Prospective TAFE students had an opportunity to visit classrooms, workshops and commercial kitchens and meet with teachers during an open day in Orange on Wednesday.
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High school students and adults looking to upskill or change their careers were able to get one-on-one course advice, and training opportunities.
The open day at the March Street campus was part of a state-wide TAFE NSW open week.
Sheree Whitehead had a well-paid government job when she decided to give it up to follow her passion and enrolled in a TAFE NSW welding course.
The mature-age Certificate III fabrication and welding student is now in her third year of studying at TAFE.
Ms Whitehead said she has no regrets about her decision to retrain and follow a different career path, and she found a new position quickly, without needing to get an apprenticeship.
“If you are passionate about something, you will be better at it,” she said.
Although already a student, Ms Whitehead attended the TAFE Western open day at the Orange March Street campus on Wednesday.
Ms Whitehead said she was the oldest student in her course but she was not the only mature age student and there seemed to be fewer very young students than in the past.
“Even with our first-years, there’s not a lot of really young first-year students, they are 19 or 20, not the age where you need your parents to pick you up and drop you off like it used to be,” she said.
“The biggest thing about the young ones is the fees can hold them back.”
However, TAFE Western Orange college team leader Sarah Wells said Centrelink had representatives at the open day to discuss financial options for prospective students, including school leavers.
Mrs Wells said there were still high school TAFE-delivered vocational education and training (VET) students, and those who opted to attend TAFE straight after leaving school.
“We get a lot of students where school is not their place, but they come into an adult learning environment and it changes things for them,” Mrs Wells said.
She also agreed with Ms Whitehead there were plenty of mature age students in Orange, particularly in courses such as nursing and aged and disability care.
“I think mature age is on the way up, which is really good,” Mrs Wells said.
I think mature age is on the way up, which is really good.
- TAFE Orange college team leader Sarah Wells
Another mature-aged student who attended the TAFE open day was Kelly Smith, who was seeking to study a Diploma in Early Childhood.
Miss Smith has studied at TAFE for about two years and wanted to undertake the diploma to reach higher career opportunities as an early childhood educator.
“I have three children of my own and I wanted to broaden my horizons,” she said of deciding to train as an adult.
“Certificate III is the basic level and diploma is the next level up.”
Although most high school students visited the open day after school hours, several VET students did attend during the day.
Among them were Certificate III early childhood students Heidi Regan, Sarah Eslick and Drew Johnston.