Principal's Report

Today we were privileged to have the Minister for Training and Skills, the Hon. Gayle Tierney, visit our school to launch a series of promotional videos on vocational training and employment opportunities in South West Victoria.  It was a great chance to reflect on the vast array of career opportunities that are available to our young people in our local region.  I’m excited about the possibilities for further partnerships between local industry and Warrnambool College moving forward from the launch this morning.

This event could have been held anywhere in Warrnambool really.  So it was with a great sense of pride that I received the call on Monday to ask whether we could host it at our school.  The Victorian Skills Commissioner, who was also at our school today as part of the launch, commented that Warrnambool College is one of those few schools that ‘gets it’.  A school that understands that education is actually about providing multiple pathways for students so that they can find their niche and prepare themselves for a career that makes sense to them.  There are many students in our school that aspire to tertiary education and professional career paths, and we celebrate and support them to be the best they can be.  But there are others in our school that seek out a more applied learning approach and vocational training that will link them into apprenticeships, traineeships and highly sought after careers in local, national and global industries.  This is the privilege for me in leading Warrnambool College – that I get to work with students and staff that want to learn and teach in so many different ways that allow every student to thrive.

Next year, I am proud to announce that we will be doubling the profile of VCAL classes in our school.  In part this is due to our school getting a bit bigger in the senior parts of the school, but it’s largely due to students, staff and parents recognising that applied learning is just as meaningful and worthy as the study designs of VCE.  I look forward to continuing to work with the many staff who will be developing the curriculum and learning that will underpin the success of these students who have actively chosen a vocational learning pathway.

I hope your family’s circadian rhythms have adjusted to daylight savings this week and you’re all enjoying time together in the daylight when you get home each night.  I look forward to working in partnership with you to achieve great things with our students over the course this term.

Kind Regards,

Dave Clift

Principal