Abilities Students Graduation

LCP 171 helps Education Support Students gain valuable industry experience

On 11 September 2008 a special graduation ceremony and morning tea was held for ten abilities students at the Swan Yacht Club in East Fremantle. The students, from education support units in five senior high schools in the Fremantle/Peel Education District (Hamilton, Leeming, Melville, Rockingham and Warnbro) have been participating in a pilot programme managed by the Logistics Training Council (LTC) to identify pathways for special needs (abilities) students to gain entry level qualifications in the transport and logistics industry.

The idea of creating a pathway in transport and logistics for abilities students arose out of a meeting to raise the profile of the transport industry in late 2007. With the limited pathways available to abilities students and the shortage of young workers in the industry, it seemed a natural solution to create a pathway for students which would give them more options for employment and introduce more young people into the industry. It was also believed that there were many tasks that could be performed by abilities students who could slot easily into the industry.

As part of the project, the students completed the off-the-job training of Certificate I in Transport & Logistics (Pathways) at Challenger TAFE earlier in the year. The LTC then worked with the schools and transport and logistics companies in the southern suburbs to organise seven weeks in the workplace so students could gain valuable work experience and have their skills assessed on-the-job.

The graduation was well attended by students, their families, participating schools and employers, and other stakeholders involved in the project including the VET Teaching and Learning Directorate of the Department of Education and Training, Fremantle and Melville Local Community Partnership (Bridging the Gap in Fremantle), Challenger TAFE and the LTC.
The feedback from employers regarding the students’ performance has been very positive with all companies involved expressing interest in participating in such a programme in the future. Jim Kelly, State Operations Manager of Australian Wool Stores, spoke enthusiastically at the graduation about his company’s involvement in the project and the great opportunities for young people offered by the industry.

The benefits to students have been manyfold. As well as completing their certificates, the students have gained new skills in an industry which can offer them a secure future, and they have all achieved amazing personal growth. Tim Grimmer, a participating student from Melville Senior High School talked about his experiences during the programme at the graduation. Tim’s enthusiasm was contagious as he described “the importance of safety …the use of PPE” and the “names and functions of the different equipment”. Tim said he enjoyed the course, both the training at Challenger TAFE and his work experience at LG Electronics, and would recommend it to other students who were fit, safety aware and wanting to work in the industry.

It is anticipated that this programme will be available for implementation across all schools in 2009, with a “How to” information kit being distributed to schools, transport and logistics companies and government agencies before the end of the year.