Annual Report 2006 - TAFE NSW - Northern Sydney Institute

Our Customers – Exceeding ExpectationsOutcomes and Initiatives for Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander (ATSI) StudentsThe NSI Gamarada Aboriginal Education and Training Unit(AETU) provided learner support to Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander students, including student assessment,tutorial, literacy and numeracy support, access to flexible andindividual learning centres, IT enabling skills and mentoringand buddying support systems. These initiatives helpedto achieve a course-completion rate of 62.9 % amongATSI students in 2006. In 2006, 396 students identifiedthemselves as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.Two targetted Trainee Enrolled Nurses (TEN) PreparationPrograms, in partnership with Northern Sydney/CentralCoast and Sydney South West Area Health, were deliveredthrough Royal Prince Alfred and Gosford hospitals. Theprogram prepared ATSI students for the Trainee EnrolledNurses Exam and employment as a Trainee Nurse. Theresults were inspiring and 70% of students passed theexamination.The NSI Gamarada Aboriginal Education Unit delivered atargeted Certificate IV in Workplace Training and AssessmentProgram for Aboriginal students. Following completionof this program, five graduates of the program gainedemployment as part-time teachers. Dedicated programs alsoincluded Certificate III in Indigenous Land Management,Certificate III Tourism (Guiding), Senior First Aid and TAFEtaster courses in Kitchen Operations andIndigenous Arts and Crafts for girls from theBiala Hostel.New innovative courses, conducted as part of the establishedNSI Digi-Girls Program, which promotes opportunities forgirls in the Information and Communication Technologyindustry, included Robotics at Meadowbank College andRadio Broadcasting Technology at Bradfield Senior College.Students learned to construct and operate a robot usingintroductory programming language and broadcastproduction techniques with Triple JJJ ’s Zan Rowe as guestpresenter. In total some 50 girls from Year 10 and aboveparticipated.Crows Nest College conducted a number of short courses inIT, targeting women with school-age children who wished toreenter the workforce or commence studies in IT. Studentswere recruited through school newsletters and many wenton to study in Certificate II and gain qualifications.Meadowbank College, hosted a ‘Girls in IT’ program,targeting students from Cherrybrook and Burwood GirlsHigh schools. This program provided an introduction to ITcareers and wireless and networking technologies.NSI celebrated International Women’s Day with a GraphicDesign Industry Exhibition at Hornsby College, featuringwomen digital designers and students and their work.The purpose of the event was to encourage more womenstudents to complete the digital elective in their final yearof study.In response to the introduction of anAboriginal Electives module within theTrainee Enrolled Nurses Program, elementsof the Aboriginal Cultural Education coursedeveloped by the TAFE NSW AboriginalEducation and Training Directorate weredelivered to two groups of NSI managers,teachers and nursing personnel.Outcomes and Initiatives for WomenFollowing the success of the previous year’sprogram, NSI, in conjunction with local ICTCompany CXC Consultants Exchange PtyLtd, again delivered a customised trainingprogram targeted at women wanting toreturn to the workforce, study or enterthe ICT industry. In 2006, 11 studentscompleted the Certificate IV in InformationTechnology.In collaboration with Westfield Hornsby, agroup of 15 women over 45 years of ageundertook an innovative course that focusedon retail and employability skills, and allparticipants were offered employment afterthey completed the course.Annual Report 2006