March media releases
Test and tag electrical appliance course could save lives
Qld TAFE Rural Courses a Stepping Stone to a UNE Degree
Dual Diplomas set Gerard on a new career path
Meet the legislation requirements with RSA, RMLV and RGS training
Test and tag electrical appliance course could save lives
Electricity. You can't see it, it's silent but it can kill. Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE electrical teacher and electrician of 30 years experience David Penny says the safety of electrical appliances is vital and TAFE's appliance safety testing courses for people employed to carry out electrical testing could well save someone's life. Mr Penny and fellow teacher Kris Holmes will conduct courses in testing and inspection of electrical equipment this year. The first course will be held next month at SQIT's Kingaroy campus.
"The course is suited to those working in organisations that may be required to carry out in-service testing of their own electrical equipment to meet Occupational Health and Safety requirements," Mr Penny said.
"The program includes testing and inspecting procedures for a range of electrical equipment used in workplaces including appliances, cords, leads, plugs, sockets and safety switches.
"Australian Standards, expected results and legal requirements are a vital part of the course."
Mr Penny said a Statement of Attendance would be issued to participants who successfully completed the course.He said entry into the course was limited to employees and employers who were required to carry out testing and inspecting of electrical equipment in a workplace. Cost of the program is $300, GST exempt, and will be held over nine hours from 8am to 6pm on 8 April, 12 August and 16 September this year. For further information contact SQIT Kingaroy campus on (07) 4160 4400.
Qld TAFE Rural Courses a Stepping Stone to a UNE Degree
Two of the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE's popular agriculture and rural business courses can now be credited as part of a University of New England degree course. Roma TAFE based trainer and former rural worker Maxine Thomas is coordinating the delivery of the Diploma of Agriculture and Diploma of Rural Business Management to a cross-section of students throughout regional and rural areas.
"Our two rural-oriented diplomas enable entry into articulated degree courses at the University of New England or other TAFE courses," Mrs Thomas said.
"That means units, completed in the TAFE course, count towards UNE’s bachelor degree course."
Mrs Thomas said the courses appeal to landholders and rural workers because they include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in awarding these nationally-accepted qualifications.
"That means TAFE recognises your existing skills and practical experience gained from day to day rural management," Mrs Thomas said.
"In many cases I find little or no additional training is necessary to qualify after we have an initial interview and you complete the information pack for assessment."
"Rural agency employees, potential rural product exporters and stud operators, where formal qualifications can help their business credibility, should consider applying for these diplomas," she said.
Future economic conditions and job uncertainty are making workers and landholders consider TAFE course enrolment to qualify for new and different career paths. Interested diploma applicants meet Mrs Thomas face-to-face for their initial confidential interview and maintain this one-on-one arrangement during their assessment.
"You won't have to deal with various levels of remote bureaucracy and faceless people. Either my assistant Anne Sallway or myself will complete the whole process quite quickly," she said. Several funding opportunities such as scholarships are on offer to assist applicants complete their diploma program.New study-at-home TAFE courses on climate change and sustainability will be offered later this year. For further information contact Maxine Thomas or Anne Sallway at the Roma TAFE Campus ph 07 4620 4200.
Dual Diplomas set Gerard on a new career path
Gerard Burges says undertaking study at TAFE has been profoundly life-changing for him. The office and human resources manager at Toowoomba steel fabricators Brownsteel graduated from Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE in February with dual Diplomas in Business and Human Resources.
"Studying started me on a journey and the process has changed my whole outlook on life," Mr Burges said.
Mr Burges supervises 24 apprentices employed by Brownsteel which specialises in the construction of structural steel for the construction industry. It was seeing the training of apprentices from the employer's side and through the knowledge gained in his studies that led him to make working with youth his future career.
"Once I started on the HR diploma I knew I wanted to look after staff full-time," he said. Mr Burges said he often saw apprentices faced with concerns common to young people that distracted them from their work and training. He said he planned to study counselling at tertiary level so he could help the apprentices at Brownsteel focus on their work.
"Had I not gone to TAFE I would have just stuck to what I was doing until I retired," he said.
"I saw a Skilling Queensland advert aimed at people like me who saw their jobs as having gone as far as they could. It suggested I talk to TAFE.
"TAFE suggested I undertake both Human Resources and Business because with 20 year's experience in business administration I could get Recognition of Prior Learning for virtually all of my units in the business diploma."
Mr Burges said he found TAFE a great education environment both during his study and through his observation of the apprentices at his work.
Meet the legislation requirements with RSA, RMLV and RGS training
Toowoomba TAFE Campus will be offering training next month to staff of outlets serving alcohol and offering gambling services to prepare for new legislative requirements. Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE teacher Tony Hall said he expected the Responsible Gambling Services on April 20 and 21 and the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Responsible Management of Licensed Venue courses on April 27 and 28 to be very popular due to the approaching deadline for all licensable venues to have accredited staff.
Mr Hall said licensed venue staff employed prior to 1 January 2009 have until 30 June 2010 to complete the required RSA training while staff members employed after 1 January 2009 would be required to complete training within 30 days of starting employment.
"We are busy offering day-long courses to accredit staff of licensed venues right across the south west of Queensland," Mr Hall said.
"All licensees must ensure that the licensee (if an individual), approved manager and any staff member at the promises who is involved in service or supply of liquor has a certificate in Responsible service of Alcohol.
"Staff members include bartenders, glass collectors, floor hostesses and room service staff."
Mr Hall said for those licence and permit types where the service or supply of liquor is provided only by volunteers, the licensee/permittee must take reasonable steps to ensure there is a person with current RSA training to supervise the volunteers.
He said that from January 1, 2009 the position of licensed premises nominee was replaced by an approved manager.
"An approved manager must have a current Responsible Management of Licensed Venues (RMLV) and Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training," Mr Hall said.
Mr Hall said the RGS course on April 20 and 21 described the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide responsible gambling services and information to customers who required assistance with their problem gambling.
"We designed the training in a hands-on, easy to understand format so that participants leave the course with all the knowledge and skills they need to comfortably meet the new legislation," Hall said.
"The course applies equally to frontline operational gambling personnel who have a limited level of autonomy and under some supervision and guidance from others."
Mr Hall said there were no entry requirements for enrolment into the RGS course and students successfully completing it would receive a Statement of Results and a Responsible Gambling Services Certificate. If the successful student wishes to undertake further study that certificate would also count towards a Certificate II in Hospitality. Career opportunities for people completing the RGS course included gaming attendant, croupier and multi-skilled food and beverage attendant. The RMLV, RSA and RGS courses will be conducted at Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE campus, Bridge Street, Toowoomba. For more information, contact. Christine Manktelow on 4694 1687.