Born and bred in Australia, yet proud of his multicultural background, Emmanuel is a Year 11 student who is now excelling in his schooling and career pathway, thanks to the assistance received from The BUSY Schools team at Salisbury.

Emmanuel sadly experienced bullying at his previous schools before coming to The BUSY Schools but has since made new friends and been well supported by his teachers and Rodney Florent, the campus’ Employment Pathways Officer.

“It was a bit weird at first calling our teachers by their first names, but it has been a much better experience and I am more focused now too,” said Emmanuel.

“I struggle studying by myself sometimes so appreciate the extra help I have received and the various opportunities that have been presented to me.”

Emmanuel recently completed one-week of work experience in the Electrical Engineering Department at Wave International where he was shown Engineering software to determine the electrical wiring and circuits of an office building. The work experience opportunity has now led to a school-based traineeship for Emmanuel. Under the traineeship, Emmanuel will work approximately one day per week for the company, with the added benefit of it forming part of his school curriculum at The BUSY Schools.

“It was a great working experience and an even better team environment. I really enjoyed doing something new and different, including my own project of creating the layout for the installation of lighting, power sockets and switches,” said Emmanuel.

Rodney said Emmanuel had trouble engaging in his schooling at first, but his confidence has skyrocketed since being in the workforce and he is walking a little bit taller.

“Wave International were struggling to get drafts people so they offered Emmanuel an opportunity to do a school-based traineeship following his work experience, where he would gain a Certificate III in Engineering. If he does well, then hopefully they will offer him a permanent position once he graduates.”

There are many industries that are desperate for qualified tradespeople and just can’t get them but if you take a chance on a school student, you get them from the ground up and are able to teach them the correct way of doing things because they often have no previous experience,” Rodney stated.

Lee Aitken, CEO for BUSY Schools, said, “The BUSY Schools encourages employers to provide students with the opportunity to experience a real working environment and learn the skills and knowledge that can only be taught in the workplace.”

It not only opens additional career pathways for the student, but most often than not, the business gains a brand-new employee who understands the work culture and can bring in new ideas. We really value the support of organisations such as Wave International who provide opportunities for our students.”

Emmanuel (middle) with Allan Aitkenhead (L) and Allan Quach (R) from Wave International.

Emmanuel enjoyed his one-week work experience at Wave International and has now started a school-based traineeship, which he hopes will lead to a fruitful career in Electrical Engineering.

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

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

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

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/

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

Not every kid has a great time at school and for some it can be a real struggle, fitting in with their peers, keeping up with the curriculum while juggling personal issues or problems at home can make it extremely tough for some.

BUSY Schools offers an alternative schooling for Year 11 and 12 students who are disengaged with mainstream schooling, providing a supportive environment with smaller classes and options to explore vocational career paths while still completing their QCE.

The first campus for BUSY Schools opened in Cairns in 2020 and approximately 55 students recently finished their first year 11 studies successfully. With another campus opening in Shailer Park in time for Term 1 2021, we asked some of the Cairns campus students what they thought of their first year at BUSY Schools. Here’s what they had to say.

Jess recently completed year 11 and will complete Year 12 in 2021 at BUSY Schools.

“I like how the school has no fees. They are actually trying to help and it feels genuine here, the teachers seem to really care. I want to work in hospitality and one day run my own café”.

Ethan completed Year 11 with BUSY Schools and is now studying with TAFE and pursuing a Plumbing Apprenticeship.

“I like that it’s not too hard, we get lots of help and teachers try hard to support us. They care but also give us more freedom, there are less rules here. I want to do a plumbing apprenticeship, I’ve now been accepted into TAFE which is great”.

Una completed Year 11 and received the 2020 Principals Award for outstanding achievement.

“I love walking into the school and seeing all the staff and teachers. They do a lot for the students and even looked after my son while I did my exams. My goal is to work in the community services sector where I can help people”.

Kira completed Year 11 and was awarded School Captain due to her exceptional leadership abilities.

“What I like about BUSY Schools is that no student goes unnoticed, every student has their place. The school is helping me to gain my QCE while also providing life skills and some certificates along the way”.

“I thought I was interested in hotel management but the teachers at BUSY Schools have inspired me to follow a career in early childhood education. I recently completed four days of work experience in a school and loved it!”

For more information regarding BUSY Schools contact 1300 176 472 or email admin@busyschools.com.au

You can view more of Kira’s feedback regarding BUSY Schools below: