School Pathways to VET Award

The John Forrest Secondary College/MPA Skills Partnership WINS AGAIN.

At a prestigious ceremony at the Brisbane Convention Centre on November 25, the John Forrest/MPA Skills Partnership was awarded the Federal Government's 2011 Australian Training Award for the best School Pathway to VET program in Australia!

This is a sensational achievement which gives national acclaim to the outstanding opportunities being provided and impressive outcomes being achieved through the John Forrest Trade Training Centre and the world class partnership that has been forged between John Forrest and the industry’s Plumbing and Gasfitting and Painting and Decorating leaders in training – MPA Skills. This partnership was also the State winner of the School First Award in 2010.

The Painting and Decorating and Plumbing and Gasfitting programs offered through the MPA Skills/John Forrest partnership address industry shortages and provide a win-win arrangement for all stakeholders. Through these programs, students begin the first stage of a mapped and highly supportive lifecycle for employment that begins with the integration of the School-Based Pre-Apprenticeship and School-Based Apprenticeship training programs within the senior school curriculum. The pathway continues through to potential employment by the MPA Skills Apprentice Employment Division as full-time apprentices on completion of Year 12 or in lieu of finishing secondary schooling. As employees of MPA Skills, students remain in the supportive and nurturing MPA Skills environment and have ongoing access to training expertise, industry mentors and the huge range of employers and tradespeople who form the membership of Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia and the Master Painters Australia (WA) Association.

Trends have shown increased applications each year and it is anticipated that beyond 2011 there will be waiting lists in all programs.

For further information on the Australian Training Awards 2011, click here.

October 2010

Click here for full story on the State Award.

Click here for full story on the National Award.

Nicholas Thompson - Apprentice at MPA Skills.

Runner Up - Nathan Archer - Apprentice at MPA Skills.

Congratulations to Beyanka Bloomfield who won the Swan TAFE Apprentice of the Year in 2008 and the Swan TAFE Geof Gale Award.

Beyanka was nominated by Neville Eastabrook and Nicole Thackray for the Apprentice of the Year and was competing against apprentices from all trades. After winning this award Beyanka became an automatic contender for the Geof Gale Award along with all the other category award winners, e.g. trainee of the year, diploma of the year. The Geof Gale Award is presented to the best Swan TAFE student in Western Australia and is considered to be the overall winner award.