Education
The KIC Education Development Program is about showing high school students in the region the sorts of careers that are available in industry, and working with them in a practical sense how they might aspire to these sorts of careers.
High School Student Industry Education
KIC Education Partnership
Women's Networking Forum
High School Student Industry Education
Our Philosophy
The Kwinana Industrial Area is the home to many large industrial companies, and are responsible for the employment of around 30,000 workers, direct and indirect. Two thirds of these live within 15 kms of their workplace. The communities surrounding the industrial area are deeply connected to industry, and have been since the first refinery was built around 60 years ago.
Generations of workers have from these communities have been a part of the neighbouring industrial area, yet there is high youth unemployment and a surprisingly extensive low comprehension of the huge range of careers industry offers.
The KIC Education Development Program (EDP) was created to improve this understanding, and to create pathways for the students in the region’s high schools to enter the industrial workforce.
The pathways needed to be practical for the students, connected to actual industry operations, and accessible for motivated students. They are achieving terrific outcomes for students, and are roundly hailed as being world class in their design content and outcomes.
Education Development Program (EDP)
This video has been produced to showcase the Education Development Programs that KIC has developed for local students in the KIC Education Partnership.
Aims, Purpose, Why
The Kwinana Industries Council (KIC) Education Development Program was built on the success of its award winning KIC Metals & Engineering School Based Traineeship located at Gilmore College.
The individual programs were developed in partnership with local high schools in an effort to introduce students to the careers in Kwinana’s business sector and to give them practical exposure in the Kwinana Industrial Area (KIA). The programs offered through the partnership provide initiatives to help students identify opportunities for work placement in the KIA. KIC members have the potential to attract local youth to careers in local industry and to help raise their aspirations towards career pathways.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and all your colleagues at KIC for giving Meg this opportunity. So far she has thoroughly enjoyed the experience and she still has 3 days left! Kind regards.”
June Marshall
(Parent of 2014 iWOMEN student Megan Marshall)
KIC iProjects
As part of KIC’s Education Development Program, a range of iProjects have been developed which provide an opportunity for students to further explore what career pathways may be available in the Kwinana Industrial Area. All iProjects include visits to industry.
In June 2018, the iWOMEN, iMEN and iSCIENCE iProjects were endorsed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Successful completion of one of these KIC iProjects and attendance at the annual KIC iCONFERENCE (a total of 55 hours) will provide the equivalent of 1 unit and 1 C grade towards the WACE completion requirements and will be reported on the student’s WA Statement of Student Achievement that is issued at the end of Year 12.
Year 10s – VET Pathway
Term 2 and Term 3
iWOMEN: Year 10s
The iWOMEN Project is a Senior Secondary Pathway held in Term 2 and Term 3. It is targeted towards VET students (Year 10s) from our partnering schools in the region. During the program students will visit a range of industries and meet industry representatives in non-traditional student roles. Kwinana industry is committed to engaging students in the workforce and providing an opportunity for students to see what industry really looks like. Students will also attend a number of workshops that will give them the valuable skills and tools required as they prepare for their place in the workforce.
Year 10s – VET Pathway
Term 2
iMEN: Year 10s
The KIC iMEN Project is a Senior Secondary Pathway held in Term 2. It is targeted towards VET students (Year 10s) from our partnering high schools in the region. During the program students will visit a range of industries and meet employees in many roles. Kwinana industry is committed to engaging students in the workforce and providing an opportunity for young students to see what industry really looks like. Students will also attend a number of workshops that will give them the valuable skills and tools required as they prepare for their place in the workforce.
Year 10s
ATAR Pathway, Unibound
Term 1 & Term 4
iSCIENCE: Year 10s
The KIC iSCIENCE Project is a Senior Secondary Pathway held in Term 1 & Term 4. It is for Year 10 students who are intending to follow ATAR Science, Math and Technology subjects during Years 11 and 12 and who are considering going onto University at the end of Year 12. Students will have the opportunity to explore and understand the breadth of industry in the Kwinana Industrial Area (KIA) and the broad range of science based career options available.
The program includes: site tours of industry; a full day excursion to Murdoch University South Street Campus and a series of workshops: including preparing a professional resume, interview techniques, social media, personal and presentation skills, health and wellbeing, mental health prevention and promotion.
Year 10s
Students with special learning needs
Term 4
iDIVERSITY: Year 10s with special learning needs
The KIC iDIVERSITY Project is for students with special learning needs. It explores the range of careers available in the Kwinana Industrial Area and gives students the opportunity to get an insight into what industry does, and into what industry expects of employees.
Over 6 days in Term 4 students visit a range of working environments within the KIA, meet current employees in a range of roles and have the opportunity to reflect on their possible future involvement in the local workforce.
Students will also have a day of work experience with a local host employer or participate in some voluntary work (ie. beach rehabilitation). Other activities include teambuilding, improving confidence and self esteem, resume writing, social media, personal and presentation skills.
Students from the iWOMEN, iMEN and iSCIENCE Projects.
The event is held in November each year.
KIC iCONFERENCE
The Annual KIC iCONFERENCE is for students who have attended iWOMEN, iMEN and iSCIENCE during the year. It is an opportunity for the students to build on their learnings from their iProject and take them one step further. It is a fun packed day, with hands on workshops and activities. The students have the opportunity to catch up with their friends from their iProject and meet students who attended the other KIC iProjects during the year. It also provides the students with the final 6 hours they need for their SCSA accreditation.
KIC VET Programs
Vocational Education & Training (VET) Pathways (years 11 and 12)
These are a range of activities that relate to ways in which Year 11 and Year 12 students gain ongoing practical work experience in industry. Practical experience in the workplace teaches students about what it means to be a worker in terms of what is expected of them and what they can expect of the host employer. It is a great way for students to move across into a job when they are ready to do so.
KIC Pre-apprenticeships
NEW – KIC Electrotechnology (Career Start) Pre-apprenticeship
UEE22020 Cert II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) Pre-apprenticeship
Course Outline: This Pre-apprenticeship is for students wanting to start their career by working in the heavy or support industry businesses located in and around the Kwinana Industrial Area.
This entry level qualification provides the practical skills and knowledge to work safely in an electrotechnology environment, solve problems in multiple DC circuits and extra low voltage single path circuits. This includes: Practical skills and knowledge to install, operate, and maintain electrical and communications equipment and systems; Skills to use tools, take electrical measurements and interpret technical drawings; Maths, safety in the workplace and quality control procedures. Students will require an Electrical Training Licence which will be included as part of the course delivery.
KIC Engineering Pre-apprenticeship
Qualification: MEM20105 Certificate II in Engineering
Course Outline: Students will develop trade like skills and knowledge in a range of engineering and manufacturing tasks which will enhance their entry-level employment prospects for apprenticeship, traineeships or general employment in an engineering-related workplace. Some of the units of competency will articulate into an apprenticeship course in the metals trades areas, which may reduce the amount of time required to complete an apprenticeship.
KIC Female Engineering Pre-Apprenticeship
Qualification: MEM20105 Certificate II in Engineering
Course Outline: For female students interested in gaining exposure to an engineering or trades related working environment with a view to entering into employment in that area. Students will develop trade like skills and knowledge in a range of engineering and manufacturing tasks which will enhance their entry-level employment prospects for apprenticeship, traineeships or general employment in an engineering-related workplace.
Qualification: AUR20516 Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology Pre-Apprenticeship (heavy diesel)
Contact us to learn more about these Programs
Awards
Awards 2018
Won the Australia & Oceania region of the 2018 Global Best Awards, in the following categories:
- Innovative and Creative Partnerships
- Youth Employability Skills
- Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)
KIC was awarded the Innovative and Creative Partnerships best out of all seven of the regions. at the Conference in Houston, held in October.
In 2014 the EDP also won the Community Commitment Award at the Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce Regional Business Awards
Awards 2016
In 2016 the KIC Education Development Program won a number of awards:
- Global Best Awards 2016
- Australia Gold Winner for Innovative and Creative Partnerships
- Australia Gold Winner for Youth Employability Skills
- Overall Global Thematic Winner for Youth Employability Skills
- WA Training Awards
- Winner – Industry Collaboration Award
- Australian Training Awards
- Finalist – Industry Collaboration Award
Overview
The KIC Education Partnership was established to build and strengthen relationships, implement projects and improve the connection between Kwinana industries and regional education providers. .
To consolidate the Partnership, a Certificate of Commitment was signed in September 2011 between KIC and the local high schools, both public and private. In 2014 the schools reconfirmed their agreement to the Partnership and resigned the Certificate of Commitment. The Certificate acknowledges the involvement and the roles industry and education providers play in building the capability of our students, who will eventually take their place in the workforce.
The Principals of the participating high schools meet twice per term and the VET Coordinators meet once a term. Progress of the Partnership is monitored and direction and priorities are set for coming events. These educational leaders share and exchange ideas and initiatives to continue the excellence in the collegial relationship that exists for the betterment of local students and the industries within the KIC.
Connecting Education with Industry
Over the past two decades, KIC has been actively involved in connecting education with industry, prompted by the realisation that the local community was not necessarily making the most of the benefits of industrial development. Conversely, industry was not able to effectively use the local population as a source of workers.
In 1995, the KIC Excellence in Education Compact was launched, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between KIC and its industry members, senior high school representatives TAFE. It was designed to be a vehicle for fostering high community engagement between community and industry, while at the same time bringing a number of benefits to the community.
The Compact was called Kwinana Industries Education Partnership, or KIEP.
KIEP enabled students from high schools neighbouring the KIA to consider a transition into the industrial workforce and also to related higher education programs. Over time, it became regularly sought after as a source of information by other vocational education providers, with other organisations considering it a benchmark in developing similar programs.
In 2009, KIEP was wound up, and KIC took on the role of delivering the programs directly, and from there the KIC Education Development Program began to expand to what it is today, a multi level series of programs aimed at Year 9 through to Year 12 students, with around 250 passing through the various programs each year.
KIC runs these programs for the 17 high schools in the region with input from the school principals and Vocational Education Training (VET) coordinators via a formal partnership.
Partnering High Schools
The KIC Education Partnership is a partnership between industry and 21 secondary schools in the region. For information about these schools please click the links below.
Partnering High Schools
The KIC Education Partnership is a partnership between industry and 17 secondary schools in the region. For information about these schools please click the links below.
Women’s Networking Forum
The Women’s Networking Forum continues to be held twice a year and is an informative and great networking system aimed primarily at women working in the KIA. Over the last 12 months we have welcomed men from industry to the Forums, and this has proven to be a positive move. We look forward to more men attending the Forums in the future.
Guest speakers at the KIC Womens Networking Forum (L-R) Brent Jondahl Registered Manager – Kwinana Nickel Refinery, BHP, Leah McLagan – KIC Female Engineering Pre-apprentice (2021), Apprentice – Alcoa (from 2022) and Julie Watson – General Manager for HSEQ and Technical Services, Wesfarmers Chemicals Energy and Fertilisers and KIC Director Chris Oughton.
Students from the KIC Female Engineering Pre-apprenticeship attend the KIC Women’s Networking Forum (November 2019)
Contact Us
PO Box 649
Kwinana WA 6966
Tel: (08) 9419 1855
Email: admin@kic.org.au
Contact Us
PO Box 649
Kwinana WA 6966
Tel: (08) 9419 1855
Email: admin@kic.org.au
Acknowledgement of Country
Kwinana Industries Council acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country, the Nyoongar people and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.