News Item

ADULT EDUCATION BOOM CREATES DEMAND FOR INDUSTRY TEACHERS

November 29, 2011

Trades people, farmers and others working in the business and community sectors are finding a new niche in teaching as the region experiences an adult education boom.

Community College Gippsland, Chief Executive Officer, Bernadette O’Connor, said there was continuing demand for qualified trainers in the VET sector in Gippsland to teach several skill shortage areas.

“This has opened up new opportunities for people with skills and experience working in industries such as aged care, disability, children’s services, hospitality, hair and beauty, agriculture, horticulture, business, IT and more.

“Our recent cohort of graduates of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE), have all found jobs, many of them before they had completed their course. The TAE gives people with industry experience accreditation to teach in the VET sector

“Some of the graduates have found work with education and training providers such as GippsTAFE and Community College Gippsland, while others are working in industry or local government as trainers and supervisors in the workplace.”

Ms O’Connor said the growth in adult education in Gippsland has been significant over the past five years as more people seek to increase their skills, change careers or get back into the workforce.

“There have also been major changes to required minimum level qualifications of staff in several industries such as children’s services, aged care and equine.  This has resulted in a marked increase in people needing to undertake accredited courses to get those qualifications and in turn a demand for trainers to teach these courses.

“This year, Community College Gippsland has 2,300 students enrolled compared to five years ago when it had only a few hundred.

“When you put that demand together with other VET training providers across Gippsland, it has created a window of opportunity for people who have skills and industry experience to take their careers a step forward.”

Community College Gippsland TAE Trainer, Kath Moodie, said the new TAE course offered at Community College Gippsland this year had attracted a wide range of industry people.

“All have a genuine interest in passing their skills and knowledge to new people coming into these industries. This is great because it means new students have access to trainers skilled in latest industry practices.”

The course is delivered on an evening to enable working people to attend.

Front from left:  Julie Heard, CCG Trainer Kath Moodie.
Back from left: Louise Underhill, Kath Stephenson, Wendy Foord

For further information contact:

Jeff Tellefson
Deputy CEO
Community College Gippsland
Ph: 5622 6000