TAFE Western staff welcomed students on Monday with a free barbecue - counsellor and psychologist Rachael Buckerfield said it was a good way to start the year because those enrolled in a course, or considering one, had the opportunity to meet staff, counsellors, librarians and Aboriginal support officers. 

“People are usually feeling a bit nervous because sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming and we like to make the transition easy for the students,” she said.

“It’s different to school because it is a tertiary environment and you have different teachers, different courses and students are a lot more responsible for their assignments - school’s a bit different because parents are a lot more involved.”

But Ms Buckerfield said most students were settled after the first week once they were familiar with their teachers and the campus but support services would continue to be available.

“We want them to successfully complete their course and we can help them with stress, anxiety, depression and any issue impacting on their life to keep them on top of their studies,” she said.

A TAFE Western spokesman said the most popular course was the certificate III in beauty services, closely followed by certificate II in animal studies.

“Other courses in Orange that have enjoyed strong interest include certificate III in early childhood education and care, certificate IV in community services and certificate III in dental assisting,” he said. “TAFE Western believes these particular courses are proving popular because they have a strong focus on hands-on learning, and strong industry demand.”