Western College NSW wins Community Pathways to VET Award @ The Australian Training Awards 2011
Located in Dubbo, 500km west of Sydney, Western College assists its community of over 40,000 people to meet the challenges of geographical isolation, periodic droughts and limited employment options.
Using flexible training delivery methods, Western College offers nationally accredited programs for nearly thirty different qualifications ranging from Certificate I qualifications through to the Diploma level. More than 1,300 people participate in these vocational education and training programs annually across the fields of business studies, retail, hospitality, agriculture, construction, aged care and community services.
The College uniquely tailors services for disengaged youths, unemployed adults and people with disabilities and social and economic disadvantages. In particular, the College is addressing the challenge of raising numeracy and literacy levels, particularly among the 2,500 local Indigenous Australians enrolled at the College. A key to the success of the College is its use of the Skilling Regional Australia model which pinpoints the four areas in which the college makes a difference – at the regional, community, enterprise and individual levels.
