Federation University Open Day
On August 13, LVA’s own Laurie Paton, Jeanie Hall, and Chris Buckingham attended the Federation University Open Day at the Churchill Campus. As well as representing LVA and answering questions about our work and the Transition Plan, the team wanted to understand students' motivations for studying in Gippsland, identify any barriers or support needs, and explore industry and employment connections.
One of the prospective students the team had a chat with was Royden from Mirboo North. Royden's journey to attending the Open Day started with his mum. Whilst attending high school at Mirboo North Secondary College, he commenced a pre-apprenticeship in Year 11. The pre-apprenticeship introduced Royden to what a career as a Fitter and Turner could look like. After graduating from high school, Royden intended to take a gap year to figure out what he wanted to do. However, Royden's mum wasn't keen on the gap year idea and suggested he apply for an apprenticeship with AGL. Out of 500 applicants, Royden was offered an apprenticeship.
Royden explained that he is now a year and a half into his apprenticeship at AGL's Loy Yang plant. He enjoys the company's approach of rotating apprentices through various areas before concentrating on their preferred field. Once students decide which area they’re most interesting in, they work extensively in this area towards the end of their apprenticeship. Under the guidance of his mentor, Royden intends to gain more experience in the Mechanical Engineering aspects of the company. And this is where we circle back to the Open Day. After staffing the AGL booth at the Lardner Careers Expo, Royden decided to attend the Fed Uni Open Day to explore the possibility of studying Mechanical Engineering while completing his apprenticeship. For this to be a reality, online study with minimal on-campus commitment is what Royden is after. We asked Royden why he’s interested in studying locally, and he tells us, “Well, I have a couple of friends studying at the campus; it is close to home and work. And my mum also studied at Churchill," While Royden admits that he isn't 100 per cent sure what he will do in the long run, he believes in higher education. While becoming a Mechanical Engineer is a little way off, he thinks this career will allow him to pursue an excellent career with AGL, travel or do whatever takes his fancy.
Royden’s is just one of the stories we’ve heard about the wonderful education and training opportunities the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland has on offer. From access to the diverse opportunities within apprenticeship programs, quality education offerings and staying connected to friends and family, the future looks bright for Royden and his student cohort.