CQUni Pathways facilitator supports Tannum initiatives
Published on 09 November, 2009
CQUniversity Pathways facilitator Richard Ward is supporting initiatives by Tannum High's Business and Information Technology Skills (BITS) Centre of Excellence.
This is a campus based at Boyne Smelters, developed to increase the range of educational opportunities available for students interested in Business and/or IT, by offering school-based traineeships and other forms of learning in a real workplace environment.
While the Year 12s at Tannum Sands State High School and across the district are getting ready to finish their formal high schooling, pathways for the students they leave behind are at the forefront of planning for teachers such as Steve Moulds, Head of Department for Technology and the BITS Centre Co-ordinator, with support from Mr Ward.
One such student, Year 11 Tannum High Student, Nick Fruk has been doing work experience at McCosker Contracting one day a week. His duties include servicing and maintaining existing and new IT infrastructure at the McCoskers site. This placement was facilitated through Tannum High's BITS Centre of Excellence.
Mr Ward said placements such as these are "vital and will hopefully end up as a traineeships which may encompass some University study as well, under the ‘SUN' Start Uni Now banner. It is worth mentioning that with or without the SUN course, students can be eligible for CQUniversity Business or IT Courses (dependent on results)."
L-R CQUniversity's Richard Ward with Steve Moulds, Troy Elliott and Nick Fruck
An existing strong relationship and a shared desire to provide innovative educational opportunities for senior school students prompted Boyne Smelters and Tannum Sands State High School to develop the Business and Information Technology Skills Centre.
The Skills Centre is designed to deliver nationally recognised competencies in Business and Information Technology, areas of identified need in the Gladstone region, and improve the employability of students.
Troy Elliott, the Business Development Manager from McCosker Contracting said: "We were only too happy to step up and offer work placements to students and are delighted with the work ethic Nick has displayed. We hope that now other industry partners will recognise this as a great way to increase students' employability and shape them as work ready employees of the future."=
Nick currently studies BCT - Business Communication and Technologies (with Cert. II in Business embedded).
At the end of their school-based traineeship, students are employed in traineeships or part/full-time positions which allow them to continue tertiary or CQUIT studies. In this pathway, students are earning and learning continuously to create highly skilled, well educated workers.
The BITS Centre is open to all senior students regardless of their school of enrolment and, if interested, students and parents should contact Steve Moulds, the BITS Centre Coordinator on 4979 9777 for further information.