BMLLEN Quarterly Newsletter

March 2012

Welcome to the first BMLLEN newsletter for 2012. 

BMLLEN Stake Holders Forum

The BMLLEN conducted a Stake Holder’s Forum on Wednesday 21st March at The West Waters Hotel, Caroline springs.  The forum was based on two aims of the BMLLEN, viz. 

• As a “partnership broker” the BMLLEN wanted to establish a closer strategic alliance with all stake holders in order to enhance meaningful student outcomes over the last two years of the BMLLEN contract.
• Secondly, to improve alignment of the BMLLEN’s Strategic Goals and Implementation Plan with issues faced by service delivery agencies in dealing with 10 to 19 year old young people.
• Over 50 people attended representing 11 secondary colleges, 3 primary schools, 10 Job Service Australia/Group Training/Registration Training organisations, 12 “Other” community based service organisations (eg. Brimbank and Melton councils, Centrelink, Djerriwarrh Employment & Education Services, School Focused Youth Service, Victoria University).  Also, the MLA for Melton, Mr Don Nardella.

 

 

The program provided an outline of the ‘partnership brokerage model’ with presentations by several partners, explaining a range of project work across Brimbank/Melton, and the BMLLEN’s role in each project. 

The program also provided all present to record current issues associated with their service delivery work and how we might improve student retention and engagement in education, training or employment.  There was also opportunity for informal networking during the program.

All recorded responses from participants will be collated and emailed to all participants.  The information will also be the basis for discussion at the impending BMLLEN Working Parties.  These Working Parties will be open to BMLLEN members and focus on 1) education/training/business and industry and 2) parents/families/community groups.

Click here to view BMLLEN Executive Officer, Graeme Brown’s presentation around the role of the BMLLEN.

 

 

 

 

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 Trade Training Centre In Schools Program 

The Brimbank/Melton LLEN (BMLLEN) has played a key role over the last few years in assisting secondary colleges across the Government, Catholic and Independent education sectors to attract significant funding to build new Vocational Education and Training (VET) facilities for students.

The BMLLEN has successfully brokered cluster and consortium partnerships and written three successful applications which has attracted $29.5million in new infrastructure for schools hosting 21 new VET facilities in a range of trade areas.  Following is an update of the status of each project:

Brimbank Trade Training Centre –this project was funded for $5.33million and consists of:

Copperfield College (Lead School)	Automotive Electrotechnology
Keilor Downs College	Building & Construction
Marian College	Hairdressing & Hospitality

All of these facilities are now complete and being used by students in the Brimbank VET Cluster.Western Edge Cluster Trade Training Centre (Melton)

Although funded by DEEWR in 2009, this project has not yet commenced construction.  Protracted and detailed negotiations around legal issues, joint use and access have significantly delayed this project.  The project is now expected to begin construction in this financial year, with access by VET students in February 2014.

The project consists of:

• Building and Construction
• Electrotechnology
• Engineering
• Hairdressing

and will be located at the Victoria University Melton Campus.  The project attracted $11.2million of DEEWR funding.

Western Access Trade Training Centre ($12.93million)

This is the most recent successful application with schools across the Maribyrnong and Brimbank Local Government Areas forming a cluster for VET provision and access.  The BMLLEN and the Maribyrnong/Moonee Valley LLEN worked together to broker a cross sectoral cluster of 10 schools extending from Footscray to Cairnlea (Deer Park).  This cluster comprises five host school building sites and will provide the following VET facilities:

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College (Lead School)	Electrotechnology
Footscray City College	Avionics Horticulture
St Albans Secondary College	Hospitality
Sunshine College	Carpentry Bricklaying Engineering Hairdressing
Victoria University Secondary College	Telecommunications Plastering Painting & Decorating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

Architects have been appointed for each project with construction to begin shortly.

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Western Metropolitan Region 2011 Education and Industry Awards Ceremony

On Thursday 15th March 2012, the Education and Industry Awards for 2011 were presented at Club Italia in Sunshine.  The event was organised by YouthNow with sponsorship of awards by the Brimbank/Melton, the WynBay and Maribyrnong Moonee Valley LLENS, DEECD, Victoria University, Visy, Toll, Melton and Brimbank Councils, YouthNow and a range of other local businesses, education and employment agencies.  The BMLLEN also assisted on the judging panel.

The awards recognised the achievements of young people participating in the vocational programs VCAL, VET and Structured Workplace Learning in 2011.  They celebrated the strong partnerships in the Western Metropolitan Region between education providers, business and community organisations.  Entertainment on the evening was provided by music students from Werribee Secondary College.  The Assistant Regional Director of WMR, Terry Lawless, and Melton Regional Network Leader, Jeff Cooper, assisted in presenting awards.

The award winning students were praised highly by their teachers and host employers, and proved the value of completing VET programs and work placements to enable young people to develop their skills and to demonstrate their future potential.

Thanks to the staff of YouthNow for another well-attended and successful event and to all sponsors for their continued support.

Click  here to view all Brimbank and Melton award winners

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Brimbank and Melton Careers and Pathways Networks

The Brimbank and Melton Careers and Pathways Networks have commenced meeting for the 2012 year and are planning to work together collaboratively and productively to augment their work in assisting young people with careers planning and development.  These networks consist of careers and pathways staff in all secondary schools, community education providers and tertiary institutions.  The Brimbank Melton LLEN and Djerriwarrh Employment and Education Services (DEES), along with Andrew Smith, the Regional Career Development Officer, WMR assist in the facilitation of these networks.  These networks provide support, opportunities for professional learning and updates on careers development information, resources and issues.  DEES also provide the venue for the Melton network.

Throughout this year, meetings have been planned with a theme reflecting areas of need for the members.  Themes include alternative programs for disengaged young people, Australian School Based Apprenticeships, VTAC, SEAS programs and processes, electronic software to support the careers and MIPS programs and professional development in careers practice, parental engagement progams and implementation of the Victorian Careers Curriculum Framework.  With a number of new staff in our area this year, the networking and resource sharing between careers practitioners will be invaluable.

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Victorian University Secondary College (VUSC) and the Beacon Foundation Business Breakfast

On Tuesday 20th March VUSC and The Beacon Foundation held a Business Breakfast to launch the expansion of The Beacon Foundation partnership across both campuses of VUSC.  VUSC has been implementing the Beacon program at the Brimbank Campus for the past few years and have now extended the program to the Deer Park Campus.  The breakfast brought together business, local employer and educational provider representatives to view a presentation of the program that will be operating in 2012 across the two campuses.  The purpose of the programs is to ensure that all students pursue further education, training or employment upon leaving school.  The program provides an opportunity for business and educational providers to build partnerships and work together to improve further education and employment outcomes for the young people at the college.  Further details of the program are available from the following websites:

www.vusc.vic.edu.au and www.beaconfoundation.net

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Snippets

The project team is working on a range of strategies to achieve the BMLLEN’s strategic goals and is responding to the needs and requests of our stakeholders, for example:

• Encouraging participation by young people in areas of emerging employment opportunities such as IT and Transport, Logistics and Warehousing
• Assisting in applying for grants to hold events, such as an ICT Careers Expo
• Collating information for schools and service providers on local programs for disengaged young people
• Promoting ASBAs and facilitating more streamlined processes to increase numbers of young people in our area participating in ASBAs.
• Assisting in the development and delivery of parental engagement programs
• Continuing to support programs to assist refugee and migrant young people with successful transitions from secondary school
• Supporting programs to assist the successful transition of students from primary to secondary school, including improving processes for the forwarding of transition information between schools
• Working on identifying how many young people are “falling through the cracks” across Brimbank and Melton, and where they are, in order to develop effective strategies to assist them
• Identifying networks of service providers and facilitating ways to improve communication between them and school staff