29 October 2021
Year 9 and 10 students at Busselton Senior High School have had a hands-on opportunity to try out different trade skills at school.
The ‘Try a Trade’ day was set up eight years ago at the school in partnership with Busselton Trade Training Centre and Skill Hire and several sessions run every year.
Busselton Senior High School students building the picket fence.
The most recent ‘Try a Trade’ day saw 15 students try their hand at bricklaying, brick paving, carpentry and scaffolding under the guidance of experiences trade workers, with bricklaying being the most popular trade of the day.
The day provides an opportunity for students to delve into different trades to see if it’s the right course for them leading into Year 11 and 12.
“We learnt how to lay bricks and brick paving, how to make mud, make a house courtyard with a small picket fence,” said one student.
Wayne Smithall is the teacher in charge of Design and Technology at Busselton Senior High School said that the all of the past ‘Try a Trade’ days have been very successful as it gives the students an early introduction to what trades are all about.
Students building their courtyard from scratch.
“Almost 70% of the students going through the program continue into the trades area post-secondary school,” said Mr Smithall.
“It’s important to encourage young people to work in the trades as there are skill shortages all across Australia, but it also provides well-rounded careers which can lead to further education.”