NMIT VCAL Triple Trade Workshop Vodcast

Running time: 4 minutes, 12 seconds
Size: 6MB

• Information about the VCAL Triple Trade Workshop

Audio Transcript

Fed up with those boring math classes that don’t even make sense? Pythagoras. Algebra. Who needs to know all that? Wouldn’t you like to learn through real life situations whilst learning valuable skills to take into the workforce?

The Triple Trade Workshop is the place to do just that. The Triple Trade Workshop is a new NMIT course that offers students the chance to gain a VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Adult Learning) secondary certificate as well as three different qualifications in furnishing all rolled into one.

The three qualifications offered are:

Certificates II in Furnishing Manufacturing, Wood Machining and Furniture Polishing.
Unlike other pre-apprenticeships and VCAL courses, The Triple Trade Workshop lets you, the student, run it as abusiness and produce furniture for real life clients.

The workshop is entirely based around the students running their own furniture making business.

From selling shares to raise capital to preparing reports on business productivity, students are given complete control of all business operations.

“Rather than being a normal classroom situation, you are actually running a business. The students run their own business. In this exercise they become more engaged and take ownership. There is a real buy in. This is why it works better than normal school.” – Alex Dobric, Programs Co-ordinator.

“If you are not an academically minded person like myself and you need to actually feel something to understand it, this is a really good way to do it. All of the maths and English that we’ve done is involved and related really closely with the business that we are running so it’s all relevant. And because it’s relevant and you can see that it’s relevant, you absorb it. You remember it.” – David Champion, student.

Once the course is complete, the business is liquidated and profits donated to a registered charity.
 
Whilst completing their VCAL, students also gain the benefit of completing a triple Certificate II in Furniture Manufacturing, Wood Machining, and Furniture Polishing.

The three areas covered offer a broad range of experience and more importantly, the skills to go straight into work as an apprentice.

“Whilst you are doing a normal VCAL course, you’ve got the advantage there of getting a triple Cert.II in three different trade areas, that’s cabinet making, furniture polishing and wood machining. It’s the first time that’s been offered before. That’s a real bonus.” – Alex Dobric.

Local businesses are in constant contact with the staff at NMIT to offer apprenticeships to graduates.

“I want to get my apprenticeship in cabinet making, working in a factory or something, and hopefully after that, run  my own business.” – Tim Kear, student.

The Triple Trade Workshop offers you a great opportunity to not only obtain VCAL and pre-apprenticeship qualifications but it gives you a first hand taste of what is required to run your own successful business.

For course information or for an interview, contact NMIT by calling 9269 8605 or email Alex Dobric at alexd-fur@nmit.vic.edu.au