Thirteen outstanding students have excelled at a course in the Batemans Bay area, earning a certificate and gaining meaningful employment.

The 13 students recently undertook a Certificate III course in Civil Construction, under the direction of trainer Mick Mather.
Student Layton Simon, 36, said the course had equipped him with the necessary mindset and enthusiasm to make an impact in the construction industry. He’s already a traffic controller and holds a truck licence.

“I’m looking to continually use my skills to go in the right direction,” he said.

“I have a history in business and government, and now I’m opening up my options to other areas of industry such plastering, carpentry and plumbing.”

Another student, Casey Smith, 37, said his attention would now shift to the construction sector where he plans to pursue plastering and cementing.

“I have set myself some goals and another is to drive excavators in the local area,” he said.

Casey is a former site officer for the Aboriginal Land Council, where he would train the trainees and provide guidance.

He has a strong background in business administration and has excelled throughout his volunteer work with the local Aboriginal community.

Female student Pirralee White, 20, is looking for a complete career change which involves the construction industry.  She has gone from being a nail and beauty technician to wanting to drive an excavator.

“I love the outdoors. I went to school in the area and I’m looking to do something in construction,” she said.

“I’ve done work in the nail and beauty sector, but my real dream is in construction.

 

For the past few weeks our landscaping students have been enjoying the spring weather and undertaking various outdoor projects as part of a Certificate II in Landscaping.

Under the guidance of trainer Maison Acton, students have been performing landscape construction work, operating basic machinery and equipment, and planting trees and shrubs.

Maison said the 12-week program is designed as a pre-apprenticeship training program, suiting those wanting to gain basic skills and knowledge to find employment in the industry, before moving into a horticultural landscape or landscape construction traineeship or apprenticeship.

“We’re a few weeks into the program and I’ve seen some outstanding commitment and results from the students,” he said.

The qualification provides an occupational outcome in landscaping and also includes the construction of low-profile timber or modular retaining walls, recognising plants, and the transport, handling and storing of chemicals.

The three-day-a-week course is being held at the Fusion Warehouse (4/33 Montague St, North Wollongong).

 

Fusion students recently took advantage of a rare opportunity to witness huge earthmoving machinery close-up when trainer Mick Mather took a Civil Construction training group on a trip to Malula Bay.

The adventurous Civil  group joined two Civil apprentices linked to Fusion on a field trip to see the “big guns” in action at a sub-division run by APF Civil Pty Ltd.

Mick said the day out was an enormous learning experience for the Civil students.

“It was a massive eye-opener for all of us to see this machinery move mountains of dirt,” he said.

“The students saw the big-guns in action as well as learning about working heavy haulage and undertaking machinery inspections.”

Mick also thanked APF Civil for their involvement. Malula Bay is located near Batemans Bay.