Blog

Yesterday we were honoured to host many distinguished guests at the official re-opening of our Blacktown Campus, as well as celebrating 70 years of continuous operations since our origins as the Eastwood Evening College. Auntie Julie Jones, a proud Dharug woman, started the event with a warm Welcome to Country, beautifully delivered in language. She was joined by Mayor of Blacktown, Councillor Tony Bleasdale, Mr Stephen Bali MP, Member for Blacktown, David Collins, Executive Director State Training Services NSW amongst others.

After 70 years of experience in providing highly successful support-based vocational education, our trainers have gained insight into how to deliver programs like JobTrainer/Skilling for Recovery in a way that revolutionises outcomes for adults facing barriers to learning. Our learner-centred approach diverges from the standard one-size-fits-all training model offered by other training organisations and features additional services tailored to the individual. Wraparound services for students include English language training and short workshops focussed on basic work skills.

Community Colleges were amongst the first to pioneer Special Assistances Schools in Australia, like Gateway Community High, an initiative of Macquarie Community College. Post school outcomes are important and encouraging. Graduates have aspirations to earn a degree. The majority are now engaged in work.

Macquarie Community College is thrilled to back in Blacktown, reopening its Blacktown Campus at 125 Main St. Having serviced the Blacktown and Mount Druitt area for more than 20 years, the College has made a difference to tens of thousands of learners in the Western Sydney region providing quality courses and community connections to individuals that face barriers to participation in training or employment. The College will be offering a range of subsidised and fee-free courses under Smart and Skilled and the JobTrainer/Skilling for Recovery programs to eligible students.

We recently received updated results from research conducted in 2019, summarising responses about accredited training delivered in 2018. Again, we are very pleased to share some highlights from this report that showcases how Macquarie Community College continues to provide outstanding outcomes for our students over and above other training providers.

Through a collaboration with Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC), the College have been providing services to a targeted population of Armenian speakers. The majority of the students have limited English speaking abilities and limited exposure to digital technologies. The College was asked to see if we could meet these dual needs by crafting a “personalised” training course for this community. By the end of the course, our cohort of students vastly improved their skills and confidence in using a computer and communicating using English.

This week we held an event for our Teaching Excellence Awards and Anniversary Awards. We celebrated the amazing efforts that our teachers have gone to this year, in order to bring quality training to our students in a year of constant change. Congratulations to all our finalists, award winners and anniversary award recipients!

We believe that you should never stop learning! During retirement, William Bourke decided to take up a new hobby and commenced Drawing & Painting classes with Melissa Sloan at the College. 17 years later, William has continued to hone his artistic skills in class and regularly enters the Art Show/Competitions at the Sydney and Brisbane Easter Shows. His latest piece is called "Winter at Brush Farm House".

After the challenges and changes that 2020 brought into our lives I think we will all be glad to welcome in 2021 and make a fresh start in the new year. We think that 2021 should be your year of learning. Start a new career, upskill or take up a new hobby!

After 30 years as a Flight Attendant, Carolyn was stood down due to the impacts of Covid. She knew she had to re-skill in another area and noticed that roles in aged care and disability care were in demand. The NSW Government's Skilling for Recovery program through the Australian Government's JobTrainer Fund allowed Carolyn to enrol in her qualification and take advantage of fee-free* training, potentially saving her thousands of dollars!