Other School News
Headstart Program
Congratulations to Rhyan Craw who has successfully been signed up to a part-time School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT) in a Certificate III in Cabinet Making with Exclusive Cabinets in Oakleigh. He is the second Head Start SBAT student from Westall Secondary College to join the Exclusive Cabinets team.
Rhyan asked Jane Jamieson, Westall’s Head Start Coordinator, to help him find a Head Start School Based Apprenticeship that he could continue as a full-time apprentice after graduating with his Year 12 VCE Vocational Major Certificate.
Exclusive Cabinets were so impressed with Rhyan’s ability to quickly learn new skills, demonstrate his enjoyment of wood work and apply great attention to details during his trial. Rhyan is loving being able to develop his technical skills and see the results of his efforts.
The apprenticeship work hours and TAFE training that Rhyan completes this year as an SBAT, will reduce the total time still needed to complete his apprenticeship hours and training after he leaves school so he will be a qualified Cabinet Maker earlier than a student waiting to start an apprenticeship until after their school graduation. Hence the term a Head Start!
Head Start is a free Department of Education program available in all Victorian government schools. They help students get started on their preferred trade before leaving school. Students supported by the Head Start program are much more likely to complete their apprenticeship.
Parents and students in Year 10 to 12 students interested in to starting a Traineeship or an Apprenticeship whilst completing their senior qualifications should contact Jane Jamieson on the contact details below or complete the Expression of Interest Form Students can also speak to Jane directly at her office in the Westall Library.
To learn more about Head Start
What is Head Start? 3 minute video
Head Start BPA Website - https://headstart.prsc.vic.edu.au
Jane Jamieson | HEADSTART Industry Coordinator |Bayside Peninsular |
Westall Secondary College
M: 0458 869 631E: jane.jamieson@education.vic.gov.au
Icreate - Landscape, Architecture and Design
Students in LAD icreate have been working all term on a range of projects both indoor and outdoor to beautify school spaces and imaginery spaces. Dioramas are based on 'what could be a potential space', for example 'a caravan park' and 'art gallery'. The projects were developed according to student research on ideas, interests, skill level and knowledge with materials. You will notice both interior and exterior wall murals based on the galaxy and people.
LAD students have been busy beautifying garden beds outside the International House to create a more welcoming and interactive environment for students when at their leisure. Painting has been a huge hit with the students, they have indulged themselves in the world of colour, shapes and texture. You will notice a 'bird house' that is yet to be installed and other individual timber projects.
Project gallery below - works in progress.
Ms Helen Ifandis
Year 11 & Arts/Technology Coordinator
Westall Systems Engineering
Westall’s Systems Engineering students were invited to the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute’s, Australian Manufacturing Week, held at the Melbourne Exabition Centre. The invitation was curtesy of Monash Technical College who had a program of activities involving their partner school. When one of their schools pulled out of the day, they kindly extended the invitation to Westall. Staff from the tech college took teams of student to a variety of presentations from ten exhibitors, who had agreed to present to school student to promote the Australian manufacturing sector. Among the great presentations were talks from the CSIRO Advanced manufacturing division, Melbourne University School of Engineering school and Industrial equipment supplies such as Hass CNC from the USA and Japanese machine tool builder Okuma and Yamazaki Mazak Corporation.
Students quickly came to see that the Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacturing knowledge (CAD,CAM) they are acquiring at school is directly applicable the state-of-the-art machinery on display. The Skills honed in the classroom for producing endless prototypes on the collection of school 3D printers, CNC routers and our laser cutter also contain the basic concepts needed for operating a million-dollar industrial fabricator. The working knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems they study in the classroom are the very principals that empower the modern advanced manufacturing workplace.
Students were given free time to peruse the numerous stands. Many of them seemed particularly interested in a stand with a racing car simulator and luckily the exhibitors were willing to permit our student to have a go on it.
Our school can once again be proud of our student's excellent behaviour and genuine enthusiasm shown on the day. My only regret was not taking the school credit card as I did not meet a machine I did not like, next year maybe!
Thanks to Kristina Vasilakis and Megan Fisher for helping on the day.
Mr Ralph Richardson
Physics & Systems Engineering Teacher