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The training times, they are a-changin’

29-Jun-2011

How practical skills help keep an economy healthy

“As the world and technology changes, so too does the face of the national workforce and the types of skills needed to keep the economy healthy and growing.”

Upskilling. It’s the new buzz word of the business world, but what does it mean and how can YOU get a piece of the action?

Whether you’re a business person or an individual who’s either in, returning to or entering the workforce, you’ll know that times change – and that’s nowhere more evident than when it comes to the increasing emphasis employers are placing on developing practical skills within their workforce.

As times change, so do the needs of employers and the smart employee – or potential employee – is the one that keeps an eye out for opportunities to develop of the skills needed to meet those changing demands.

It used to be that when we thought of skills training, it was the professions that captured the lions’ share of the kudos. Traditional trades were somehow not considered as having the same status as those professions requiring university training.

Not anymore. Western College is proud to be part of a cultural and educational shift towards the greater value of skilled vocational training and education. As part of National Skills Week, the team at Western College is keen to get the message out that there are a huge range of practical skills training options available to both the business community and those wishing to make a real difference to their career
prospects.

As the world and technology changes, so too does the face of the national workforce and the types of skills needed to keep the economy healthy and growing. Australia is continuing to experience a significant increase in the demand for skilled labour, and workers trained in practical vocational areas. This in turn means we need more skilled workers to enter the workforce and we need to find ways to keep their skill levels up so that we can retain that knowledge and keep the wheels of commerce and industry turning.

Western College is all about helping people in our community to reach their potential – and to develop a greater understanding of all the opportunities that are available to them, and how they can use their potential to help contribute to a healthy economy and a strong community.

At Western College, we understand the needs of businesses and employers, and we work hard to meet those needs through providing relevant practical training in the very areas that industry and business have identified to us as most important. And we do this in a way that makes learning relevant because it’s practical – and the skills learned can actually be used in the real working world. We understand that ‘learning by doing’ is just as important as academic learning, and we back this up by providing all kinds of different options and pathways to success for those wanting to learn new skills, or brush up on old ones.

At Western College, we don’t mind how old you are. We won’t knock you back because of your past education levels. We understand that sometimes, you might need some encouragement to reach your potential. So we offer individualised attention and, for businesses, a range of tailored training to suit your needs and the needs of your existing or future employees.

We have a proud history at Western College of helping people to reach their potential – and we can help you do the same. At Western College, every week is Skills Week.