Westfields Sports High School, Australia's First Sports High School

Westfields Sports
_______________________________________________________________ First In Australia

School Student Gets The Skills He Needs At TAFE
Sunday, 13 August 2006 -

Steven Bikesic, a year 12 student from Westfields Sports High School, is on track for a successful career in the automotive industry.
Through a combination of school, TAFE and industry training, Steven is gaining skills and a head start to employment. Steven is currently completing a Part-time School-based Traineeship under the T3 program as part of his HSC studies.
Recently nominated for the Australian Vocational Student Prize 2006, Steven has demonstrated that a desire to achieve and good time management skills can reap big rewards. Steven is employed as a part-time school-based trainee by Lansvale Holden and colleagues have praised him for having “great pride in all that he does”.
T3 is strategic partnership linking TAFE NSW and automotive manufacturers and dealerships. Under this innovative program, high school students complete nationally accredited Certificate II traineeships over two years and gain unit credit toward the Year 12 Certificate. At the completion of the traineeship program and their Year 11/12 studies, the students obtain their Year 12 Certificate, a National TAFE Certificate II qualification and the possibility of continued employment in the automotive industry.
“The T3 program provides students with hands-on skills so that they are job-ready when they leave school. Employers also benefit from enthusiastic employees who have demonstrated their commitment to the industry by gaining entry-level skills before seeking full-time employment,” said Barry Peddle, Institute Director, TAFE NSW - South Western Sydney Institute.
“I congratulate Steven on his achievements and wish him well with his automotive career,” said Mr Peddle.
A typical school week for Steven and other students undertaking the T3 Part-time School-based Traineeship involves attending school three-and-a-half-days per week, attending TAFE half-a-day per week and undertaking paid work one day per week. Students are also required to complete some additional work hours during their school holidays for the duration of year 11 and year 12.
Steven has excelled in his TAFE NSW automotive mechanical course at Wetherill Park College and has now completed the TAFE training component of his traineeship.
Although most students participating in the T3 program would generally be planning a career as an automotive mechanic, Steven is hoping to achieve a UAI of 83, so that he can gain entry into the mechanical engineering course at Sydney University.
Relieving Principal at Westfields Sports High School, Mrs Helen Wilson, has confirmed that Steven is achieving excellent results in his HSC studies and hopefully this will see him well on track to achieve his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.
For information on school-based traineeships go to: www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/traineeships/t-three/index.html or contact the TVET Unit, TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute on (02) 9825 7352.