Trades & Training

Trades and Training

Welcome back to Trades and Training.  Students in these training areas have continued to be very busy and are really showing us some great progress and projects.  Currently many students are out on Work Experience.  Year 12 Work experience can really make a difference in a young person’s ambitions and choices. We hope they thoroughly enjoy their time but also get a chance to see how real employment works and use some skills. Maybe even line up a new job or apprenticeship.

With this newsletter is a letter to industry, as a team we are committed to developing improved links to industry and offering students the chance to prepare for the world of work. If you are in a position to offer work experience or possible employment opportunities, we would love to hear from you. The link to the letter is below.

I would like to share that Mr Allan Matson, who has been taking a well-deserved period of long service leave will not be returning to the College. Mr Matson has worked at the College for 11 years, training and supporting students in the completion of Cert II Engineering Pathways, a wonderful commitment. We wish Allan all the best as he transitions to his new role as a Trades Assistant at South Regional TAFE Albany.

In addition to our normal activities, Mr Toon, Mrs Dufall and Ms Pagan also hosted a Year 9 Student visit. Students from Albany dropped into the College for a look around, they had tours and activities in Bee Keeping, Equine, Farm and our Engineering Workshop.  Everyone had a great day and left with lots to report when they returned to school.

In Term 3 we will start a trial of After School Workshop time. Starting with Tuesdays, we will keep the workshop doors open until 5PM. This is a great opportunity for ALL students to come and work on projects and learn new skills. This is a great time to pop in and practice welding and fabrication skills or have a go at something new.

Autos

Mr Kemp in Automotives has been guiding Year 11 Students through the final sections of the Unit of Competency (AURLTA101) Identify automotive mechanical systems of components and into Identify automotive electrical systems and components. (AURETR103). Year 12 students also getting into the electrical systems with the Operate Electrical Test Equipment (AURETK003) and Install vehicle lighting and wiring (AURETR009). These and other Units of Competency all working towards the AUR20720 - Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation.

Electrical Systems are a large part of modern vehicle and machinery maintenance/repairs. We feel that this experience equips students with some very solid foundation skills for employment.

Bees

The WACOA beekeeping students have been winding up the honey season by extracting the last of the honey, cleaning up the sticky shed and leaving the bees alone to snuggle down the Winter months. It looks like a wet Winter ahead, so we’re glad we left lots of honey in the hives, they’ll need it.

Our 2 hives of happy, friendly bees are doing well and we look forward to using their genetics to breed some nice golden queens in Springtime to replace some of our more excitable buzzy friends.

To further extend skills in using homegrown honey, we cooked up some yummy treats for the Country Week kids to take away to Perth for the big week ahead. Hopefully some of the biscuits and honey joys actually made it to Perth.

We purchased some squeezy bottles for the college dining room so that the boarders can have healthy yummy honey on their toast in the mornings. It seems to be a big hit, we can’t believe how much they are eating! 

In preparation for the College Open Day on August the 5th, we have started making some products from bees wax to sell along with our delicious raw honey – we hope to see you there! 

Design and Technology

Mr Toon has been leading the Design and Technology students further into 2D Design and automation using the CNC plasma to create prototypes of flat pack firepit/BBQs. In the short time we have had this equipment, the students have really embraced the technology and are achieving great things! 

Engineering/Metals

Projects are so close to being finished for the Year 12s and the final full term brings the final UoC for them to complete before being awarded a Cert II in Engineering Pathways. Many Year 12s have made such good progress in this area over the Term.

Further progress is expected as we install our new equipment. As part of an ongoing investment and development plan we have purchased additional TIG welding equipment to add to our aluminium welding capacity. We have the latest AC TIG machines ready for Term 3 testing.

As well as the latest equipment, in Term 3 we will also add a Blacksmith forge to our equipment list. This gas-powered forge will enable us to form hot metal for a variety of projects. Practical and artistic products are planned. We hope to show off a range of fire pokers and other hot worked products on open day.

I would like to thank Mr Chopping for his efforts and support this term. Year 11 Classes in Term 3 will now be taken my either Mr Toon or Mr Hamilton, Year 12s will finish the year with Mr Boynton.

Equine 

Equine students continue to go from strength to strength, building on their prior knowledge. Year 10s and 11s are learning how to bandage and float load horses safely as part of their Units of Competency- Check & Treat Horses and Load & Unload Horses Safely.

All year groups had the opportunity to have some fun with games in the last week of term, learning how to barrel race, keyhole and western bend along with some roping thrown in. The students should be proud of their efforts this semester. 

Forestry

Delivery of the new Forestry course is going well, and students have been getting involved in new units and activities. Year 12 Students have also been getting up in the trees and climbing. Some students are really demonstrating great skill in this area. In addition to the climbing, they are working on units for Felling trees (FWPCOT2274) and Trim and cut felled trees (FWPCOT2273). The skills involved in this course are demanding but the students are very capable and involved.

Year 11s have been undertaking their chainsaw courses and working on Maintain chainsaws UoC (FWPCOT2254). Mr Adams has been very impressed with the Year 11 students’ attention to detail in cleaning and maintenance of the saws. This is a real positive for the course and its equipment.

Trades and Training Staff:

Automotive – Mr Kemp

Bees – Mrs Dufall

Design & Technology – Mr Toon

Engineering (Metals) – Mr Hamilton, Ms Pepper and Mr Chopping

Equine – Miss Pagan

Forestry – Mr Adams/Mr Spencer

Mark Boynton

Program Coordinator – Trades and Training

WACOA - Denmark