About

Traineeships

Traineeships area pathway for senior students at Menindee to complete their final school years. They allow trade training for all students leading to a trade training certificate as well as a HSC certificate.

We do not favour one above the other but rather see both as worthwhile to engage our students. We expect all students when they have completed year 12 to progress to further study or full time employment.

Context

Menindee Central School’s vision is a community school where people develop in a caring, stimulating environment. We can achieve this by focussing on enhancing student’s welfare, providing an appropriate curriculum, child centred teaching and learning, quality professional development of staff and the encouragement of community involvement and participation. The school provides K-12 learning, catering for years 11-12 through the Access Program which links Menindee with central schools in Ivanhoe and Wilcannia.

Menindee is a remote school in far west NSW. Student population approximately 116 students 70% of whom are Aboriginal.

The school focuses on:

• Improving outcomes in the basics of literacy, numeracy, attendance and retention
• Providing a culturally sensitive curriculum in collaboration with Dr. Bob Morgan inaugural President of AECG
• Engaging students through innovative programs and the employment of Aboriginal community members. All students have access to traineeships from Year 10 to Year 12, VET courses and the Menindee Enterprise and Trade Training Centre
• Implementing the Quality Teacher Framework for teachers by regular support each term from Associate Professor James Ladwig.

Policy

1. The school seeks to enable every Year 10 student to commence a traineeship. This aim is based on the fact that Menindee students are severely disadvantaged by engagement opportunities in relation to the availability and location of traineeships. Most students often come from homes where their immediate family have never been employed.
2. The school does not necessarily see that traineeships will be al lifelong occupation just as the world today does not provide lifelong employment in one position.
3. Our support for students is unqualified and while we seek success we cannot guarantee it nor will we be discouraged by failure to achieve.
4. Work education is part of their curriculum from Year 7 to Year 9 for at least one period a week. We seek to provide knowledge and opportunities in various ways and encourage work experience in innovative ways especially for our students at risk.
5. Experience has shown that traineeships located in Menindee are more satisfactory and there is greater success than located in Broken Hill. However, if students have a desire to undertake training in Broken Hill then we will facilitate it as if possible.

Menindee Enterprise Park

1. Menindee Enterprise Park was developed in recognition that training opportunities were limited in Menindee.
2. The lack of opportunities for training is the direct result of a small remote rural community where services and opportunities have declined over time and because of the unreliability of water, agriculture and horticulture has been affected.
3. Menindee Enterprise Park offers opportunities for traineeships in business, agriculture, horticulture, hospitality and construction.
4. The Menindee Enterprise Park will assist businesses where they are unable to afford an employee to provide the training through financial support.
5. Attached is a copy of the various programs that the Menindee Enterprise Park is making possible.

Partnerships

1. MEP is seeking to develop partnerships with industry and organisations to promote and grow the centre.
2. Partnerships include:
   1. Broken Hill TAFE (Scott Dennis)
   2. Broken Hill Enterprise Development Centre (Steve Miller)
   3. Countrylink (Phillip Simons)
   4. Department of State and Regional Development (Vera Fiala)
   5. Regional Development Australia (Linda Nadge).
3. The Department of Education Broken Hill through Michael Williams has provided support as has Narelle Symonds of the Australian Business Limited Apprenticeship Centre.