Monthly Archives: August 2013

As part of the Advanced Technology Project’s aim to explore career opportunities in defence industries, Valley View High School, Fremont-Elizabeth City High School, Craigmore High School and St Patrick’s Technical College participated in a two day Aerospace Event held at UniSA and the RAAF Base, Edinburgh. Students were exposed to a range of different activities relating to Aerospace and Avionic Industries.

On day one of the program, Lockheed Martin presented a workshop about the many different career pathways into the industry, focusing in particular on engineering and technical opportunities. Students were then challenged to design a paper plane that could travel the furthest distance. It was great to see the students applying the engineering principles of designing, testing, modifying and retesting in this process

The second part of the day was a series of small practical tasks run by UniSA designed to lead the students to an understanding of how changes in air flow over different surfaces provides the lift to allow an aircraft to fly. Students found these activities very engaging

After a delicious morning tea, Chris Izzo, an Avionics student at UniSA, Timothy Hudson, a young Flying Officer who is an electronics/electrical engineer from the Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Unit in RAAF and Stewart Schreckengast from Parafield Airport Avionics Academy, gave short presentations about the areas that they work in in the Aerospace industry.

The second day of the program involved a visit to Australian Aerospace and the RAAF Base at Edinburgh. Tony Bernardo from Australian Aerospace gave us a guided tour through a hangar housing a P3 Orion. Students had the opportunity to see the workings on the aircraft and also to have a look inside. Students were given a good background about their service in the RAAF and the types of trades that support the maintenance of the aircraft. Tony also gave us a guided tour of the RAAF base.

Paul Nenasheff, Work Experience Officer at RAAF, organised for the students to visit another hangar and speak with maintenance staff about the aircraft and also about a career the Air Force. This was followed up by a very good presentation on the physics of flying a helicopter. As well as some amazing footage, the physics was very relevant to year 11 and 12 Physics courses.

Students came away from the event with a very good understanding of career opportunities in the Aerospace and Avionics Industries. We would like to thank all of the people who contributed to the success of the event and in particular to teachers Bob Haskard, Karen McBride, Cheryl Ball and Celina Bolding for their work in organising the event.

CONGRATULATIONS to the four St Pat’s Tech graduates from the Class of 2012, named as winners of the 2012 Australian Vocational Student Prize on Monday 26 August 2013.

• Nathan Carter (Automotive)
• Shameka Langenberg (Food & Hospitality)
• Lucinda Raschella (Hair & Beauty)
• Dale Sheppard (Auto – Heavy Vehicle)

The Australian Vocational Student Prize (AVSP) recognises students who have demonstrated outstanding skills while completing vocational training in senior secondary years. It promotes the value of gaining vocational skills while at school and acknowledges that vocational education prepares students for further training and employment.

Five hundred prizes, of a certificate and $2000, are available nationally each year. The best of these students will win the Prime Minister’s Award for Skills Excellence in School which carries a prize of an additional $2000.

Each year schools are invited to nominate students who have chosen to do practical, vocational training while completing their senior secondary studies.

Nominating students must:

• have completed, or be due to complete, Year 12 in the year of nomination;
• have completed, or be due to complete, a Vocational Education and Training program or an Australian School-based Apprenticeship to a minimum Certificate II as part of their senior secondary studies; and
• have their vocational education and training or Australian School-based Apprenticeship results recorded on their senior secondary certificate.

Here is the fist look at this year’s Year 12 Commemorative Jacket design.  For full details, please see Miss Feeney at the College administration.

TAFE SA and St Patrick’s Technical College are pleased to announce the launch of their new educational partnership which will help young people in Adelaide’s North stay at school and maximise their educational and employment prospects. Students who are enrolled at St Patrick’s Technical College will now receive TAFE SA accredited and supported training while still taking advantage of St Patrick’s Technical College state of the art campus and specialist trade focused SACE curriculum.

St Patrick’s Technical College students will be enrolling with TAFE SA through the Skills For All  Training Guarantee for SACE Students (TGSS) program enabling them to select from a range of professional trade based career pathways while still working towards the completion of their SACE.

By selecting from the wide range of potential courses being offered by TAFE SA and St Patrick’s Technical College, students will learn their skills at a combination of the St Patrick’s Technical College campus in Edinburgh North, TAFE SA’s Elizabeth campus or at a number of other industry based locations. This agreement provides complete flexibility for the delivery of training whilst providing world-class facilities for students to complete their training both at TAFE SA and St Patrick’s.

Under the agreement, St Patrick’s students will choose to enrol into one of a number of Certificate II programs at no additional cost to their school fees (eligibility criteria apply).  The following vocations are currently offered:

• Automotive (Heavy & Light Vehicle specialisations)
• Building & Construction
• Electrotechnology
• Food & Hospitality
• Metal Roofing & Cladding (pre-vocational Plumbing)
• Metals & Engineering

For students not making the transition into an apprenticeship during their enrolment at St Patrick’s, upon completion of their initial Certificate II qualification they will be guaranteed a training position at TAFE SA in the Certificate III course (subject to some conditions) that will help them with their chosen vocational career path.