Enlightening Trade
Electro Group Training is a Group Training Organisation (GTO) and a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). It is also a not-for-profit organisation offering school based apprenticeships (ASBA) as well as training and providing qualified electricians to the Electro-Technology industry
This program provides you with an opportunity to gain the basic underpinning knowledge and skills used in the Electro-Technology industry. It may assist you to gain an apprenticeship with an electrical or electronics business.
High-school students in year 11 and 12 are required to attend one day a week at tech and one day on the job paid work. On completion of Year 12, these ASBA students will have gained their first year qualification as an apprentice electrician. They can continue to complete their apprenticeship at EGT and then be employed by the recruiting arm of the operation.
Teacher Mick Koppie says it is better to do your apprenticeship and work for a group training organisation because you get a broader and more comprehensive skill set. Doing your apprenticeship with an elevator company for example limits your experience to fixing elevators.
At EGT you get to work in many different facets of Electro-Techonology from lighting, stage production, optical fibre and communications, domestic electricity to big industry applications including the mining sector. Females in the trade usually do well at the maths and science side as well as lots of problem solving exercises. The conditions for electricians are good on the job because it is not grungy or too dirty.
EGT enters a three way contract with a student and the school. They provide apprentices to many industries and take their provision of quality electricians very seriously. Ashley, for example, is in year 11 at Australian Technical College. She is undertaking her first year as an apprentice electrician at EGT and works one day a week at ‘Total Care’, a government agency. She is a very bright and motivated young woman who enjoys maths and working with her hands. Her mum is an interior designer and her dad is an accountant and so she will be the first trades person in the family. She said it was hard deciding on her future career path in Year 11 but is very happy going to the trade focussed high school for Year 11 and 12 students. She really wanted to do carpentry but thought the physical challenges would be too great so she chose Elctro-Technology. With her maths brain she is also a very practical person and excited about working as a domestic electrician and one day working in the mining industry.