Ever wondered what a day in the life of a plumber, sign writer or painter would be like?
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For the first time, students in Goulburn had the opportunity to take part in the Trade Readiness program where they found out exactly what these professions involve.
The Trade Readiness program was held over the past two weeks where Year 10 students from Goulburn High School, Mulwaree High School and Trinity Catholic College were able to try their hand at a few different trades.
Students learnt more about the skills required for Signs and Graphics, Painting and Decorating and Plumbing industries.
TAFE NSW Painting and Decorating Head Teacher Ian Squire said programs like this were key to ensuring there was a pipeline of people willing to learn the skills to meet industry demand.
"Trade readiness programs like this are one way TAFE NSW is addressing skills demand and training the workforce of the future," he said.
"By giving this group of young people a few days working with our industry experienced teachers, learning hands-on industry skills and putting those skills to use in a real work environment, we're giving the next generation of workers a head-start while they're still at school."
In the plumbing course, held at Goulburn High School, students were introduced to some of the core skills of the trade.
As well as completing some small projects at TAFE throughout the week including work with sheet metal, they also installed a tap to a greenhouse at the school, worked digging trenches and joining water pipe.
These were all skills they would learn if they studied Certificate III Plumbing.
TAFE NSW plumbing teacher Andrew Whalan said the course was a great way for students to see if plumbing was a career they would enjoy.
"Lots of them don't get a chance to see what on the job is," he said.
"It gives them a bit of an idea to see if they like it because the job we're doing is something a standard plumber would do.
"It gives them an idea to see if they want to do a plumbing apprenticeship."
The Introduction to Sign Writing and Trade Painting, held at Mulwaree High School, also offered students a chance to learn and try some of the core skills in the trade.
Students were shown hands-on skills that make up part of the TAFE NSW Certificate III Signs and Graphics course as well as the Certificate III Painting and Decorating Course.
Goulburn High School careers advisor Jennifer Kennedy said the program gave students an opportunity to understand what was involved in the different trades and access to people within the industry.
"It gives them contact with real tradespeople working in the areas that they may not have access to and getting an idea of the full spectrum of what it means to be part of that trade and what skills they may have or need to develop if they're going to go into that trade," she said.
"[It also gives them an] understanding of what a day doing that job would look like, how technology is shaping those industries and just giving them a chance to try something and see if they enjoy it."
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