P-TECH helps students prepare for the future

HOW do you make flower petals shatter instantly? Add liquid nitrogen.

That’s what a group of Year 10 Newcomb Secondary College students found out recently when they donned protective gowns, gloves and eyewear to find out about storing temperatures of liquid nitrogen.

Newcomb Secondary College is a Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) program partner, and more than 30 of its students are getting hands-on experience by undertaking a Certificate III course in Health, Information Technology or Business/Finance alongside their usual studies.

Last year, the college was one of the first two schools announced to pilot the program in Australia, and it is now working with industry partners at Barwon Health, Bendigo Bank, GMHBA, Opteon Property Group and Tribal Campus.

Through these partners, P-TECH students have been going on fortnightly industry visits and meeting with their industry mentors – some of which are former Newcomb Secondary College students – to undertake real work projects with the organisation.

One of the mentors, Opteon Property Group IT services team leader James Turton, said P-TECH helped students gain valuable industry experience and training for their future careers.

The school meets with industry partners each term to review the Certificate III curriculum, develop workplace projects and share ideas to keep improving the P-TECH Program.

More than 1,000 students across Australian territories and states have taken part in the P-TECH pilot.

The federal government is providing $5.1 million to fund the program, and the Skilling Australia Foundation is managing the program at all 14 pilot sites.

Skilling Australia Foundation chief executive officer Nicholas Wyman said students understood why they were studying the content because they can see the relevance to jobs and post-school pathways.

“In different parts of Australia, P-TECH is supporting young people to forge careers in aerospace (Joint Strike Fighter), shipbuilding (submarines), advanced manufacturing (robotics), IT and agricultural science as well as food technology.

“Importantly, it’s nurturing their soft skills and job-ready know-how.”