in the college.
Eight years ago the college had 450 students. The organisation refocused its work and developed an innovative curriculum.
The college delivers training and education in a vocational context to:
Re entry students, who for what ever reason did not succeed at school
New Arrival students (migrants and refugees)
Retraining adults for careers in new industries
Adults can take the SACE qualification and move on to higher education. The college delivers school based apprenticeship programmes.
Highlights from today:
The Virtual Enterprise (Concept originated in Denmark in the 1990’s)
The programme has been running at the college since 2004.The business is sponsored by a local company. Marino Uniforms
It provides practical hands on working environment which enable students to complete their cert 1-3 qualifications in a simulated workplace environment. Students must achieve certain competencies and this environment enables them to complete work based tasks to achieve this.
For example; The Business is divided in to work areas based on real jobs:
Human Resources
Book Keeping
Reception
Purchase orders
Invoicing
Payments
Each department has a task list (students follow this to complete the tasks in each department)
The tutor was enthusiastic about the programme. Students felt it gave them a realistic feel for the real world workplace. Students go out on work placement each semester.
99% of students go on to employment or University.
This is an area which I feel we could explore and model within the Academy.
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