Learning life skills through SES, TAFE parternership - Manning River Times

MANNING RIVER TIMES
28 AUGUST 2013

SKILLS learnt in the SES are transferrable into other industry areas and into everyday life, says SES regional learning and development officer for the Mid North Coast, John Orrock.

"Our community directly benefits from having more people trained in the skills necessary to respond in times of need," he said.

North Coast TAFE has formed a partnership with NSW SES to provide high school students the opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge and attitude required to achieve an understanding of the NSW State Emergency Services, its role in the community and to be an active community member of their local NSW SES.

A new course is being offered for year 11 and year 12 students in 2014 where they will join as a member of the SES and be attached to a unit while studying.

"The students will have the opportunity to be mentored by older members while learning nationally recognised skills like first aid, how to work in a team and how to operate communication systems and equipment," Mr Orrock said.

Volunteering for the SES is a job like no other, where members can be called out to a variety of natural disasters like flood or fire.

"You can also be asked to assist the community in many different ways and end up in unexpected places,'' he said.

"Once we were asked to do a sea search for someone missing in a boat and we ended up having lunch on Lord Howe Island ," Paul Burg said. Paul is one of the youngest SES unit controllers in NSW at just 33 - he started volunteering when he was only 16 years old.

Local TVET students will get a great opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills through this new course being offered at Taree and Great Lakes TAFE.

Original article