Publications

Apprentices and trainees 2018: March quarter - Australia

Apprentices and trainees 2018 March quarter provides a national picture of apprentice and trainee activity, including both quarterly and annual figures that can be broken down by state and territory.

Government-funded students and courses - January to June 2018

This report provides a snapshot of government-funded VET delivered by TAFE institutes, other government providers (such as universities), community education providers and other registered providers between January to June 2018.

Above: Students from CRC St Albans in front of their College that grew from humble beginnings

Catholic Regional College is celebrating 40 years of shaping young minds. The school was established in 1978 in response to a demand from Catholic families to have Catholic secondary education in the area prior to this students had to travel to Sunshine or Braybrook.
Catholic Regional College staff member Angela Robinson said the school has evolved significantly over the years. "The school's expanded year by year and evolved to reflect the changing demographic of the local community," she said.

"When the school started it was predominately European and changed with the influx of Vietnamese migrants. "Each new wave of migration has added to the richness of the school culture."

To celebrate the milestone, the school held a family celebration. Past and present students were all invited to share in an afternoon of celebration and reminiscing.

"It was an opportunity for current and past staff and students to reconnect with the school and share memories," Ms Robinson said. The school is established in the St Albans community and Ms Robinson expects little to change in the future.

"Expansion in buildings and refurbishments has changed the physical appearance of the school and growth in IT, technology, communication, creative arts and science has transformed the curriculum, but the heart of the school remains the same," she said. "Growth of the individual, trust in each other, interesting people coming from many countries around the world and coming together as a community of faith showing respect for all."

 

From:

Brimbank Weekly, Melbourne  by Tate Papworth
06 Nov 2018

We thank the following colleagues for sharing their profiles with us:

	Sacre Coeur College, Glen Iris - Anna Masters
	St Charbel's College, Punchbowl - Fr Maroun Youssef
	St Ursula's College, Toowoomba - Tanya Appleby

If you would like to join the growing number of schools who have their profile on the CaSPA website, simply send an email with "CaSPA Profile Template" in the subject line to admin@caspa.edu.au and we will send you a template to complete and return.

1.     The John Bell Scholarship
The John Bell Scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students living in regional or remote areas, who are interested in a career as a performer. Three talented high school students will get the opportunity to travel to Bell Shakespeare's headquarters in January 2019 to take part in the intensive week-long program. After being flown to Sydney, the recipients will undertake acting master classes and backstage tours, observe rehearsals and watch live performances of the company's first production for 2019. To apply, go to:  www.bellshakespeare.com.au/learning/scholarships/

2.     Principals Project Grant - Round 1 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission
ASIC's MoneySmart Teaching program provides teachers with professional learning and classroom resources to support delivery of financial literacy education in the classroom. Applications close 5pm, 26 October 2018 (ACT Local Time)
https://www.grants.gov.au/?event=public.GO.show&GOUUID=5210EB42-AB54-1485-B34036FDE2718E5C

3.     Deafness Foundation Grants Program
The Deafness Foundation is currently inviting applications from organisations across Australia for funding for projects that support the deaf and hard of hearing and which address one of the Deafness Foundation's Strategic Priorities. Applications close: 31 October 2018. http://www.deafness.org.au/grants-awards/financial-grants-program/

4.     Cadbury Fundraiser Community Grants
The Cadbury Fundraiser Community Grants support a wide range of community-based projects that increase opportunities for community collaboration and participation in sports and recreation, and learning and development within three months of an eligible purchase of Cadbury fundraising chocolates. Note: Schools, students and student groups are not permitted to apply, but Cadbury Fundraiser welcomes applications from parent or teacher groups, school community groups and parent fundraising committees. Applications close 16 November 2018. https://www.fundraising.com.au/community-grants

5.     Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants
Woolworths in partnership with Landcare Australia, is giving schools or early learning centres the opportunity to apply for a Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant of up to $1,000. Hundreds of grants will be offered to inspire kids with hand-on projects with a focus on sustainable food production, improving waste management practices and enhancing native habitats. Applications close 3pm (EST) 23 November 2018. https://landcareaustralia.org.au/woolworthsgrants

6.     EastWeb Grants
The EastWeb Grants support projects within Victoria working with Indigenous, Asylum Seeker or Refugee communities in the areas of health care, employment, education and cultural heritage promotion and maintenance.  It funds projects that build the capacity of communities to create long term strategies for change. Applications close 24 November 2018. http://eastweb.org.au/grants/

7.     Local History Grants (VIC)
The Victorian Government recognises that local and community history is an important part of Victoria's memory. The Local History Grants Program encourages and fosters community activities that preserve, record and share the local, social and community history of Victoria and Victorians. The 2018-2019 Local History Grants Program will open to applications on Tuesday 16 October 2018. Applications close midnight, Tuesday 18 December 2018. Check the grants section of our website after the 16th to apply. https://prov.vic.gov.au/community/grants-and-awards/local-history-grants-program

8.     Recreational Fishing Grants Program (RFGP) (VIC)
The Recreational Fishing Grants Program (RFGP), being held annually by the Victorian Government through the Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Account, disburses revenue derived from the sale of Recreational Fishing Licences to projects that will improve recreational fishing in Victoria. It has funded over 600 projects, worth more than $21 million throughout Victoria. Schools are eligible to apply for small grants under this program. Applications close 28 February 2019. https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-grants-program

Falling rates of school students choosing to study Asian languages is leaving Australian graduates at a strategic disadvantage for jobs and opportunities, Labor has warned.

Pledging to spend an extra $32 million to strengthen Asian languages and literacy education across school education if it wins the next election, the Opposition will on Thursday announce plans to boost the supply of qualified teachers, improve curriculum materials from pre-school to year 12 and collect better data.

Deputy leader and Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said Labor planned to make Asian languages and literacy a national priority.

She will announce the plans in a speech at the Australian National University in Canberra, along with shadow treasurer Chris Bowen.

The package includes funding for up to 100 scholarships a year for native language speakers in Australia and for high performers in priority Asian languages in year 12 to study teaching qualifications.

As part of a new nationwide Asiacapable schools program, a Shorten government would introduce intensive training for 5000 principals and senior teachers to see change through curriculum updates and improved teacher capability.

The training would include languages, histories, geographies, arts, literature, and how these areas should be included in school curriculums.

Languages including Hindi would be added to the existing Early Language Literacy App and Language Learning Space tools, which already include Indonesian, Mandarin and Japanese.

Part of its Future Asia suite of policies, first launched in 2017, Ms Plibersek said Labor would seek matching funding from states and territory governments to roll the program out for all 10,000 Australian principals over five years.

"Asia is home to the fastest-growing middle class on earth, and Australia is right on its doorstep," she said.

"Almost nine in 10 of the next billion middle-class consumers will be Asian.

For Australian business to realise the most economic benefit, we must urgently improve on Asian languages and literacy.

"In recent years, the proportion of school students choosing to study Asian languages in year 12 has stagnated, and in some cases gone backwards."

When Labor was last in government, Julia Gillard outlined a comprehensive policy approach after commissioning the Australia in the Asia Century White Paper.

Labor has already announced plans to launch a range of Asia-focused policies, including increasing Asian expertise in boardrooms, establishing diaspora groups, boosting ministerial engagement across the region, establishing the Australian-ASEAN Studies Centre, reciprocal internship programs and boosting Australia Week in China to an annual event The plans would be the subject of an annual report to Parliament and would come as Labor convened regular meetings of Indo-Pacific education ministers.

Ms Plibersek said no detailed Australia-wide data on Asian language study in schools had been collected since 2011 and a whole-of-government audit of Australian and state government policies and Asian literacy programs was needed.

"A Shorten Labor government is determined to do more than pay lipservice to the Asian century," she said.

Asian Education Foundation executive director Hamish Curry said national support was needed to drive a renewed focus on Asia.

From: Australian Financial Review, Australia  by Tom Mcllroy

25 Oct 2018