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A message from Chief Executive Officer, Liz Harris Wild child wins international student awardWelcome to the December edition of Waves.

The final edition for an eventful 2014 has a distinctly international flavour, reflecting Challenger Institute of Technology’s increasingly multicultural student population and the continued expansion of our international partnerships.

Challenger offers more than 50 industry-approved and nationally-accredited courses to international students from 62 countries around the world, from engineering and process plant operations to maritime studies, business and IT and community services. Challenger’s International Student Graduation represented an opportunity to recognise the efforts of all the students who graduated, and to honour the outstanding efforts of those who exceeded expectations.

South African student Faye Hooper was the deserved winner of the International Student of the Year Award. Faye is very much the embodiment of an oft-cited Challenger refrain, Make Your Passion Your Career. From an interest kindled on the wildlife parks of southern Africa, the Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology graduate has now dedicated her professional life, and much of her spare time, to working with industry to protect the environment in Western Australia (pages 2-5).

As part of Challenger Institute’s focus on corporate social responsibility, a volunteer care program in Cambodia has enabled student and staff teams to implement poverty reduction programs in the poorest parts of the country. The experience has proven life-changing, both for our partners One2One and the communities they service, and for the Challenger staff and students who volunteered (page 7).

Challenger’s training model has received a resounding endorsement from one of the fast-growing economies in the world. When Kazakhstan sought international assistance to reform its vocational training system to keep pace with its wider economic development, Challenger was one of a select few institutes in the world, and the only one in Australia, to which it turned (page 9).

Challenger’s floristry students and staff have helped the institute’s reputation blossom nationally, claiming a handful of the country’s most prestigious industry awards (page 6), while an Australian-first leadership course is giving emerging Aboriginal leaders an industry advantage (page 11).

On behalf of us all at Challenger Institute, I hope you enjoy this edition of Waves. On a personal note, I would like to thank our wonderful staff for the great work they have done this year. We are fortunate to work in a field that changes lives, which gives meaning to our work every day. I would also like to thank our loyal and committed Governing Council for their guidance and support this year, and also our industry partners for

their continued support of Challenger. I wish you all the best for Christmas and the new year.

Warm regards, Liz Harris PSM

Chief Executive OfficerChallenger Institute of Technology

A passion born in the wildlife parks of Botswana has led to a life focused on the environment for Challenger Institute’s newly crowned International Student of the Year.South African student Faye Hooper, of Warnbro, excelled in her Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology course and has now set her sights on furthering her studies at university and a career dedicated to the environment in Western Australia.

Born and raised in South Africa, Ms Hooper spent every second weekend of her childhood on her family’s game farm in neighbouring Botswana.

“At a very young age I was exposed to Mother Nature and revelled in learning about and experiencing everything I could about wildlife and the bush,” Ms Hooper said.

“I was lucky enough to have parents who understood the importance of following a dream and Challenger has bolstered my confidence in applying my knowledge to the pursuit of an environmental career,” she said.

That confidence has led to outstanding results and acceptance into a Bachelor of Science degree course at Murdoch University.

Cover: Challenger Institute nursing student Stephanie Elford photographed these children during a Corporate Social Responsibility project in Cambodia.

Faye Hooper with cheetahs at a Cape Town, South Africa, conservation farm for endangered big cat species.

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Wild child wins international student awardThe Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology is offered at Challenger over three semesters and can open the door to employment as an environmental technician or technical officer, assistant field hydrologist, water resource officer or catchment coordinator for local government and, with suitable experience, a supervisory role.

Challenger lecturer Linda Davies described Ms Hooper as extremely enthusiastic and said her voluntary activities outside of her studies had contributed to her success as a student.

A fervent advocate for the environment, Ms Hooper has served as a member or volunteer for a host of local environmental organisations and groups, including the Swan River Trust, Save Point Peron Group, Native Arc Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and public awareness campaigns in which Challenger has been a partner.

The International Student of the Year award was presented during the international graduation ceremony held at the Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

The diploma qualification provides the practical skills and knowledge needed to measure and record environmental information, including studying, assessing and developing methods of controlling or minimising the harmful effects of human activity on the environment.

The course allows for advanced standing into a university degree. A certificate IV course precedes the diploma and addresses the skills and knowledge required to conduct environmental sampling, testing and monitoring in a variety of industry sectors. It can also be undertaken as part of an apprenticeship or traineeship.

Faye Hooper is turning her passion into a career...

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International Student Graduation 2014Challenger Institute recognised the efforts of its graduating international students at the annual International Student Graduation on 18 November at the WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle.

Recognising the efforts of our international students...

More than 80 students were presented with a certificate of graduation and small gift by Challenger Chief Executive Officer Liz Harris. Seven graduating students were also mentors and received special acknowledgement on the day.

The event guest speaker was author and comedian Sami Shah, who provided an inspiring, witty and warm farewell to the graduates.

As well as 2014 International Student of the Year Faye Hooper, two Highly Commended awards were also presented to French-born Sylvain Moisset, who completed an Advanced Diploma of Civil Construction Design, and Diploma of Hospitality graduate Carol Yen Ju Chan from Taiwan.

International graduates from the hospitality and tourism, oil and gas, engineering, maritime, sport and lifestyle, and horticulture training areas were recognised at the event, which was well attended by Challenger staff, and the students’ families and friends.

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1. Guest speaker, comedian Sami Shah 2. Governing Council Chair Paddi Creevey 3. Phuu Pwint Han, in the national dress of Myanmar, completed an Advanced Diploma of Civil Construction Design 4. Carol Yen Ju Chan of Taiwan is presented a commendation by Governing Council Chair Paddi Creevey

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CEO Liz Harris (centre) with some of the students who served as student mentors; (L-R) Aslam Kandhro of Pakistan, Chheki Zangmo of Bhutan, Faye Hooper of South Africa, Carol Yen Ju Chan of Taiwan, Sylvain Moisset of France and Baltej Mann of India.

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A bunch of success comes Challenger’s way

Award-winning student Zoe Know, who completed her training while based in Albany.

Challenger lecturer and former student, Annita Bokobli.

Three products of Challenger Institute’s floristry training have individually claimed the biggest Australian prizes in the industry.Annita Bokobli of Hilton, Bettina Van Dijk of Hillarys and Zoe Knox of Albany were recently awarded the Interflora Australia Cup, Smithers Oasis Designz Cup and Wildflowers Australia’s National Category One prize respectively.

For Annita, a lecturer at Challenger for seven years and former student, the award was the culmination of years of perfecting her craft, while for Zoe her regular journeys from Albany to classes at Challenger’s Murdoch campus have been fully vindicated.

“I see competitive floristry as a way that floral designers can further develop and enhance their skills and I now love to pass these skills on to the students I teach,” Annita said.

Bettina was announced as the National Champion for the Smithers Oasis Designz Cup for 2014, presented at the Perth Royal Show.

Zoe, who now works as a full-time florist, emerged as the winner in her competition from among 83 competitors, scoring highly in all four categories, including theme interpretation, design, component selection and construction.

“I like to describe myself as an all-rounder, meaning I can achieve all styles and disciplines well, but I would say my strength in floristry is in the use of form, texture and colour,” said Zoe, who is about to undertake the Certificate IV in Floristry at Challenger.

“This competition held particular interest for me, as I work a great deal in retail with native wildflowers and highly value their very unique form and find them a pleasure to work with,” she said.

Zoe was particularly complimentary of Challenger’s flexible course delivery that allowed her to complete her qualification in blocks while still living and working in Albany.

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Nurse writes new chapter in Phnom Penh

From managing retail stores and fast food outlets, the 24-year-old Challenger Institute Diploma of Nursing student, of Melville, has penned a new chapter in his life.

Peter recently returned from Phnom Penh, where he participated in a volunteer care program.

Developed in conjunction with One-2-One Charitable Trust in the Cambodian capital, the Challenger global mobility initiative enables student and staff teams to implement poverty reduction programs in the most underprivileged parts of the country.

Peter joined a group of ten Challenger nursing students and two lecturers who spent three weeks administering basic first aid training at One-2-One’s Phnom Penh headquarters and in the medical clinics of the city’s poorest areas. In these communities they were confronted with endemic poverty and slum-like conditions.

Peter, who will complete his nursing studies at the end of the year, commenced 18 months ago at the state-of-the-art health and nursing facility at the Murdoch campus.

His early career involved working in retail and customer service roles, however, Peter’s passion was always for nursing.

“I enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life and that’s why I fell into customer service-focused jobs early on in my career,” Peter said.

“Moving into nursing was a natural career progression for me. I have always been passionate about health and love caring for people, so this is the perfect profession for me. Nursing is something I will do for the rest of my life.”

Peter said the most eye-opening aspect of the trip was caring for children.

“A large number of the children were visibly unkempt, with bare feet, and every child was treated for head lice,” Peter said.

“Our care for the people mainly involved basic health education, where we taught the group about hygiene, the treatment of minor wounds and self-care.”

Peter said no training in the world would have prepared the group for what they experienced.

“It was very confronting to treat a small child with HIV in one of the villages. In Australia we rarely need to be concerned with viruses such as these, and I personally found it very difficult to see a child so small and innocent with this incurable condition, particularly given the limitations the Cambodian people have in obtaining suitable medications and treatment,” Peter said.

Challenger’s global mobility program covers a broad range of offshore and onshore opportunities, including development and capacity building, short term study tours, work or clinical placements, volunteer programs, global qualifications and the traditional student exchange concept.

The outbound mobility initiative is tied to the institute’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility framework, which has the benefit of focusing outbound mobility on values relevant to Challenger Institute as an organisation.

Peter Alexander walking through a small community in Phnom Penh.

For former retailer Peter Alexander, caring for some of the world’s poorest people in Cambodia was an experience money could not buy.

Peter Alexander administering head lice treatment.

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Quicker apprenticeships a SMART move for training

The Challenger SMART apprenticeship program utilises existing skills, industrial experience and knowledge to allow apprentices to complete their apprenticeships based on competency, rather than time served.

The program has now been expanded to include mechanical engineering and welding, in addition to the existing SMART apprenticeships in engineering fabrication.

Within two eventful years, the increasingly popular program has grown to involve 60 fabrication and welding and 10 mechanical engineering apprentices, as well as an estimated 30 employers.

Two of these apprentices, Alex Reid of Baldivis and Daniel McCord of Lakelands, competed in the WorldSkills Australia National Competition at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre as part of the Engineering Excellence Team Challenge.

During the event, the mechanical and metal fabrication apprentices manufactured a small, operational crane over three days. While the New South Wales duo won gold, the WA competitors were praised for their role in promoting the outstanding quality of SMART apprenticeship graduates.

Challenger metal fabrication lecturer Walter Bastiani said the apprentices revelled in progressing more quickly through their courses.

“Each student has total flexibility, moving through their formal training at their own pace, which helps to keep them engaged throughout their studies,” he said.

Before beginning the program, which is based in Henderson, lecturers ascertain the students’ skills with employers to determine an individual study plan and any eligibility to have their current skills recognised.

The apprentice then completes a Certificate III in Engineering. Under a tripartite agreement between the employer, apprentice and Challenger, the apprentice has the opportunity to increase their formal training to Certificate IV within the indentured time.

This may include the enhancement of skills not generally practiced in the workplace, completing coded welding certifications or computer assisted drafting.

Alex Reid of Baldivis competes at the WorldSkills Australia National Competition.

Challenger Institute’s innovative apprenticeship program in metals and engineering is allowing apprentices to save time and money by accelerating their training.

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Kazakhs turn to Challenger for training expertise

Challenger Institute was one of just a handful of global partners enlisted to assist in the mission.

With a remit to develop and reform the training sector in the ninth largest country in the world, Kazakh company Kasipkor was enlisted to scour the globe in search of the right institutions to guide the important transformation.

It was a search that culminated in a delegation of Kazakh educators paying a two-week visit to Challenger, including a multi-day tour of the institute’s new Building Technologies Training Facility in Rockingham.

Challenger was the only Australian TAFE partner selected by Kasipkor. Other international partners came from the United Kingdom, Germany, United States and Canada.

With its capital, Astana, one of the fasting growing cities in the world, an adult literacy rate of almost 100 per cent and a debt-free and resource-rich economy growing at a faster rate than China’s, Kazakhstan is the envy of much of Asia and the world.

The partnership between Challenger and Kasipkor focuses on improving curriculums, course delivery and assessment methods in the construction and information technology sectors.

Two Challenger lecturers, Colin Wilkins and Peter Owen, recently visited Kazakhstan to deliver a professional development program to 50 Ministry of Education teaching staff.

The construction and IT lecturers offered insight into the modern approach of technical and vocational trainers within their respective specialty areas.

A delegation of the 12 highest achievers from that program in Kazakhstan have toured Challenger, taking part in workshops, seminars and campus visits to learn more from Challenger and how to bolster their own vocational training infrastructure.

Speaking through an interpreter during a visit to the Rockingham campus, delegate member Saken Zhanatuly said one of the differences he had noticed between his own country and his Australian host was Challenger’s close relationship with industry.

“Your students have a much closer link to employers through apprenticeships and other programs, and you consult with industry in the formation of your curriculum, whereas we have far less of this sort of cooperation,” Mr Zhanatuly said.

Course specialisation was another area in which the visitors were keen to follow the Challenger and Australian model.

“Our students spread their training over a whole industry but do not always acquire the specialist skills required to produce quality work, so it has been refreshing to see how your students focus on one specialty, such as plastering or plumbing, rather than everything related to construction,” delegate Almagul Mukasheva said.

When the first and only president of Kazakhstan issued a decree to improve the country’s vocational education system, they found a perfect partner on the other side of the world.

The Kazakh delegation at Challenger’s state-of-the-art Building Technologies Training Facility.

Challenger lecture Colin Wilkins (right) with visiting

Kazakh educator Aslan Temirbayev at Challenger’s state-of-the-art Building Technologies Training Facility.

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Straight As for A to B course

Logistics lecturer Stephen Goodlet said the Mandurah region is a logistics focal point for industry.

Challenger Institute and Curtin University have signed an articulation agreement that provides seamless pathways from vocational education and training into university.

Challenger Chief Executive Officer Liz Harris said the two organisations were committed to supporting higher education options for people in the local community.

“This is a very exciting partnership with strong vocational benefits,” Ms Harris said.

Ms Harris said the agreement strengthened Challenger’s existing articulation arrangements with the university sector.

The agreement will enable graduates of Challenger’s diplomas and advanced diplomas to apply for entry into a variety of Curtin bachelor degree courses, including engineering, commerce, arts, education and science.

Challenger graduates may also receive credit of up to one year in a three or four year degree at Curtin.

A new Challenger Institute course in Peel that focuses on moving goods from A to B is set to earn top marks.Introduction to Logistics is a five-week course that offers participants the opportunity to get a foothold in a business sector with wide-ranging employment possibilities.

Challenger’s logistics lecturer Stephen Goodlet said the diversity of industry in the Peel region made it the ideal delivery site for a course in logistics.

“Manufacturing, agriculture, retail, construction and health care, all of which are prominent industries in Mandurah and the Murray shire, are heavily dependent on logistics,” he said.

“Whether it’s the distribution of goods by rail, road, sea or air, a skilled logistician can save organisations valuable time, resources and expenses with a properly implemented warehousing and transport plan,” Mr Goodlet said.

The introductory course will include units on stock despatch, goods receipt and service delivery and can be tailored to business training requirements.

Completion of these units forms part of the nationally-accredited Certificate II in Logistics qualification. Challenger offers certificate courses in warehousing operations and certificate and diploma courses in logistics.

Local education agreement benefits studentsA new education agreement is giving Western Australian students better access to university.

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Future leaders front up for pioneering program

A national first, the pilot Challenger Institute Certificate IV in Frontline Management (Aboriginal Leadership) provides participants with the opportunity to learn a range of management strategies that can be implemented across all industries.

Designed to enable full-time employees to complete the program, the course is delivered over a six month period, which includes three, one-week face-to-face blocks and online study.

The final block in the inaugural program has just finished with a group of 19 participants graduating from the course.

For 58-year-old David Atkinson, of Karratha, the skills gained through completing the program have proved to been integral to his current role of Human Resources Indigenous Training and Employment Advisor at Woodside.

Based at the Karratha Gas Plant, David’s role involves mentoring Woodside Indigenous apprentices and trainees. David said he wished he had completed a course like this when he was younger.

“I only studied to year nine level at school, and up until this course hadn’t completed any formal education in my adult life,” David said.

“I’m now approaching the end of my career, however, this hasn’t taken away from my drive and ambition to become a more proficient leader in my organisation, and in the community.

“The course has made me think differently as a leader, understand what I am doing and why I’m doing it, which has proven particularly relevant in decision making and influencing others in the workplace,” David said.

David completed the course alongside his two daughters Sally (30) and Casey (27). David said that as well as influencing and encouraging him to complete the course, his daughters had made him very proud to witness them both in a professional light.

“It’s great to see your kids grow up to be responsible adults and focused on bettering themselves as leaders and as people.”

David has future ambitions to be in a leadership position in the community.

“I would ideally like one day to be in a position where I can guide and influence young Indigenous people, particularly those at school, to stay focused and keep on the pathway to further education and training.”

The course participants graduated with a nationally recognised Certificate IV in Frontline Management qualification. Based on the success of the pilot program, plans are underway to run the course again in 2015.

David Atkinson.

A pioneering management program is giving emerging Aboriginal leaders a distinct industry advantage.

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Romeo and Juliet find their happy ending

Thankfully for Juliet, her love from a rival family is alive and well. That, at least, is the case in the wake of a stage production by Challenger Institute’s Access and Participation students.

In their gala end-of-year Abilities Production, Romeo and Juliet: Cold Case 2014, the reinterpretation of a Shakespearean classic incorporated elements of traditional pathos, Broadway musical, crime noir - and a happy ending.

The performance to a full house at the Cockburn Youth Centre theatre was the culmination of a semester spent rehearsing scripts, building sets and finessing costumes.

The stage show was a result of collaboration across several of Challenger’s training areas, including the Certificate II in Leadership students responsible for hair and make-up and the Certificate II in General Education for Adults students designing and painting the sets. Murdoch University and Cockburn Youth Centre also made valuable contributions to the show’s success.

The event was a heart-warming, entertaining and colourful spectacle that delighted the student participants and audience in equal measure, said Challenger program manager Jim Thompson.

“The performers, organisers and behind-the-scenes contributors are to be commended on what was a very professional performance in which there was a role for everyone,” he said.

The new script was a quirky and uplifting 21st century rewrite of Shakespeare’s 16th century tragedy.

With a musical repertoire that extended from contemporary afro-haired pop star Red Foo to the poignant Adagio in G minor by 18th century Venetian composer Tomaso Albinoni, the performance elicited the full gamut of emotions from the audience.

As the final curtain lowered, those in attendance might well have been heard to declare, as Juliet once did, “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?”

Romeo and Juliet get serious.

Red Foo is interrogated by the Italian polizia.

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