New Industrial Technology Teacher For WWHS

Growing up in Murwillumbah, creativity and design were a constant in Wee Waa High School’s new Industrial Technology teacher, Ms Trevaskis’ life. Her teenage years were spent designing and crafting detailed pieces from wood, metal and textiles, as well as restoring furniture. So it’s not surprising that she planned to pursue and a career in architecture or design.

An inspirational Timber Technology teacher in Years 11 and 12 constantly encouraged Ms Trevaskis’ design interest, while helping her develop her knowledge and skills in crafting increasingly complex pieces. Ms Trevaskis’ HSC major work was a drawing board and matching stool crafted from rose gum and silky oak with laminate-curved legs.

During her first year studying Design at Griffith University, Ms Trevaskis was invited to show her HSC major work at the annual NSW InTech showcase for outstanding HSC major projects in Sydney. Here her project was awarded ‘best original design’, and it was while speaking with students visiting the exhibition, Sarah was able to see the value in sharing her skill and passion with others. It was a conversation with another inspirational female Metal and Timber Technology teacher, and observing her encouraging discussion with students that Ms Trevaskis knew that teaching was truly her calling. From there she switched to study at Southern Cross University, undertaking a double degree in Technology and Education, majoring in design and technology, industrial tech: timber and metal, and textile technology. 

For her final year teaching practicum, Ms Trevaskis wanted both a rural perspective and to gain practical teaching experience in metal work. With family near Boggabri, she chose Narrabri High School for her placement. Interestingly, Ms Trevaskis explained fewer and fewer coastal high schools are offering metal work due to ‘safety concerns’, lack of student interest and teacher skill shortages. 

‘While I was teaching at Narrabri, a Technology – Timber and Metal teaching role at Wee Waa High School became available and after visiting the school I was keen to pursue it. My partner, Ben was also fortunate to secure a teaching role at Narrabri West Primary School. Our move to the Narrabri Shire was meant to be’.

‘It was the strong sense of community and warm welcome we received that drew us back to the Narrabri Shire’, Ms Trevaskis explained, and they’ve wasted no time getting involved in the community. Ms Trevaskis has signed up to play soccer for the Wee Waa United Football Club and is keen to submit work to next year’s CREATE Arts festival. 

In my time at Wee Waa High School I would like share the same passion for learning, problem solving and creating that my teacher shared with me. The sense of success that comes with seeing an idea evolve into a drawing, a plan, prototype, functional end product- is a skill I wish to foster in my students. I would also like to encourage more female students to take up my subjects as electives in stages 5 and 6 to develop critical and creative thinking skills, and to build confidence using tools and machinery. I believe the skills and knowledge learned in my subject area, are transferrable to a range of career paths and are integral to creating a better society. I hope to inspire and assist the young people of Wee Waa HS to pursue these in demand roles, such as engineering, design, and tradesmanship.