Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) Community and Access team is pleased to welcome Trisha Kohlweg as the Secondary Schools Liaison Lecturer for the Top End.
Trisha is based at CDU’s Casuarina campus and replaces Jodie Waters who held the position in 2005.
Trisha brings a solid VET background to the position, having worked across the trades, retail, hospitality, childcare and the industrial sectors.
For the past four years, Trisha has worked in Youth Services assisting young people aged 13 to 19 to develop achievable pathways and action transitional plans in the areas of mainstream or alternative education, university studies, training and employment, including apprenticeships and traineeships.
“I am very excited about this position as I believe it has huge potential in providing opportunities for people aged 15 and onwards to enhance their future prospects through education and recognised qualifications within a professional and supportive environment at CDU,” she said.
The Secondary Schools Liaison Lecturer Top End role includes negotiating ‘Letters of Intent’ with secondary schools in the Darwin, Palmerston and Rural Cluster, Arnhem Cluster and Rivers Cluster (Katherine and surrounding areas) which will establish Trisha as the broker between school and the University.
From a Community and Access perspective, Trisha will be an important contact for secondary school staff requiring information about CDU and also a resource for University staff needing information about secondary schools and their needs.
She will be making personal contact with principals over the coming weeks to introduce herself and build closer working relationships between the University and secondary schools in the NT.
CDU’s School to VET Senior Advisor Lyle Mellors is responsible for negotiating the Memorandum of Agreements with secondary schools to provide specific VET in Schools courses.
The coordinator of Pathways, Karrina Betschart continues to be the Secondary Schools Liaison Lecturer for the Desert Oaks (Central Australia) and Central Storm Clusters (Barkly), based at the Alice Springs campus.
Trisha will be working closely with the Community and Access Team which also includes the Director of Remote Coordination Paul Fitzsimons and the Indigenous Academic Support Lecturers to create pathways for secondary students into tertiary education.