Trades & Skills Teacher of the Year Awards
Winners 2007

We have placed the spotlight on those who help trades people turn into the success stories that they are…

 

Marion Fitzpatrick - Hospitality and Personal Services Industry and National Trade Teacher of Year

TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute

Marion was a chef for many years before becoming a teacher. She is currently Head Teacher of Commercial Cookery at Northern Sydney Institute, Ryde College. She actively promotes and develops excellence in cookery students, especially through  competitions and awards. She mentors applicants in local, state, national training awards and competitions, many of whom win medals and awards. Over the years, she has also had a high level of involvement in Worldskills events and has assumed various roles.

Some highlights include: Expert and Judge for Australia at the Worldskills International Cooking Competition (Worldskills Australia selects one expert from a large pool of professionals to represent Australia and recognizes them as a leader in the field of cooking and training), WSA regional and national designer, judge, TAFE NSW Skills Development designer, judge, TAFE NSW New Zealand National Competition Judge, Northern Sydney Institute Worldskills Coordinator, Judge for the Restaurant and Catering Awards for excellence in catering.

Developmental Project

Marion proposes a project that will identify, record and share best practice models in flexible delivery of commercial cookery training programs around Australia. As a result of implementing e-learning resources, she is continually discovering new and innovative delivery approaches. She would like to investigate innovative practices around Australia and models that are meeting the challenges of training in rural and remote areas. She would disseminate her findings through the SkillsOne website and a publicly available report.

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Lesley Wemyss - Mineral Resources Industry Trade Teacher of the Year

Crestfern Pty Ltd

Has written various papers on the unique requirements of delivering training in a mining setting. Specialises in innovative delivery of training. Features include interactive activities, mentoring, small group work and assessment specifically tailored to trainees’ work roles and which allows for achievement of excellence. Has run highly successful pre-employment programs for Indigenous Australians in North Western Queensland. Training

outcomes are linked to Century Zinc Mine. In working with the local Indigenous population, she has seen firsthand an increase in their confidence and abilities and their career goals being met and exceeded.

Has conducted Reframing the Future projects to facilitate professional development for trainers and assessors working in the Mining industries in regional Qld. Through workshops she encourages trainers to rise above their current situation and to reflect, ‘think smarter’, value the skills in their workplace, and work with other practitioners to improve training and assessment methodologies and develop more innovative strategies.

Developmental Project

Lesley would further develop the e-learning tool for ‘working at heights’ and ‘working in confined spaces’ and tie it to RPL, with critical safety competencies to enable more efficient and more cost effective use of training in the industry.

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George Dragovic - Building and Construction finalist

TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute

George has been teaching and developing courses and modules within the Building and Construction Faculty of Illawarra Institute of TAFE. He currently manages more than 30 teaching and support staff and over 400 students from very diverse backgrounds. Over his extensive teaching career he has produced a textbook, competency module books, as well as a range of resources for online and traditional classroom delivery. George maintains industry networks through membership and/or association with a number of organizations including Master Builders Association, Housing Industry Association, Refractory Employer Groups and large construction retail outlets.

George is also involved in many professional growth activities including teaching and learning networks and attendance at seminars. He also shares and networks with other teachers in a variety of ways including conferences and involvement in Worldskills competitions.

In the past George has received an award for excellent service to public education and training.

Developmental Project

It is proposed to develop an electronic system to enable clients to easily self evaluate their own skills and experiences in relation to a Training Plan qualification before seeking RPL. The main purpose would be to create a user friendly electronic system that would convert and collect existing paper based documentation into a single database unit.

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LivioTomas - Automotive finalist

Kangan BatmanTAFE

Livio is passionate about teaching, especially helping disadvantaged students. He tells students that competition is within themselves but that ideas exist among peers, so they need to communicate and work together to achieve goals. He has implemented an achievement award which he gives privately to students and which has proved to be very motivating for them. Livio is frequently asked for advice from teaching staff across the automotive faculty. He has developed interactive approaches to learning, with limited print-based information and a strong focus on communication, to suit the learning style of his students. He encourages individual learning, rather than focusing just on core skills. Livio’s powerpoint presentations have now been supplied to all Victorian TAFEs.

Livio has international teaching experience and spent a year in Mauritius as a training consultant to help establish a vehicle painting apprenticeship training centre for the government.

Developmental Project

Livio would start a fund to help disadvantaged students, such as students with a disability, a learning difficulty or female apprentices among a majority of males. The fund will help the TAFE develop simplified learning materials and modify equipment for disadvantaged students. Livio will grow this fund by visiting various industry partners and asking for their assistance.

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Graeme Harris - Rural finalist

Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School

Graeme has extensive teaching experience. He currently teaches Agriculture at Tamworth’s Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School as well as Primary Industries VET to Year 11 and 12 students. He is also the School’s VET coordinator. Graeme has previously been recognized for excellence in teaching: Highly Commended BHP Science Teaching Awards 1996, Winner Ministers Award for a VET in Schools Teacher 2007. The VET programs Graeme runs resulted in the school being nominated the State Winner of the 2007 NSW VET in Schools Awards. Graeme has been responsible for introducing cotton training at Farrer and has developed courses in Grain Production and Beef Cattle Production. He

has also introduced and coordinated VET work placement for 51 students.

Developmental Project

Proposed project is to investigate the move towards sustainable production of cotton through improved water use efficiency in the upper Murray Darling Basin (Qld and Northern NSW) as a case study for Year 11 and 12 Agriculture students, and VET Primary Industries Students. The study will investigate a number of aspects of the challenge of producing an irrigated crop in a sustainable manner through a series of visits to sites identified as being significant proponents in improved water use efficiency, and identifying resources that may assist students and teachers in meeting syllabus outcomes.

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Steve Waye - Electrical finalist

TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

Has been an Electrical Trades teacher with TAFE NSW for the past 17½ years. Has developed a blended learning model (discussed below) Steve mentors and supports other teaching staff with regard to professional knowledge and teaching practice. He’s committed to keeping up to date in his area through close personal links with industry, reading technical journals and literature and through subscriptions to relevant online services. Has participated in many professional development activities including specific TAFE sponsored ‘Return to Industry’ programs.

Developmental Project

At the moment the Electrotechnology Blended Learning model uses two online systems, a learning management system and an online assessment system. At the moment, there is no integration between the systems. Steve would like to investigate using an alternative learning management system that would provide an interface between the two systems and create a seamless experience for students. It would also relieve some of the administrative burden for teachers.

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Nicholas Viney - Manufacturing finalist

Kangan Batman TAFE

Nick is a manufacturing teacher at Kangan Batman TAFE. He has a strong background in quality and almost six years in the VET sector. He is one of Kangan Batman TAFE’s leading lean manufacturing trainers. Nick is a strong advocate of delivering customized training with workable examples. He spends all of his teaching time in industry. He helps companies like IVECO, Tuff Tonneau and APV save thousands of dollars and strengthen their capacity for manufacturing by adopting lean manufacturing concepts. Nick demonstrates a natural ability to teach people across all levels. He has an excellent reputation for being able to think laterally and for his willingness to ‘roll up his sleeves’ and work with shop floor staff.

Nick regularly shares his knowledge with colleagues. He recently presented to over 500 teachers, educational managers, researchers and educational service professionals at the 2006 TAFE NSW Convergence on VET Teaching and Learning Practice. Nick advocates industry based training that is solely focused on achieving real measurable change in organizations.

Developmental Project

Nick would use the prize money for an overseas benchmarking mission to determine the extent to which overseas manufacturers are implementing Lean, and what methodologies they use to achieve manufacturing excellence. He will examine overseas models of manufacturing and training to determine if Australia’s training model is on track to keeping industry competitive.

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Wayne Tierney - Metals and Engineering finalist

Skills Tech Aust

Wayne’s excellence in teaching has been previously recognized: Logan Institute of TAFE 2002 award for Staff member of the year, Logan Institute of TAFE Educational staff member of the year for Innovation in Work Practices award 2005. Wayne has been the driving force in expanding the program of delivery of engineering education at Logan TAFE. The apprenticeship program now offers three streams, all delivered in a blended mode which allows students and employers to design a course tailored to their needs. Growth in delivery meant recruiting more staff. Wayne spent much time supporting new staff members, many of whom came straight from industry and had no teaching experience.

Wayne has superior Computer Aided Drafting skills. One employer, Oki Tedi Mines will not accept any other teacher.

Developmental Project

To develop an internet web-based learning resource that can be accessed by engineering students at home/work where students can have access to interactive theory training at their own pace. Students can then complete theory modules and undertake practice theory tests over the internet.

View Press Release (PDF 49KB)