ET Australia Magazine Issue #3 February 2019

ET Australia’s annual student &
community magazine
#3 2019
MAGAZINE
Scotland to
the Coast
Meet the Teacher –
Graham Johnston
Past student
success
How Gina re-joined
the workforce
after an extended
time away
Gifted and
talented
Personalised support
focusing on students‘
unique abilities
ETASC Gives Egan
the Perfect Platform
to Pursue his
Creative Interests
Why online
learning
isn’t for all
students
And why in class
learning continues to
come out on top

Welcome to 2019
ET Australia provides students
with the skills to be successful
in employment and/or further
studies. Our adult training
college and independent
high school models provide
professional, supportive
and nurturing learning
environments.
Tony Mylan, CEO, ET Australia
ET Australia’s adult training college
has continued to grow its student
base and our reputation with
industry has continued to flourish.
We have expanded our industry
partnerships and this has led to an
increase in the number of direct
employment outcomes our adult
students have gained.
Recently the NSW Education
Standards Authority awarded ET
Australia Secondary College the
maximum five years’ of accreditation
to deliver the NSW Year 7 to Year
10 curriculum in the mandatory
key learning areas. Gaining the
maximum level of accreditation is an
achievement that our school staff are
rightly proud of.
In 2019 ET Australia Secondary
College (ETASC) is expanding again in
response to unprecedented demand
from parents and students who
want a place at ETASC. We will be
recruiting for extra teaching and
support staff to ensure that our very
successful staff to student ratio is
maintained.
Our Wyong campus has been given
a re-fresh with new office equipment
and furniture upgrade. Our Gosford
learning campus has been refurbished
and staff have been provided with
new workstations. Student amenities
and resources have also been
upgraded and expanded.
We are experiencing a period of
strong consolidation due to our
focus on business partnerships on
the Central Coast to deliver mutually
beneficial employment outcomes.
Please come and experience why our
students are achieving so highly.
ET Australia always
welcomes your feedback.
Please drop us a line at
email@etaustralia.com
Contents
ET Australia is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO ID 90084)
delivering Nationally Recognised Training qualifications.
P4
P6
P8
Meet the Trainer: Michelle Burden
How Gina Re-Joined the Workforce
After an Extended Time Away:
Past Student Success
Why Online Learning Isn’t for all
Students
P10 The Value of Investing in
Quality Training
P12 Dana Shares her Experience
Studying Child Care at ET Australia
P14 From Scotland to the Central Coast:
Meet the Teacher - Graham Johnston
P16 ET Australia: Secondary College
Class of 2018 Graduation
P18 ETASC Gives Egan the Perfect
Platform to Pursue Creative
Interests
P20 ETASC 2018 Excursions
P22 Gifted and Talented: Personalised
Support Focusing on Students
Unique Abilities
18
On the Cover –
ET Australia Secondary College
Graduate Egan Thornycroft
ET Australia
Board of Directors
Paul Tonkin
Deputy
Chairman
& Public Officer
Partner & Lawyer –
Tonkin Drysdale
Partners
Tim Cullen
Treasurer
Graham McGuinness
Chairman
Managing Director
and Consultant –
Delgarah Pty Ltd
Michael North
Director
Tim Cornish
Director
Alan Williams
Director
Director
and Chief
Technology
Officer –
One Blink
2

Update – 82% of ET Australia
Training College’s 2018 Aged Care
Graduates are now Employed.
There is huge demand for skilled aged care workers, with aged and
disability carer jobs predicted to have the largest jobs growth from now
until May 2022 according to the Federal Government*.
“But it’s not about identifying
growth industries, offering a course
and hoping your students will get
a job in that industry” said Cath
Roden, Training College Manager at
ET Australia Training College.
“There’s an entire wrap around
student service offering here at ET
Australia Training College that sees
us achieve high job outcomes and it
starts from the first time we speak to
a potential student” she said.
This service offering includes:
Candidate screening
To confirm potential students are the
right fit for the aged care industry
and to confirm that their career
aspirations are well matched to
course offerings.
Engaging class tuition
Which sees students learn through
interactive learning experiences and
scenarios, simulation-based training
and in class discussions with a focus
on real industry applications.
On the job learning
Prior to the half way point of
training, students are on site in
aged care facilities with their trainer,
applying theories learnt in class.
Job placement
ET Australia organises suitable
facilities for students to complete
the required 120 hours of mandated
work placement which is necessary
to complete the course.
“We have found the right formula
and linkages between students
and aged care employers in 2018.
The interactive learning both in
the classroom and on site in aged
care facilities gives our students the
understanding from day one of their
training here at ET Australia what the
expectations of employers will be”
said Cath Roden.
We have found the
right formula and
linkages between
students and aged care
employers in 2018
*Source: https://docs.jobs.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australianjobs2018snapshot_1.pdf
Our April 2018 aged care class celebrating all being
offered positions in aged care facilities
3

Meet the
Trainer:
Michelle Burden
Making a difference by taking an interest
in her students
Happy-go-lucky Michelle Burden grew
up on the Central Coast where she
now lives with her husband, three
children and two dogs – a Whippet
and a Weimaraner.
Throughout her schooling Michelle felt
she was never very good academically,
but she definitely excelled when it
came to sports. Her favourites were
tennis, softball and running.
After finishing her schooling Michelle
completed a TAFE course to become
qualified as an Enrolled Nurse. She
then began her career working for
NSW Ambulance as an Ambulance
Officer. This was just the beginning
of her career in the health industry
where she has been now for over
thirty years.
After getting married and having a
family, Michelle continued her
working career in a local nursing
home as a team leader and low care
co coordinator. She continued in this
role for the next seventeen years.
In addition to these roles she has
also worked in a number of other
positions in the health industry.
Michelle worked as a practice nurse
for a local doctor’s surgery for three
years and also in a customer service
role for an organisation who supplied
mobility aids. Michelle has also had
experience working as a funeral
arranger.
Michelle’s most recent role was as a
case manager for a community care
organisation here on the Central Coast.
She was working in this role when she
first heard of a position at ET Australia
that interested her. This position
required a Certificate IV in Training
and Assessment qualification, which
Michelle didn’t have, so she researched
and sourced information regarding the
training to find out what it would entail
for her to complete it. After careful
consideration she decided to go ahead
and complete the course online with
the encouragement and support from
her former work colleagues. Once
she finished a portion of the online
qualification, Michelle applied for
the position at ET Australia and was
successful in securing the role.
Training her students on how to assist clients with medication
Students celebrating
Michelle’s return from
holidays
4

I really enjoy seeing
my students get
involved in their
studies.
In October 2016, Michelle began her
job as a Trainer and Assessor at ET
Australia. On her first day she was
extremely nervous. She constantly
worried about the message she
was sending to others through
her body language and nonverbal
communication. Michelle thought a
lot about how animated she was as
a person, worrying how this would
translate to a teaching environment.
But she eventually realised it actually
worked in her favour and was probably
one of her best assets.
Michelle believes others would
describe her as being a perfectionist,
and she certainly pays attention to
details when it comes to her work.
But the thing she loves best about her
job is being around people. She loves
being social and talking with others,
especially when it comes to supporting
other people. She also really enjoys
seeing her students getting involved in
their studies and wanting to give back
through care for the frail and elderly.
The part of Michelle’s job she finds
most interesting is when she watches
relevant YouTube videos with her
students – especially ones that make
them all laugh and cry. One of these
videos that really stands out in her
memory is one which involves a man
who has Parkinson’s and is dancing
with a walker. By the end of the video
he walks without his walker, singing
and even dancing.
Michelle believes we can all make a
difference in somebody’s life, no matter
how small that difference may seem.
This is a theme she uses a lot in her
teaching and learning practice. She
believes the key to this is all about
taking an interest in other people. It
brings a smile to her face to remember
a particular instance where she helped
one of her students to believe in
herself. This mature-aged student
had said she was going to withdraw
from the program, but Michelle
could see she really didn’t want to
leave the course and that there were
probably some other personal issues
at play instead. The student ended up
continuing her studies and went on
to complete them successfully. At the
end of the course the student broke
down and sobbed, telling Michelle she
had never finished anything in her life
and here she was now holding her
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual
Support. This was one of Michelle’s
greatest lessons in life, and an example
she often uses in class; that sometimes
all people need is to have someone
else believe in them.
5
Michelle would like people to
know that ET Australia has a great
learning environment that provides
different learning opportunities and
supports for the learner from start to
finish. Students are often supported
beyond their studies too. Throughout
their learning, students are mentored
and supported in all aspects of their
educational journey and in areas of
personal development too.
When Michelle is not working as a
trainer at ET Australia, she enjoys
taking her dogs for a nice walk along
the beach, so they can get some
exercise together.
For anyone thinking about becoming
a trainer, Michelle would tell you that
all you need to do is have passion
along with the industry experience
and believe in everything you do, and
you will never have any regrets.

How Gina Re-Joined
the Workforce
After an Extended
Time Away
Past Student Success
I was born in Newport in South Wales
and my memories of growing up were
good ones. My sisters and I went to
Crindau Primary School, which was
a fun time. I especially enjoyed St
David’s Day (Welsh Eisteddfod) when
the school enjoyed singing the Welsh
national anthem and making Welsh
dishes such as cakes and rarebit. I
learnt to play the guitar, sang in the
choir and enjoyed going to the local
stadium to watch the rugby.
My parents were big on education
and even though I had balance issues,
encouraged me to always attend school.
After school, I went on to pursue a
career with the Royal London Insurance
Company which I enjoyed very much.
I am now married to Mark who is a
chartered accountant and we have
been married for 25 years. We met
each other for the first time on a train
while I was on a working holiday from
the UK and on my way to work at the
Chatswood CES Job Centre. Once I
returned to Wales Mark visited me
and my family and then stayed on
to work in Wales while we travelled
around Europe. We married in
Wales and afterwards immigrated
to Australia.
When I came to Australia, Mark
and I set up home in Woy Woy and
started life as a married couple. We
both found employment in Sydney. I
worked for MLC Insurance for a
Gina (far right) pictured with her family
6
number of years and enjoyed working
as part of a fabulous team. I was sad
to leave when I had our son Jack
but was lucky enough to be a stay
at home Mum and went on to have
our daughter Katie. While Jack and
Katie attended school, I spent a lot of
time helping at their school, assisting
with raising funds for the school and
helping out in the classrooms.
Mark and I joined the Woy Woy
Stroke Recovery Club, a not-for-profit
volunteer group which introduced me
to a wonderful group of members.
I worked as volunteer Secretary and
enjoyed the position very much.
Speakers joined us at our meetings
to update the members with the
latest information on stroke. Recently
a couple of us travelled to Sydney
and enjoyed afternoon tea with the
delightful Governor Mr. Hurley and his
wife as part of National Stroke Week.
N ow that Jack and Katie are busy with
their lives, I decided I wanted to return
to the workforce after twenty-one
years. With the encouragement of my
family I knew I would have to go back
to College to update my skills. I had
heard positive things about
ET Australia, so I called up to see if
they could help me after so long out
of the workforce.
I went along to the enrolment day,
had an interview and to my delight

ET Australia called me to confirm
I would be able to enrol in the
BSB30115 Certificate III in Business
course for three months at their
Wyong premises. On my first day I
met a lot of wonderful students and
Dione (ET Trainer & Assessor).
Honestly, there were a lot of times at
first where I wondered how I would
pass (there had been a couple of small
technological changes in twenty-one
years!) I even said to Dione, ‘I think I
am in the wrong class. I am fifty-two
and perhaps I have left it too long to
retrain.’ Dione was always supportive,
and it didn’t matter how many times
I called her for help, she was always
kind and respectful (even when I
told her she might as well be talking
French to me). She gave me some
great advice and told me I would need
to do a lot of homework.
I found the computer difficult at
first, but it was so great to get back
out there again. At the end of the
course, I was thrilled to pass and get
every unit signed off. Dione opened
up my world and the digital world
blew me away with how much there
was to learn. I couldn’t wait to get
back to class each day to learn more.
Dione was always happy and smiling
and never made me feel silly when I
asked questions.
I started applying for any job
vacancies in administration - full
time and part time – once I’d
finished studying. I knew it wouldn’t
be easy as I had been out of the
workforce for twenty-one years and
at the age of thirty had also been
diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. I
applied for job vacancies and put my
diagnosis on the applications and
never heard anything back. I decided
to apply for jobs using the same
resume but deleting the diagnosis
out. I got a number of interviews
then, only to find when I got there
I never left the front reception area.
One person even said to me, ‘Is this
some kind of joke?’ Determined
not to give up I kept trying with my
fabulous family’s support.
I was invited to attend a forum at
Central Coast Disability Network at
Erina. On that day I met a number of
wonderful and supportive people, one
of whom worked at Fairhaven at Point
Clare. We chatted, and I gave him
my e-mail address in the hope a job
vacancy may arise.
Gina now works as a receptionist at Fairhaven
I couldn’t wait to get
back to class each day
to learn more.
To my delight I did hear from
Fairhaven again and I applied for a
front desk receptionist job. I got an
interview and the Cerebral Palsy was
never a factor. It was all about my
ability to do the job required of me.
After the interview, I got a call back
asking me to become part of their
team.
Fairhaven is a joy to work for. They
are always supportive, respectful
and most of all SEE ME and not my
disability.
ET Australia: thank you for supporting
me 100%.
Dione: thanks for opening up my
world, and always supporting me but
at the same time having some fun.
Fairhaven: thank you for your
continued support.
7

Why Online
Learning Isn’t for
all Students
Advances in technology has seen
online learning grow in popularity,
with many institutions now offering
courses and training delivered via
online platforms. Of course, online
learning has some obvious advantages.
Training can be completed wherever
you are, the tuition fees are often
cheaper, and you can study when it
suits you – allowing you to fit your
study commitments around your work
and family life.
Though it might be appealing to study
online, the flexibility of learning in this
way does come at a cost. Even though
the popularity of online learning is
increasing, there’s still a whole range
of reasons why traditional in-class
learning continues to come out on top.
Online learning
requires excellent time
management skills
Studying online means you have
control over when and where you
study. Whether you want to study at
home, on your lunch break, at the
library or on-the-go – it’s completely
up to you. While you’ll have plenty of
flexibility, it doesn’t necessarily mean it
will lead to productivity.
Without dedicated class time and
structured lessons, many people
struggle to keep up with their online
studies. Especially if you’re someone
who gets easily distracted. Studying at
home is accompanied by family noise
and constant interruptions that can
distract you from your studies or break
your concentration. While getting to
a class can seem like an effort, once
you’re there you’re set up to learn.
Your phone is turned off, there’s no
housework to do and you’re unlikely
to be interrupted by a friend or family
member half-way through your lesson.
The Online College Students report
in the US showed that online
students are under far more stress
than students studying in traditional
formats as well (source: learninghouse.
com). Students studying online
typically have a lot of demands
on their time, with 70 percent of
undergraduate students and 80
percent of graduate students in the
same study working full or part time.
It’s easy to see that carving out
dedicated study time is easier when
your classes are scheduled for you
and the environment is conducive to
learning.
It can be hard to
maintain your
motivation
Some research shows dropout rates
are higher for online students and they
are also unlikely to perform as well
academically as face-to-face learners
(source: eric.ed.gov).
Online learners need to be selfmotivated
and self-directed. Not only
do you need to be able to set your own
8

study schedule, you also need to be
able to stay on top of your workload
too. Academic performance may not
be as high for online learners due to a
lack of interaction with teachers during
study. Without in-person feedback it
can be difficult to complete work to an
appropriate standard.
In a classroom environment, teachers
take their cues from students’ verbal
and non-verbal interactions (source:
Sage Journals, journals.sagepub.com). In
an online environment, communication
is quite different. Responses to
questions are not always immediate
and you can be left for days waiting on
feedback or advice. Plus, online learning
issues can arise as teachers are less able
to track your progress or follow-up on
how you’re getting on.
There’s a lack of student
services for online
students
Online students are often left in the
dark when it comes to student services
(source: edsurge.com). Facilities like
onsite childcare (at our Young Parents
Hub campus), study hubs complete
with laptops, internet, printers and
Wi-Fi are all available to students who
choose in class training programs.
While not always directly related to
their studies, having access to student
services can make a real difference to
the likelihood of a student completing
their studies – especially if their
course goes for a number of years.
What happens when online students
need support? It might be available
but it’s usually difficult to find out
about, not to mention problematic to
utilise from a remote location.
Libraries, study hubs and course
specific facilities all help to make
on-campus learning easier. Online
students are expected to make
use of their own equipment or
visit public libraries for access to
extra resources. Career advice,
work placement assistance and
resume support services, all of
which are available at ET Australia,
help students to make use of their
studies.
Social isolation can be
an issue
Less social interaction and feelings
of isolation can create a lack of
satisfaction with online learning
(source: Science Direct Journal,
sciencedirect.com). Online learning
allows for little in-person contact
with your teachers and fellow
students – most often, none at
all. While you might be able to chat
virtually with people from all over
the world, there’ll be no real-world
interaction with the people you’re
studying with.
Your classmates often become your
support network when studying.
Having someone to study with and
talk about the courses you’re taking
can help to keep you motivated.
When you’re struggling with your
learning, interaction with your peers
or teachers can help get you back on
track. Students have shown they value
the greater engagement provided by
discussions that take place face-toface,
rather than via a screen (source:
National Center for Biotechnology
Information).
9
Creating a social circle of like-minded
individuals who are all studying in the
same area is often the basis for lifelong
friendships too. It’s how you create
networks for future job opportunities
and keep up-to-date on changes in
your career field.
Technology issues can
halt your learning
If you’re going to use online learning,
you need to be tech savvy because
you’ll be forever at the mercy of
technology.
Online learning platforms can be tricky
to learn, with each education provider
using programs that are custom
designed for their needs (you’ll need
to learn how to use it before you can
even get started on your studies). You
will be dependent on the internet and
technology for all your learning needs,
including submitting assignments and
completing exams. Those who are not
technically savvy will find it can be a
steep learning curve.
But even if you are technologically
proficient, you will still be susceptible
to technology issues that are beyond
your control. Network connections,
browser compatibility issues and
WiFi connection problems can halt
your learning at any time, with little
warning, and online course providers
are not always sympathetic to these
problems.

The Value of
Investing in
Quality Training
Completing further education and training is a
great way to broaden your career options. But
if you’re not investing in training that’s high in
quality, you may be left with nothing more than
a certificate at the end of your studies.
When it comes to studying there’s a
range of options you can choose from.
There’s university degrees, Vocational
Education and Training (VET) courses
and online programs varying in length
and qualification level. It’s important
to consider your individual needs and
your career goals when making your
decision.
Training that leads to
employment
If you want to increase your
qualifications and your job prospects,
VET is the ideal solution. VET offers
formal qualifications along with
practical on-the-job experience in your
chosen profession. It offers a faster,
more cost-effective way to complete a
qualification and enter the workforce.
According to the National Student
Outcomes Survey 86.1% of those
surveyed were employed or enrolled in
further training after completing their
VET studies (source: ncver.edu.au).
University degrees typically take three
to four years to complete and many of
them don’t include work placements
or practical components. Fees for VET
courses are usually lower than fees for
university courses too. VET courses vary
in length and are much more practical
in design. Certificates I–IV typically
take from a few months to two years
to complete. Diploma courses typically
take one or two years and Advanced
Diplomas take between eighteen
months to two years, meaning you can
get out into the workforce faster.
Not only can you get out into the
workforce faster, you might actually
earn more money with a VET
qualification too. The average full-time
income for a VET graduate is $50,000,
whereas the graduate salary for
students completing a bachelor degree
is $56,000 (source: vet.nsw.gov.au).
Your VET course will broaden your
skills in a specialised area and give
you the practical experience you’ll
need for the workplace. Traineeships
and apprenticeships also offer you
the opportunity to work and get
paid while you are studying for a
qualification at the same time. ET
Australia Training College specialises in
the delivery of a variety or VET courses
from Certificate I to Diploma levels.
Skills for some of
the fastest-growing
occupations in Australia
Why not train for the jobs of the future?
The industries predicted to have the
greatest jobs growth in the next few
years include healthcare, information and
communication technology, education,

hospitality, retail and the personal service
and care industry.
Quality VET courses offer the skills
people need for these careers, and
many of the other fastest-growing
occupations in Australia. Don’t
just take our word for it, though.
According to NCVER research,
these ten occupations linked to VET
qualifications (listed in order of need)
are projected to grow by 2022:
• Aged and disabled carers – 77,400
extra jobs
• Child carers – 25,800 extra jobs
• Sales assistants - 24,900 extra jobs
• General clerks – 22 200 extra jobs
• Education aides – 21,900 extra jobs
• Truck drivers – 16,200 extra jobs
• Kitchen hands – 13,400 extra jobs
• Nursing support and personal care
workers – 13,200 extra jobs
• Welfare support workers – 11,600
extra jobs
• Electricians – 11,000 extra jobs
While completing a shorter course
might seem more attractive, you need
to consider the quality of the education
a shorter course provides. Unduly short
training can be problematic if you don’t
understand the course structure and
the qualification you’ll receive after
completion (source: asqa.gov.au). The
duration and type of course content
and work placement are important
elements to consider if you’re looking
at enrolling in a shorter course. Find
out the qualifications required for the
occupation you are seeking and make
sure you’re completing a course that
will offer what you need.
The quality of the teaching staff is
important too. Choose a training
provider who provides industry trained
and experienced teachers. This gives
the Australian Skills Quality Authority
(ASQA). ASQA regulates courses and
training providers to ensure nationally
approved quality standards are met.
You can find a factsheet on how to
choose a training education provider
from their website. ET Australia is an
ASQA approved RTO.
ET Australia is an approved Smart
and Skilled training provider. Smart
and Skilled is an initiative of the NSW
Government and it is helping people
in NSW get the skills they need to
find a job and advance their careers.
Approved training providers must
adhere to guidelines and policies,
implement standard fee arrangements
and deliver quality training. Under this
inititiative eligible students may be
If employment is your focus, or you’re
looking to make a career change, it
makes sense to study for an occupation
that will be in high demand in the
future. At ET Australia we have training
programs available in aged care which
can provide pathways into nursing
support, personal care and childcare
which can lead to higher level university
studies. Our training programs focus
on skills shortages to maximise student
outcomes.
The importance of quality
training
According to the National Student
Outcomes Survey, 87.3% of people
were satisfied with the overall quality of
their VET training.
When selecting the ideal course and
study provider, you need to make
informed choices about training that
will best meet your needs. Whether
your goal is to seek employment, be
promoted or change careers, you need
to choose a course and a training
provider who can assist you with your
individual goals. At ET Australia prior
to enrolling any student we ensure that
the training program on offer matches
the career aspirations of the applicant.
you the best opportunity to learn and
complete your training and assists you
in achieving your goals too.
Selecting the right VET
provider
When enrolling in a VET course, it’s
important to select the right provider.
There’s a wide variety of VET courses
and providers to choose from, all with
different resources provided, course
durations and delivered qualifications.
To ensure you enrol in a high-quality
course, make sure your provider is a
Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
They also need to be registered with
11
entitled to Government subsidies to
help pay for their training.
Of course, you need to consider
location, fees and study mode when
choosing a VET provider. ET Australia
offers payment plans and scholarships
are available to assist with fee payment.
You might also like to think about
what other services the VET provider
offers that can add to your learning
experience and future job prospects.
At ET Australia we provide career
advice, employment network access,
work placement, resume support and
access to wrap around community
services to help you find the right path
to employment.

Dana Shares
her Experience
Studying Early
Childhood at
ET Australia
Growing up on the Central Coast,
Dana always knew she wanted to
go into child care. She loved being
around kids and was often paid for
babysitting. A friend had completed
a CHC30113 Certificate III in Early
Childhood Education and Care with
ET Australia and recommended it to
her. When Dana called to enquire
about the Diploma course there was
a new class starting soon. It was
perfect timing!
Dana found the CHC50113 Diploma
of Early Childhood Education Care
course challenging, and struggled
at times to get through assessments
while juggling family commitments.
However, she found the trainers very
supportive and always there to help
when needed.
The work placement experience
was great for Dana and she visited
three different Child Care centres
during her studies. She learned so
much and found the centres great
in helping with assignments and
teaching her skills she still uses
today.
Having a Diploma opened Dana up to
many job opportunities. Following
completion of the course, she worked
in a centre close to her home for
five months. She is now working as
a Diploma Educator at a child care
facility in Turramurra, where she has
been for the past six months.
While very content in her current
role, Dana would like to go on to
university in the future to further
her studies in early childhood. In
ten years time, she would like to be
running her own child care centre.
Of her experience at ET Australia
Training College, Dana says: ‘It was
truly amazing. Everyone was so kind,
so understanding, so supportive.’
12

Upcoming 2019
Training Programs
Enquire now to apply for any of the 2019 programs below:
Program Code
and Name
Next Classroom
Start Date
End
Date
Classroom
Days
Time
Location
Additional
Delivery Modes
Individual Support (Ageing)
CHC33015 Certificate III
in Individual Support
CHC33015 Certificate III
in Individual Support
CHC33015 Certificate III
in Individual Support
CHC33015 Certificate III
in Individual Support
CHC43015 Certificate IV
in Ageing Support
Business
BSB10115 Certificate I
in Business
BSB20115 Certificate II
in Business
BSB30115 Certificate III
in Business (Evening)
BSB30115 Certificate III
in Business
BSB30415 Certificate III
in Business Administration
BSB40415 Certificate IV
in Business Administration
27 February 21 August Wed, Thurs
26 June 18 October Wed, Thurs, Fri
28 August 12 March Mon, Tues
6 November 15 March Wed, Thurs, Fri
9:00am to
2:30pm
9:00am to
2:30pm
9:00am to
2:30pm
9:00am to
2:30pm
Young Parents
Hub, Wyong
ET Australia,
Gosford
Young Parents
Hub, Wyong
ET Australia,
Gosford
Start this course today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
Start these courses today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
27 March 18 September Wednesday
17 June 5 November Monday, Tuesday
6:00pm to
9:00pm
9:00am to
2:30pm
Gosford
Young Parents
Hub, Wyong
Start this course today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
Start this course today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship/
Self Paced
Traineeship /
Self paced
Traineeship /
Self paced
Leadership and Management
BSB42015 Certificate IV
in Leadership and Management
Early Childhood
CHC30113 Certificate III in Early
Childhood Education and Care
CHC30113 Certificate III in Early
Childhood Education and Care
CHC50113 Diploma of
Early Childhood Education and Care
Start this course today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
4 March 26 August
10 Sept
Completion early
2020
Monday,
Tuesday
Tuesday,
Wednesday
9:15am to
2:45pm
9:00am to
2:30pm
Young Parents
Hub, Wyong
Young Parents
Hub, Wyong
Start this course today. Call ET Australia on 4323 1233 or email training@etaustralia.com
Traineeship /
Self paced
Traineeship /
Self paced
Traineeship /
Self paced
Traineeship /
Self paced
Subsidised training places available (subsidised by the NSW Government), eligibility criteria applies.
*Actual end date may vary depending on completion of required mandated work placement hours. Units of competency
from within each of these qualifications are available individually or can be grouped to meet a specific need.
Call ET Australia today on 4323 1233
or email us at training@etaustralia.com to apply.

Meet the
Teacher:
Graham Johnston
From Scotland to the
Central Coast
Graham draws on his experience
working in a range of professions to
bring a relaxed and friendly approach
to teaching at ET Australia Secondary
College.
Born and raised on the remote Orkney
Islands in Scotland, Graham became
a teacher after working in a range of
other professions. His determination to
find a career he is passionate about is
testament to the idea that it’s never too
late to make a change or to further your
studies.
Graham’s working life started at
the age of 11 with a part-time job
delivering newspapers. He went on to
work in a range of other jobs including
completing a milk-round, delivering
flyers, working as a store-hand in a
newsagent and working on the local
ferries (even though it made him seasick).
At school Graham’s favourite
subjects were music, physics, PE and
mathematics (although he claims he
wasn’t so good at it). When he left
school in 1997 he was unsure which
career path he wanted to pursue but
music had always been a constant
in Graham’s life. He started playing
trumpet at age 8 and guitar at age
12. He played guitar and bass in local
bands and even went on to record an
EP, playing gigs on weekends to save up
enough money to fund the project.
With this in mind, Graham eventually
decided to go to college in Glasgow
(about 600km from Orkney) to study
Music and Audio technology. Graham
enjoyed the course but had difficulty
finding work in the music industry. In
2000, he went on to study Podiatry
but only completed two years of study
before taking a break due to some
poor exam results. Graham then found
14
himself working as a pastry chef, never
returning to his Podiatry studies.
After a few years of long hours and
hard work as a chef, Graham decided
to return home to Orkney. Here his
career adventures continued, finding
work in a crab factory, and in hotels
and restaurants. Music had always
remained an important part of Graham’s
life though and he eventually settled

on permanent work in a café which
provided working hours that suited his
hobby of playing in a band.
Falling in love with an Australian was
what eventually bought Graham out to
our shores. He met his partner Nicole
(who is from the Central Coast) while
she was back-packing around the UK.
After they met Graham and Nicole spent
10 years together in Orkney.
Graham was inspired by Nicole’s
university graduation ceremony in 2009
to follow another career path himself.
One of the graduates at the ceremony
was 92 years old, reminding Graham
that it was never too late to further his
education. This, together with the worry
that working as a chef would not be
compatible with raising his child which
was on the way, Graham enrolled in a
degree in Economics and Mathematics
through Open University in the UK.
Over the next 4 years he cut back on
kitchen work and worked part-time in
youth clubs while studying full-time and
looking after his son. By the time his
second child arrived in 2012, Graham
had also started working in a local
primary school as a Teacher’s Aide, for
children with special needs. It was this
experience that finally steered Graham
towards teaching.
Helping children to learn gave Graham
a new excitement and enthusiasm for
work. Not long after this discovery
Graham and his partner Nicole decided
to move to Australia. The first thing
Graham did when they arrived was enrol
in a Master of Teaching at UNE.
Graham’s approach to teaching is
relaxed and supportive. If he notices a
student is having a bad day, he is always
quick to offer a smile and let them know
he is there if they need him. He loves to
use humour in the classroom too, even
if it is at his own expense. He believes
students who are relaxed are more
engaged in their learning.
The best part of being a teacher for
Graham are those ‘lightbulb’ moments
where a student who has previously
been struggling with a concept suddenly
gets it. This incredibly rewarding
experience sometimes sees Graham
more excited than his student too.
When it comes to mathematics, Graham
loves problem-solving and giving
students a question to investigate.
He enjoys seeing the different ways
students solve problems and finds this
diversity in thinking interesting to watch
as a teacher. He loves to encourage
students to get up in front of the class
and teach the concept they have just
learnt, helping to strengthen their
learning.
Graham started working at ET Australia
Secondary College in July 2017. He loves
the way the staff genuinely care about
the students and work hard to help
them achieve their full potential. He
would like people to know that ETASC
is a school catering to a diverse range of
students. He loves being part of a
Graham (far left) pictured
with his family
supportive teaching team too and says:
“This is something that all the staff at ET
are really good at - making the students
feel safe and supported.”
When he’s not working, Graham spends
most of his time watching his sons play
sport. At different times of the year he’ll
be watching them play soccer, futsal,
tennis, swimming and nippers so he’s
always busy.
Graham is a life long learner and in
October last year he completed a Master
of Education: Special Educational Needs
from Deakin University.
Occasionally he still picks up a guitar,
but not quite as often as he would like.
15

ET Austra
Secondary
Class of 2018 Gradua
Year 10 students celebrate their Year 10
achievements in style.
ET Australia Secondary College
Year 10 students celebrated
their achievements at the annual
College Year 10 graduation
ceremony. The event was held on
Friday the 14th of December in
the Show Room of The Mingara
Recreation Club.
Students, parents, teachers and
distinguished guests celebrated the
completion of Year 10 and achieving
their Record of School Achievement
(RoSA).
Students were presented with their
College graduate certificates and
high achievers were recognised for
their success throughout the year
with individual and subject awards.
Right and below:
Year 10 ETASC Students
celebrating their
achievements
Congratulations to all Year 10 2018 graduates
and special thanks to our volunteer team for
their time and effort.

lia
College
tion
Above: Year 10 Graduating Class of
2018 with their teachers.
Right: Curriculum Coordinator,
Kim Wheeler addressing the
audience
Congratulations to our
ET Australia Secondary College
2018 award winners:
Zoe Moore
Congratulations to Zoe Moore who in
2018 was the first student to be
awarded first place in all subjects.
First place in History
First place in Mathematics
First place in PDHPE
First place in Science
First place in Geography
First place in English
Ben Fletcher
Congratulations to Ben Fletcher on being awarded
the Principal’s Award which recognises high standards
of overall achievement, attitude, academic progress
and involvement in the school community.

Egan accepting his graduation
certificate in 2016
ETASC Gives Egan the
Perfect Platform to Pursue
his Creative Interests
Attending the local primary school, I
struggled to fit in with the other kids
and my restlessness was disliked by
my teachers. My Year 2 teacher would
often tell me to sit down and follow
the example of my other classmates.
Her favourite kid in the class was also
the school bully who would often
taunt me for having no friends. I told
myself if I just rode out that year all
would be better. However, in Year 3
I was thrown back into the rhythm of
“sit down and don’t say a word”.
My mother already had the idea to
home school me, but my father still
needed convincing.
When my teacher was asked about
my behaviour she said I needed to
be taught to handle an office job as
she thought that’s all I would end up
doing. The next day when my sister
and I were asked if we “wanted out”
we said yes.
The next 6 years I spent in home
school learning what interested me
and I feel I had an amazing education.
I spent my days in the bush or in later
years creating short films with friends.
One of the first films I made, “The
Station”, was nominated to go to New
York to the finals of the International
Silent Film Festival.
The home school community accepted
me so much more than what I had
18
experienced in school. At the end of
year nine I was faced with a choice:
go back to school or face the
challenging mission that is getting a
RoSA through home schooling. That’s
when I got to talking to a friend who
highly recommended ET Australia
Secondary College.
I was very sceptical but agreed to a
meeting with John Lenton (may he
rest in peace). I walked into that room
feeling nervous about the future but
walked out ecstatic to start Year 10
at ET Australia in February 2016. The
first day I walked in to ET Australia
Secondary College I was nervous and
wondering if all the horrors of high
school would be true, however that
could not be farther from the truth
as this was not a typical high school.
It was different.
The first day was quite a blur but I do
remember some key moments. Certain
things stood out that made it feel
welcoming right away. Calling teachers
by their first names, the use of iPads
to help with my writing disability

(I had overcome this in the past by
using a computer at home however
a typical high school would not have
had this) as well as the friendly nature
of everyone else in the class.
Over the weeks and months, I started
to call ET Australia Secondary College
a second home. The friends
I made, and the relaxed nature of the
whole school made it feel like a place I
wanted to be. I enjoyed being able to
wear want I wanted and my feelings
of self-worth would start at 9am
every day not at 3:30pm when I got
home. When waking up I never felt
like I didn’t want to go to school. I
was only late on two occasions. The
first, I was so sick the doctor told me
I was a hazard to others around me
and the other I arrived late after the
trains broke down.
I will never forget the way I felt
the teachers actually cared for my
education and that made it a joy to go
to school.
I loved maths and the challenges
it presented. Jasmyn was great
at helping as well as the teacher
assistants.
Outside of ET Australia Secondary
College I had a few other pursuits that
I engaged in which mostly consisted of
film making - making videos at home
or with friends. As well as mountain
biking, sailing and exploring.
In terms of achievement, I was top
of my class for Maths, Geography,
PDHPE, History and Science. I was also
nominated for the Principal’s Award
and having the highest attendance.
While at ET Australia Secondary
College I decided I loved it for the
people and not for the subjects, so
I chose to leave high school after
getting my RoSA and go onto TAFE to
study more.
In 2017 I went to TAFE in Newcastle
and studied at Hunter Street Campus. I
got a Certificate III and then Certificate
IV in Screen and Media in November
of 2017. Throughout 2017 I also
worked part time at a local studio in
Kincumber and learnt a lot from my
mentor Glen from Studio2You. I learnt
retouching skills as well as shooting in
a corporate environment.
Throughout 2017 I also started using
Instagram and with that platform
my photography started to build a
following. With that following also
came photography work. After I
finished at TAFE, I was on the look
out for a job in the creative industries
which led me to Social Media
Management. I am currently working
on managing social media accounts
and building a portfolio of work for
larger projects. As I write this I have
just finished 4 days of solo travel on
the Gold Coast and Brisbane and I am
heading to the Great Barrier Reef for
two weeks.
In 5 years’ time I hope to be doing
something that gives me creative
licence or freedom to create and
express myself, whether that be
through photography or film. I also
hope to travel and see the wonders
that this amazing world has to offer.
Meeting new people is a joy and
learning their stories and how they
create is amazing.
19

ETASC 2018 Excursions
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh International
Award program commenced at ET
Australia Secondary College in 2018.
The Duke of Ed is a non-competitive
self-development program available to
students which encourages them to set
and achieve goals at a level appropriate
to their needs and aspirations. There are
four sections for students to develop
in; skill, service, physical recreation
and adventurous journey. Throughout
participation in this award students
develop skills in decision-making,
teamwork, organisation, communication,
perseverance, self-confidence, leadership,
resilience and citizenship. These are highly
sought after employability skills and great
for the holistic development of young
persons.
Museum of
Contemporary Art
Great Aussie Bush Camp
In Term 1 last year, Year 7 and 8
students attended the Tea Gardens
Great Aussie Bush camp. Students
participated in a range of activities,
including the Rock and Water
program. This program focuses on
recognising and dealing with each
student’s sense of self, their purpose
and motivation in life, as well as how
to deal with the actions of others
appropriately. Students also engaged
in a collection of outdoor activities
relating to the topics they studied in
PDHPE, Mathematics, Science and
Geography classes.
In Term 2 ET Australia Secondary
College Year 7 and 8 students
visited the Museum of
Contemporary Art Australia as part
of their Visual Arts studies. Students
explored the ‘Today, Tomorrow,
Yesterday’ exhibition and were
asked to create conversation
amongst the group by critically
responding to artwork shown on
display at the museum. Students
were also given the opportunity
to see how video can be used
20

to create art and were given the
opportunity to participate in a hands
on workshop in the museum art
studio utilising technology to create
art of their own.
Wetlands
Environment Centre
Q Station Manly
In Term 2 ET Australia Secondary
College Year 8 students visited Q
Station Manly located on the North
Head of Sydney Harbour to learn
more about how the Great Plague,
which occurred in Medieval Europe,
affected the Sydney area in the 1800s.
Q Station was established in 1832 to
quarantine early immigrants afflicted
by disease.
Students examined how authorities
dealt with first contact during early
British settlement and explored how
sickness and disease influenced why
the site was established and how it
functioned. Students also discovered
the story of plague outbreaks in
Sydney and the quarantine process
that occurred in the event of a plague.
In Year 8 Geography students studied
the topic of Water in the World. To
enhance their learning, students visited
the Wetlands Environment Centre in
the Hunter to partake in water quality
testing, discover the types of animals
that live in ponds, learning how to use
a compass and GPS mapping, taking
weather measurements and viewing
Aboriginal seasonal calendars.
21

Gifted and
Talented
Personalised support focusing on students’ unique abilities
Learning Enrichment at ET Australia
Secondary College includes The
Gifted and Talented Program (GAT).
The GAT Program provides high
achieving students the opportunity
to extend their learning through
development activities and the
provision of personalised support.
This takes a number of forms,
including one-on-one sessions, ability
groups, involvement in academic and
Chloe, utilises the GAT program
at ETASC to enhance her
English and photography
talents
creative competitions, and
participation in enrichment
excursions.
Chloe Stocks was one of the
students selected to take part in
the GAT program in 2018. Through
testing and observation Chloe’s
natural abilities in both the intellectual
and creative domains were identified,
particularly in English, Creative
Writing and Photography.
She received in-class support and
attended extra-curricular sessions to
extend her learning in English. This
included English Ability Group where
activities such as Reciprocal Teaching
allowed her to engage in in-depth
discussion of texts with her peers,
creating links between texts and
social issues.
Chloe’s talent for creative writing
was supported and she entered her
work into a national creative writing
competition. Her poem ‘Lover With
A Concrete Heart’ will be published
in the next Write 4 Fun Anthology.
Additionally, Chloe recently presented
this poem at the Central Coast
Council Seniors Week Concert. She
plans to attend Creative Writing
Group with the GAT program in 2019
to continue to develop her abilities.
Chloe’s photography (primarily
portraits utilising natural light and
interesting angles to create ethereal,
dramatic images) was additionally
supported through the program. In
Term 4, she worked as an assistant to
internationally acclaimed underwater
and fashion photographer Brett
Stanley. Here, she took behind- thescenes
images of shoots which
Stanley posted on his business
Facebook page.
She also entered two photography
competitions in 2018, receiving a High
Commended award in the Panasonic
2018 Photographer of the Year
Competition (Junior Division). Which
is an incredible achievement for an
amateur photographer.
22

Enrolling Now for
2020 and Beyond
ET Australia Secondary College is an
independent Year 7 to 10 high school equipping
students with the skills to be successful in
employment and/or further studies.
Now is the time to book your tour of the school for your child to attend
ET Australia Secondary College in 2020.
With over 97% of our graduates engaging in further studies
or a career, you can be confident ET Australia Secondary College
will equip your child with the skills to be successful in ongoing studies and
employment.
Book your tour now
by contacting us on:
Phone: 02 4323 1233
Email: etasc@etaustralia.com
The excursions, the
tutoring, everything
is included in the
school fee.
Parents of Chris, Year 9

ET Australia Magazine is produced by ET Australia
in collaboration with Mars Design.
A special thanks to all those who contributed to
this issue of ET Australia Magazine.
ET Australia is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO ID 90084)
delivering Nationally Recognised Training qualifications.
Contact Mars Design:
enquiries@marsdesign.com.au
@ www.marsdesign.com.au
Contact ET Australia
(02) 4323 1233 @ email@etaustralia.com
Follow ET Australia
ET Australia
ET Australia
@ETAustralia
ET Australia