Taking part in the Educational Pathways Program (EPP), 11 students are now undertaking apprenticeships and TAFE study during school hours.
These include Year 12 student Filo Totoa who is in his second year of a school-based apprenticeship (SBAT) in carpentry.
Filo did a taster course in bricklaying and then decided he would like to do a school-based apprenticeship within the construction industry.
He attends school three days a week, works one day in construction and attends TAFE one day a week.
He also plays for Parramatta Juniors (NRL); after school, he would like to play professional football but have carpentry as a back-up career.
In Year 10, Lily Webb enrolled in an Auto taster course which exposed her to a broad range of careers in engineering and construction.
Lily excelled in the program, impressing her employer, who then recommended her for a full-time apprenticeship at Bobcat Trailers.
Granville South High Principal Joumana Youssef said there were many more students at the school keen to follow in Lily’s and Filo’s footsteps.
“University is not for everyone; this program provides an early roadmap for students to be successful in life sooner rather than later,” she said.
The EPP program has been so successful, that Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Minister, Steve Whan, visited the school last week to announce the expansion of the program to 20 more high schools after 7,800 students from 148 public high schools, successfully took part in the last two years.
More youth on early roadmap to success
THEY will not receive an ATAR or go to university but students from Granville South Performing Arts High are getting the jump on their peers by launching their careers while still at school.
