2025 South Coast & Illawarra Region VET Student of the Year

Beau Mullins has been awarded the prestigious 2025 South Coast & Illawarra VET Student of the Year. This award recognises outstanding achievement in vocational education and training (VET). 

Specialising in Hospitality and Construction, Beau has demonstrated not only technical excellence but also a strong work ethic and a genuine passion for his future career. His journey through VET has been marked by hands-on learning, real-world experience, and a drive to make a difference in his community. 

The award was presented at the NSW Training Awards – South Coast & Illawarra Region last Friday night. The awards celebrate the achievements of students, trainers, and employers who are making a positive impact through vocational education.

Beau now progresses to the State interviews and finals next term. Congratulations to Beau and his trainers on this well-deserved recognition!

Hospitality Immersion Program at the Novotel Wollongong

Year 11 and Year 12 Hospitality visited Novotel in Wollongong for the Student Hospitality Experience (SHE) program. The students spent the day connecting with industry professionals and learning about working in the hospitality industry. They also enjoyed Mocktail & Pastry master classes in the working areas of the hotel. The back of house tour was an eye opener, seeing different sections of the hotel including maintenance, housekeeping and function catering. 

Thanks to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach for their generosity and informative program.

Celebrating Progress in VET Construction at Carroll College

Building Skills for the Future: VET Construction Certificate II

At Carroll College, we are proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of our students enrolled in the VET Construction program. This hands-on course provides students with real-world skills, industry insights, and the opportunity to work on meaningful projects that exemplify the connection between theory and practice.

Project-Based Learning: The Oil Stone Box

One of the key learning experiences for students in the VET Construction Certificate program has been Project 1: The Oil Stone Box. Designed as an introductory task, this project focuses on developing students’ foundational skills in the use of hand tools and machinery. By working to precise tolerances, students are learning the importance of accuracy, attention to detail, and high-quality craftsmanship—essential attributes for success in the construction industry.

Embracing AI: "Construction Buddy" for Effective Learning

A unique and innovative addition to our program has been the use of Mr Szkwarek’s Construction Buddy, an AI-powered assistant integrated into our daily review sessions. This tool helps students commit key construction concepts to long-term memory by guiding them through structured recall and revision exercises.

For example, students might use Construction Buddy to:

• Review the steps for setting up a mitre saw safely.
• Recall key safety regulations for working on a site.
• Test their understanding of measuring and cutting materials to precise specifications.

This use of AI not only mirrors the tools being adopted in modern workplaces but also helps students build confidence in their knowledge while reinforcing the importance of responsible technology use in learning and practice.

"Live Learning" in Action: Observing the TAS Building Construction

Another exciting dimension of our VET Construction program this year has been the opportunity to learn within a “live” environment. Students have been able to observe and interact with the construction of our new TAS building, a major project that is reshaping our campus. Witnessing this large-scale construction project first-hand has offered students invaluable insight into professional workflows, the roles of tradespeople, and the application of construction techniques on a larger scale. These experiences have further enriched their understanding of the industry and inspired them to strive for excellence in their own projects.

Practical Experience: Work Placement Success

We are also thrilled to share that several of our VET Construction students have recently completed work placements with local employers. Feedback from these placements has been overwhelmingly positive, with employers commending our students for their professionalism, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. These experiences continue to build strong connections between Carroll College and the wider community, while also providing students with a clear pathway into the workforce.

Committed to Excellence

The VET Construction Certificate program is a shining example of how Carroll College is preparing students for the future. Through a combination of project-based learning, cutting-edge AI tools, and real-world experiences, we are equipping our students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to succeed in their chosen fields.

We are incredibly proud of the hard work and progress our students have made this term and look forward to sharing more of their achievements with you in the coming months.

If you would like to learn more about the VET Construction program or discuss pathways for your child, please feel free to contact the College.

Yours in partnership,

 
Jason Szkwarek
TAS, VET Construction Teacher / AI Advocate
 

CAREERS

University of Wollongong 

UOW Early Entry

UOW are visiting the college for a drop-in session for Early Entry info. 

It's a great session to find out what UOW are looking for and tips and tricks for application writing. 

Tuesday 17th June (Tuesday after ACARE)

AM Break in E3.

Applications Open: Monday 16 June 

Close: 8 August 2025

https://www.uow.edu.au/early-admission/?authuser=0#d.en.374221

HSC Subject Support Series 

The Year 11 & 12 Subject Support Sessions are designed to help students improve their knowledge and understanding of key subject content and discover what HSC exam markers are looking for. Experienced HSC teachers/markers and UOW staff will be running subject revision programs across May, June and July for current Year 11 and Year 12 students. 

Register for the below sessions here: https://future-students-events.uow.edu.au/Year11-12subjectsupport     

University of Canberra

University Canberra Early Entry

If you’re a current Year 12 student applying to UC for undergraduate study next year, you could receive an early admission offer under the Early Offer Scheme using criteria other than your ATAR.

 Applications for Early Offers will open on 19 May 2025.

 Important dates:

• 19 May 2025: Applications open
• 17 August 2025: Applications close
• 31 August 2025: Early Offer document deadline
• 15 September 2025: Offers released

 What do I need to apply?

• Your official Year 11 NESA (NSW) report
• A 300-word personal statement about which course you are interested in studying, and why you have chosen to apply for these courses at the University of Canberra.

To find out more and to start your application, click here University Capitals Careers in Sports.

Do you have students interested in jobs in the sporting realm? UC Capitals Executive General Manager, Christy Collier-Hill, is running school-based workshops to help students explore what a career in sport might look like.

This hands-on opportunity gives students a behind-the-scenes look into the sports industry and a unique chance to connect with UC Capitals players and staff, hearing firsthand about the dedication, pathways, and experiences involved in both playing and working in professional sport.

The workshops are designed to inspire and inform students, offering guidance on what subjects, skills, and experiences are most valuable for building a future in the sporting world—whether on the court or behind the scenes.

To book this in for your school or to find out more, you can email Griffin Armitage [Griffin.Armitage@canberra.edu.au].  

Need Application Help?

Do you have questions about applying to university? Not sure where to start with your Early Offer applications? We are here to help! If you want to someone from UC, you can book in a personalised consultation with one of our advisors to answer questions about anything university - differences between courses, pathways into ranked courses, how to apply and everything in between! 

Aspire Open Day Camp
Do you live in rural/regional NSW and are thinking about coming to Open Day? Our Aspire Open Day Camp will help get you there! This is a fully funded opportunity for Year 11 and 12 rural/regional students and their parents/guardians to attend the University of Canberra Open Day on Saturday 20th September, including: 

• One nights accommodation
• A personalised Open Day experience, including a meet and greet with a Student Success Coach
• Petrol Voucher, to assist your travel to and from Canberra.
• Follow up support to assist with your application and enrolment process.

To apply, write a 250 word description of what your future plans are once you finish high school and why this experience would help you achieve them.

Simply send your entry on the supplementary form and email it through to aspireuc@canberra.edu.au by Friday 18 July.

Holiday Tech Days: This School Holidays

Do you have a burning passion for IT? Want to experience what studying IT at university is like? Or just extend your skills in Cyber Security, AI, Python and more? Our Holiday Tech Days are for you! They are school holiday programs that don't just entertain but empower the next generation of tech innovators.

This school holidays we have two programs running, designed for students in Years 9-12:

Tuesday 8 July 9.30am-4.30pm - Phython Essentials

Dive into the world of coding in an immersive, hands-on one day workshop. Students will have the opportunity to explore Python – widely recognised as one of the most popular, versatile, and in-demand programming languages in the world today. Whether you're taking your first steps into coding or already have some programming experience under your belt, our instructors will guide you through the fundamentals of Python programming. You'll learn crucial concepts and practical techniques that will empower you to transform your creative ideas into working projects!

Monday 14 July 9.30am-4.30pm: Level Up - Unity Game Dev Workshop.

Step into the world of game development and learn how to bring ideas to life using Unity! Unity is a versatile cross-platform game engine that enables developers of all skill levels to create interactive games and experiences using a visual editor, C# programming, and powerful built-in tools for graphics, physics, and animation. No prior coding skills required!

All workshops are run in UC's Innovation Central Lab with lunch and snacks included.

To find out more and register for these workshops, click here.

UC Capitals Holiday Camp

Lace up your sneakers, grab your friends, and join us for an epic day of basketball led by the UC Capitals' very own Nicole Munger and Nyadiew Puoch! Our UC Caps Holiday Camp offers young basketball enthusiasts the chance to enhance their skills alongside UC Caps players and coaches in a fun and supportive environment.  

What’s Included:

• Expert Coaching: Each session will be led by UC Caps coaches and players.
• UC Capitals Tickets: Every participant will receive an access code for a ticket to attend a UC Capitals home game during the 2025/26 WNBL season!
• Snacks: Breaks will be held during the session with complimentary snacks like snow cones and popcorn!

 To find out more or get your tickets, click here.

DiscoverFAD: Register Now!

The University of Canberra's Faculty of Arts and Design (FAD) would like to invite Year 10 - 12 students to attend our DiscoverFAD short courses these winter school holidays. These short courses are designed to give your students a taste of practical learning from our creative degrees. Delivered by University of Canberra lecturers, DiscoverFAD is an exciting and affordable opportunity for high school students to get a glimpse of their future careers and understand the study pathways to get there. Our short courses are facilitated by our talented academics and are a great way for high school students to experience what life is like at University and start planning for the future.

When: July School Holidays

Where: UC, Bruce Campus

Price: $0-$59 

You can also enter the work you create in a DiscoverFAD short course to the UC Creative Competition for your chance to win big! 

To find out more or to register for workshops, click here.

FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

Parents and Carers Webinar

Interested in applying to UC but need a little more information? Come and join us at one of our upcoming webinars! With a range of topics touching on admissions procedures and pathways, student life and support, and how to balance your time, finances and study load, we have a webinar for everyone! 

We recommend that both students and/or parents and guardians join us online for these informative webinars to help you make an informed choice about your study options beyond Year 12. Link to https://www.canberra.edu.au/campaign/future-students-webinars?mkt_tok=MjI4LUJLQi0wODgAAAGa92ZokofNl_wNbBLImkrsz4BfAKURYegPfiLTZ5mKPQUJ1_9cjh6PnJlDbGoUcqEoVvFASjUVh6tlt5W3doYRW7VgddqFR-9_SWaaN_v79yedsUI&_cldee=DzaBXheMmC66jxJosMFz6j_huuGUuoH-bsIsBRm8DQZXbDyUmjURq3b0JZ8FuBwILEUWbwmsT2LQ6WCwZVpJLA&recipientid=contact-1a694299170fee118f6d6045bd3d3209-54ce7175ba694cbd8c8c61a6e592cab3&esid=fc3e7213-ce41-f011-8779-000d3a6b3447https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://link.canberra.edu.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__;!!Ax-PnKpllFIIgPxB!iq82O1_4NEuV0mjDmVrZ9O-EfOsLhjdJ8mq3cAu6I0-1E51WPX8vAK-Ay2HQEK3Rlc6yqigAPmoJkkqoQN1Sl53GhNvymrCvIfMWnHEulHADKho$ 

Mrs Amy Dalgleish
VET and Careers Coordinator