TAFE NSW – North Coast Institute’s Kempsey Campus has started running a flexible version of the Certificate III in Automotive Mechanical Technology (Motor Cycle), which enables apprentices from all over the North Coast to manage their work and study commitments better.
At the same time, the initiative is encouraging employers to take on more apprentices.
Michael Brenton, Automotive Head Teacher, visited many of the motorcycle retail and repair shops in the region, and discovered that many were reluctant to engage apprentices because of the amount of time they would be away from the workshop doing block release training in Sydney.
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Need apprentices close to home? |
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TAFE NSW can help with flexible delivery. |
‘We concluded that if we could set up a flexible arrangement at our Kempsey Campus, apprentices would spend less time and less money travelling, and stay more focussed on work and study,’ Mr Brenton said.
Second and third year apprentices attend the course in three-day blocks every three weeks, rather than having to spend a full week in Sydney.
Mr Brenton said that the section had invested a lot in setting up the course, including purchasing state-of-the-art diagnostic software and specific motorcycle maintenance equipment to carry out tasks like adjusting spoked wheels and testing for and repairing bent motorcycle frames.
Motorcycle shop owner Peter Rock finds the local solution a much simpler, more practical system and both he and his apprentice are very happy with the mix and quality of the campus and workshop learning.
‘Our apprentice is learning on the job all the time, and having an experienced high quality teacher working alongside him at TAFE NSW really adds to the learning,’ said Mr Rock.
Mark de Plater, Faculty Manager for Construction & Transport, North Coast Institute said that, according to a recent economic analysis of industry trends by ANZ Economics, sales and use of motorcycles in non-metropolitan NSW are growing at more than 6 per cent each year.
‘This is due to factors like fuel prices, lifestyle choices, and concern for the environment,’ he said. And the trend is likely to continue, leading to an increasing demand for qualified motor cycle mechanics. ‘The Institute’s response is to support our local businesses by providing local, flexibly delivered and relevant training.’
