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.

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!

Gateway Community High is a new independent High School in Carlingford and an initiative of Macquarie Community College. It will open its doors to Year 9 and 10 students in January 2021. Come along to our Open Day to find out more about how Gateway Community High will be a place for young people to reconnect with their love of learning.

In January 2021, Gateway Community High, an independent high school in Carlingford, will open its doors to Year 9 and 10 students. It will be a place for young people to reconnect with their love of learning. Gateway Community High is an initiative of Macquarie Community College, a leading provider of Adult Continuing Education for over 70 years.

With some face-to-face classes recommencing in Term 3, we are pleased to unveil the new carpark at the Carlingford campus to our returning students! The College wants to extend a big thank you to the State Government for the NSW ACE Infrastructure Program in providing a partial contribution of $73,000. With the addition of a significant contribution from the College reserves, we were able to complete work on the carpark earlier this year.