Having struggled at her previous school and ultimately disengaging from her senior education, Ninah decided to enrol at The BUSY Schools Salisbury campus after hearing about their more personalised approach. Since commencing at The BUSY Schools, Ninah has found she is coping better with the individualised support, smaller classroom environment and feels more comfortable to talk with staff who are supporting her unique needs.

“At BUSY Schools, there is a lot more personal interaction between students and our teachers, as opposed to a teacher standing in front of the board talking at you, not to you,” said Ninah.

Over the school holidays, Ninah completed one week of work experience in the Technical Department at education provider, SAE Creative Media Institute. At the Brisbane campus, she assisted various departments including film, audio, and animation where she gained valuable insight into the many facets of the creative arts.

“Having never worked before, it was really cool being able to go out to a workplace for an entire week and explore different types of equipment,” said Ninah.

“The staff there were super friendly as well which was really comforting, especially with those first day jitters.”

With a deep passion for music, Ninah would like to work in the music industry as a sound engineer and found the work experience at SAE a perfect fit as she was able to get hands on with the broad range of industry grade equipment at SAE’s state of the art facilities.

Employment Pathways Officer at BUSY Schools Salisbury, Rodney Florent, said that to assist Ninah, they will continue to research the various employment pathways into the creative arts and media industries.

“We are looking at hopefully getting Ninah to join Queensland Music Festivals on their tour throughout Central Queensland, but if not, then we will seek other opportunities within similar industries,” said Rodney.

“It is really great to get teens into work experience while they are still at school because it gives them the chance to learn what it means to work. With the added opportunity of a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, they get the added bonus of progressing their senior studies, gaining a qualification and gaining valuable work skills which can open up even more career opportunities for them.”

Dr Luke McMillan, General Manager for SAE said, “It was a pleasure to work with BUSY Schools, as we share a common set of values. SAE and BUSY schools understand the importance of diversifying our workforce, and giving a wide range of students access to higher education  – helping them succeed personally and professionally. SAE was delighted to support Ninah on her journey and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours”.

Lee Aitken, CEO for The BUSY Schools, said, “The BUSY Schools reengage students in their senior schooling whist preparing them for employment when they graduate. Through work experience, vocational training and the opportunities to undertake school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, students get real world experience and a head start in their careers”.

Ninah enjoyed her one-week work experience at SAE Institute and is now exploring a career pathway as a sound engineer.

For more information on BUSY Schools, visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/

MEDIA CONTACT:                     

Michelle Ryan, BUSY At Work

0407 169 029 or email michelle.ryan@busyatwork.com.au

Tyla Stanton is making steps to becoming a tiler and living up to his name, recently starting a school-based apprenticeship after an opportunity to do work experience inspired him to pursue a career in tiling.

Identifying as Torres Strait Islander and originating from Ugar (Stephens Island), Tyla previously attended other schools in the Cairns region but found he wasn’t really thriving. Once he enrolled in BUSY Schools and was given the opportunity to explore a trade pathway (which is what he has always wanted to do), Tyla is confident that his future plans are now on track.

“The hands on teaching and smaller classes has helped with my education a lot. I had a great time at my recent work experience and I love that I can do a school-based apprenticeship while still gaining my year 12 certificate. I also love that I’m getting into a trade that I like!”, Tyla said of BUSY Schools and the opportunity he has been given to complete a school-based apprenticeship.

BUSY Schools provides students the opportunity to plan for their working careers while also completing their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), through work experiences with local employers and school-based apprenticeships, where the student starts their apprenticeship or traineeship while still at school.

Undertaking a school-based apprenticeship involves working approximately 7.5 hours per week during school hours, and the work forms part of their curriculum learning. Students also benefit by earning some money while learning on the job and gaining employer contacts that can set them up for employment opportunities before even leaving school.

“Not every student’s dream is to go onto university, although BUSY Schools do support students who want to pursue an academic career pathway as well. Our small class sizes and individualised support mean we can provide education and career mentoring to students that suit their preferences. Tyla is a great example of that and we can’t wait to see his career flourish – Tyla the Tiler, what a great business name for a start!” said CEO for BUSY Schools, Lee Aitkens.

Thanks to BUSY Schools, Tyla is now looking forward to his future stating, “Once I finish this year I want to go full time with my school-based apprenticeship and gain full time hours and more money”.

For more information, visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/

MEDIA CONTACT:                     

Michelle Ryan, BUSY At Work

0407 169 029 or email michelle.ryan@busyatwork.com.au

Growing up, Abrianna moved around a lot so moving from one school to another has become somewhat second nature to her. Constantly moving had its drawbacks though, because it meant Abrianna always had to make new friends and adjust to new teachers and school environments.

Abrianna also experienced bullying at her previous school, which affected both her learning and mental health.

Finding it difficult to keep up with her schooling, one of her family members had heard of BUSY Schools and suggested this to her. Adrianna was willing to give BUSY Schools a try.

“I began Year 11 at BUSY Schools Shailer Park earlier this year and straight away I noticed the students are friendly, I can keep up with the schoolwork because the teachers take the time to explain things to me when I’m having trouble understanding something,” said Abrianna.

“I get along really well with all of my teachers. They take the time to get to know me whilst maintaining the professional student-teacher relationship. They also ensure everyone is receiving the assistance they need to stay up to date in their studies,” Abrianna added.

Abrianna recently began work experience at Screen Printing, which she is enjoying. Screen Printing are also excited to have her onboard and have already discussed a potential traineeship following the work experience.

Employment Pathways Officer at BUSY Schools Shailer Park, Karlene Feldbauer, said “There are a lot of great employers out there that are willing to help students and give them the chance to kickstart their careers.”

“I suggested this company for Abrianna because she is really creative and loves building character designs and making videos with them, so I thought this work experience might offer some artistic opportunities for her and I knew she would be a great fit.”

Lee Aitken, CEO for BUSY Schools, said, “It is great when we see students like Abrianna thriving in the BUSY Schools environment. Our staff work together with students to help them find career pathways that suit their desires and abilities”.

Abrianna is now thriving in her education and is exploring career pathways through work experience, thanks to BUSY Schools.

For more information, visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/

MEDIA CONTACT:                     

Michelle Ryan, BUSY At Work

0407 169 029 or email michelle.ryan@busyatwork.com.au

Did you know the origins of NAIDOC Week date way back to the pre-1920s? It wasn’t until 1938 though, when white Australians, with growing awareness of what Australia Day meant for Aboriginal people, marched in protest alongside Aboriginal people. (Yes, you read right – the debate about Australia Day has been going on for over a century).

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself.  You can find out more about the origins and history of NAIDOC Week.

In short, NAIDOC week is about recognising and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of our First Nations’ people. Each year there is a different focus theme as well – this year’s very relevant theme is Heal Country, Heal our Nation.

Get involved!

NAIDOC Week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. It is also an opportunity to ask yourself, your friends, family and work colleagues, what can we do to celebrate our First Nation’s people, their incredibly old culture (considered the oldest culture in the world), their history pre and post the first fleet settlement, and the significant achievements and contributions that influence us today?

These achievements include cultural, political, scientific, environmental and spiritual contributions that have a positive impact on all Australians. Through education and recognising these achievements, all of us can further support to bridge the gap to ensure all Australians have equal opportunity. Through cooperation, we are closer to achieving this year’s theme to Heal Country, Heal our Nation.

How we will be getting involved

Paul Miles, Managing Director for The BUSY Group Ltd (which includes BUSY At Work, BUSY Schools, BUSY Ability and Skill360) said, “The BUSY Group is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through education, skills and employment programs; to ensure they too have not only the financial security to support themselves and their family, but the opportunity to make meaningful contribution. We’re also committed to our Reconciliation Action Plan to hold us accountable in achieving this.

Our teams will be celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders next week by hosting morning teas, inviting and listening to our local Aboriginal representatives, and focussing on the theme to Heal Country, Heal our Nation”, Paul further stated.

You can find further information regarding NAIDOC Week 2021 and how you can get involved HERE

Read more below about how the BUSY Group is supporting our First Nations people through education, skills training and employment opportunities.

https://www.busyatwork.com.au/news/thanks-transition-work-layla-found-new-career-path/

https://www.busyatwork.com.au/news/multhana-property-services-creating-career-opportunities-first-nations-people/

https://busyability.org.au/arne-is-fulfilling-his-dream-to-become-a-chef/

Two Year 12 students at BUSY Schools Cairns, Kais and Jacob, are undertaking work experience as Diesel Mechanics at Kinetic Fleet Services who own Sunbus Depot and Love’s Buses in Smithfield.

Both students are really enjoying getting their hands dirty and are hoping to gain a school-based apprenticeship from the work experience opportunity. One of the students, Kais is feeling optimistic about pursuing this as a career, having never considered becoming a Diesel Mechanic until a few months ago.

Kais grew up in Torres Strait and Thursday Island and his earlier schooling was done via remote learning. He was taught only one topic per term and after hearing about BUSY Schools when he first moved to Cairns, he was really excited to attend a campus with a broader curriculum and support of employment pathways.

“I realised the program was a great fit for me as an individual and although going from learning one topic per term to learning ten topics per term was a big adjustment, the support I received from my teachers, where they go out of their way to assist me, was extremely helpful,” said Kais.

Employment Pathways Officer at BUSY Schools Cairns, Amba Tipton, stated, “At BUSY Schools we take the opportunity to get to know the students and treat them as equals.

This not only makes them feel more comfortable in the classroom, but it also allows us to gain a better understanding of their attitudes, learning abilities and appropriate career choices. This helps with our individualised approach to teaching and learning and support towards employment opportunities.”

Jacob came from a different educational experience and struggled at his last school, he didn’t enjoy the schooling and found it difficult to pay attention in class. He now appreciates the non-traditional school setting BUSY Schools offers and the assistance he gets from his teachers.

“I’ve found I am understanding the schoolwork a lot better because my teachers are explaining it to me in a way that helps me comprehend it easier,” said Jacob.

Lee Aitken, CEO for BUSY Schools said, “BUSY Schools is focused on the individual student, their strengths and career aspirations. Students get to explore pathways through work experience and vocational education alongside their school curriculum.  It’s great to see students like Jacob and Kai completely change the way they view their schoolwork and their future.”

BUSY Schools Cairns students, Jacob (L) and Kai (R), had the opportunity to undertake work experience in Diesel Mechanics trade with Kinetic Fleet Services.

For more information, visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/

Having moved to Australia from New Zealand three years ago to be with the rest of her family, Jade found the adjustment quite difficult, including life at her new school as it was very different to the school she came from in New Zealand.

Eventually, Jade dropped out of the school halfway through Year 11 and found herself completely unmotivated to do anything outside of her home.

Referred to BUSY Schools, Jade soon gained an interest in learning again, as well as developing great friendships with the other students.

“I am making way better progress here at BUSY Schools than I was at my last school, my grades have increased, and I even had a 100% attendance rate last term which I was really proud of,” said Jade.

“The biggest difference has been the teachers and their teaching styles, they are more involved in your education and do a lot of one-on-one sessions with the students which I found helped me a lot,” Jade added.

Earlier this year, Jade started a traineeship in Business Administration at In Scope Training, a vocational training provider who offer a range of accredited courses. Jade attends each Wednesday as part of her school-based traineeship. On top of this Jade is also completing a Certificate I in Construction as she is unsure what industry she would like to go into after graduation, so is taking the time to explore her options and discover her career passion.

Employment Pathways Officer at BUSY Schools Shailer Park, Karlene Feldbauer, said getting Jade a traineeship was easy because she is so open and friendly, and will give absolutely anything a go.

“I invited a contact of mine to help out with training on campus and she mentioned she was looking for a trainee, I immediately thought of Jade and she started the following week,” said Karlene.

Recently, Jade was also invited by Minister Mick De Brenni to attend the Parliament House in Brisbane for a School Captain’s lunch where she witnessed Anastasia Palaszczuk deliver a motion into Parliament.

“I found the whole experience really inspirational and I also managed to get a selfie with the Minister,” said Jade.

“I would definitely recommend BUSY Schools to anyone wanting to go somewhere that makes you feel welcome and is interested in helping you with your studies,” added Jade.

Lee Aitken, CEO for BUSY Schools, a part of the BUSY Group Ltd, said, “We at BUSY Schools want to see our students succeed both in their education and in life. Our staff and teachers work to provide the support and encouragement to help them achieve their goals and become positive contributors to their community.”

For more information, visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/

The BUSY Schools Shailer Park campus opened at the beginning of this year with the very first intake of students for Year 11 Term 1. Since then it has been full steam ahead with many students undertaking a range of work experience activities and exploring different career pathways, all while undertaking their schooling.

One of the students, Calleb Heron, has already started a school-based traineeship, getting a head start into a career path while still at school. Calleb was recently signed into the traineeship by BUSY At Work, an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider, and, like BUSY Schools, a part of The BUSY Group.

While undertaking his school-based traineeship, Calleb spends one day a week at his new workplace, automotive service company, Millard Tyre and Service Centre. He benefits through learning on the job skills while studying to complete a Certificate II in Automotive Tyre Servicing Technology.

As for all school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, this one day a week at work becomes part of Calleb’s school curriculum and contributes to his Queensland Certificate of Education.

Despite this being his first job, Calleb has proven to be a tenacious and dedicated employee, never missing a day and taking himself to work each week via public transport, which includes both a bus and a train trip to get there.

Calleb’s supervisor at Millards, Jess Lee, stated, “Calleb has proven himself during his time here and displays a great level of maturity, sometimes staying back after finishing time”.

Calleb, who has always been interested in cars, has stated he stays back at times because he is enjoying the work so much.

“For young people in their senior schooling, working out what you want to do after school can be daunting. BUSY Schools support all students to find their ‘niche’ based on their strengths and what they like doing.

“Calleb seems to thrive in a hands-on learning environment and thanks to the traineeship, he’ll have a head start in his chosen industry including contacts, references and most importantly the skills and experience”, CEO for BUSY Schools, Lee Aitken stated.

Calleb is starting a traineeship while still at school which will give him a great start to a career in automotive services.

Enrolments are still available for the Shailer Park and Cairns campuses, in time for Term 2.

BUSY Schools is also opening a new school for the Brisbane region, in Salisbury, ready for Term 2, and enrolments are being taken now.

To enquire, or for more information regarding BUSY Schools visit www.busyschools.qld.edu.au or
contact 1300 176 472 or email admin@busyschools.com.au

MEDIA CONTACT:                     

Michelle Ryan, BUSY At Work

0407 169 029 or email michelle.ryan@busyatwork.com.au

If you know of a student in the Logan or Brisbane regions who is struggling with traditional schooling and looking for an alternative for Year 11 or 12, BUSY Schools may be the answer.

BUSY Schools, an initiative of The BUSY Group Ltd, is set to open a third campus in Queensland on the back of their two successful schools opening in Cairns (2020) and Shailer Park early this year. The third campus, located in Salisbury, Brisbane will open in Term 2, 2021.

The BUSY Group is a not for profit organisation that delivers a range of employment, apprenticeship support and skills training for job seekers throughout Queensland, and reinvests into the community through initiatives like the BUSY Schools.

In 2020, BUSY Schools launched their first campus in Cairns welcoming year 11 students from a range of backgrounds and varying levels of disengagement. Despite the challenges of 2020, the year was a resounding success for the students with 98% of the enrolled year 11 students continuing onto year 12 and others commencing apprenticeship trade careers. The Cairns campus has opened additional classes in 2021 to cater for demand and the second campus in Shailer Park is fast enrolling students in the Logan region.

The BUSY Group is now looking forward to opening the third BUSY School at Salisbury in Term 2, 2021, servicing Brisbane and surrounds.

What is the BUSY School?

The BUSY School is a Queensland special assistance school approved by the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board under the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017.

Delivering an alternative learning solution to those students in years 11 and 12 who are looking for an opportunity to re-engage and complete their studies, the school’s goal is that 100% of graduates gain employment or progress to further training or education on completion of the program’

The BUSY Schools program is designed for students who, for a variety of reasons, find traditional schooling difficult. Teachers work closely with students and their family to re-engage them with education in a nurturing environment that leads to career outcomes or further education that suits their abilities and passions.

CEO of the BUSY Schools, Lee Aitken is open to discussions with organisations, schools and parents regarding the potential enrolment of students who, for whatever reason, are not thriving in the normal school system.

“Not everyone thrives in the traditional schooling system and BUSY Schools is an alternative for those students who may have disengaged. We are really proud of the results we have seen so far with our students, the difference we are making in young people’s lives is inspiring to all our staff who are incredibly invested in the successful education and career pathway outcomes we achieve for our students”, Lee stated.

Lee Aitken can be contacted via email at admin@busyschools.com.au or by calling 1300 176 472.

Further information regarding BUSY Schools can be found at www.busyschools.qld.edu.au

Watch video of School Captain Kira tell her experience at BUSY Schools Cairns Campus.

MEDIA CONTACT:                     

Michelle Ryan, BUSY At Work

0407 169 029 or email michelle.ryan@busyatwork.com.au