Close to 800 students are expected to converge on the Territory’s leading vocational education and training (VET) provider, Charles Darwin University, this week to try their hand at a trade.
The annual Try a Trade event is for students from around the Territory including remote areas to gain some “hands on” experience in a variety of trade options and explore career opportunities.
CDU secondary schools liaison Trisha Mellows said that during the two days students could try activities from commercial cookery, horticulture, beauty and hairdressing, to welding, carpentry and automotive.
“The program aims to provide interactive trade activities that introduce skills and encourage students to have a go, under the guidance of professional tradespeople, apprentices and registered training organisations,” Ms Mellows said.
“Students will have the opportunity to select seven different trade activities ranging from how to perform professional up hairstyles, to rewiring and connecting an electrical board or constructing a wooden pencil box they can take home. They will also attend a ‘How to get an Australian Apprenticeship’ session.”
Ms Mellow said the event also offered the opportunity for students to ask questions about securing an apprenticeship and to gather information relating to the career they are interested in pursuing.
“It is a great opportunity for school students to find out more about professional pathways while they continue to attend secondary school to help them decide if they want to undertake VET in Schools (VETiS) or a School Based New Apprenticeship,” she said.
“VETiS is available at CDU campuses across the Territory and provides a chance for secondary school students to develop employability skills and gain nationally recognised qualifications while completing their secondary education.”
Try a Trade will be held at CDU’s Casuarina campus on May 26 and 27. For more information visit: www.cdu.edu.au/communityandaccess/schoolslink/tryatrade2009.html
Try a Trade is run by an NT consortium including the Department of Education and Training, GTNT, Australian Apprenticeship Centre NT and CDU.