It may be hidden, but Launceston Studentworks has laid its mark – not only on its students but on the community.
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An alternative education program that began its life as a work experience program for Brooks High School, has developed the skills of more than a hundred students over the past 40 years.
Launceston Student Workshop, as it was known then, was established in 1978 by resident Marjorie Knox, who was looking to find an alternate work experience program for Northern Tasmanian students.
It has bridged the gap between education and industry and has supported at-risk young people from Brooks High School, Riverside High School, Queechy High School, Kings Meadows High School, Prospect High School, E School as well as supported students from regional areas such as the East Coast and St Marys.
Studentworks chief executive Sheryl Thomas said in four decades, the school has assisted its students not only with practical skills but with life skills.
“Students learn employability skills, a trade and life skills...they are taught by teachers who are tradespeople in their own right,” she said.
“But one thing that always sticks out is the students always say they enjoy coming here because the teachers have respect for them.”
In its first iteration, Launceston Student Workshop set up a workshop space at Invermay, in the old Kelso and Kemp building.
The workshop has a vital role to play in focusing attention on the latent potential of those children who are so often carelessly classified as “school failures.”
- Studenworks CEO Sheryl Thomas
The workshop taught its students metal work and woodwork skills and operated as a fully functioning industry space.
It sought contracts from the community to design, with its first contract from the Education Department to repair school lockers.
Since then, Studentworks has received contracts from other customers to design and build pine furniture, workbenches, sheet metal trays, steel fabrication, trailers, steel racks, padlock removers for the Launceston Fire Brigade as well as the alteration of pallet trucks and ploughs, drilling and pressing of grader blades.
Mrs Thomas said Studentworks had always kept to its ethos set up by Marjorie Knox and tried to give students an alternative to learn.
“Some of these kids have problems with attendance, but they have been identified by their schools as being better hands-on learners,” she said.
Students must be referred to Studentworks by their respective schools.
In 1981, Launceston Student Workshop outgrew their premises at Invermay and relocated to George Town Road at Rocherlea.
In 2000, Launceston Student Workshop was rebranded Studentworks.
“The most important products of the workshop are its successful students, to develop their potential skills and talents and thus be able to take their places as contributing independent members of society,” Mrs Thomas said.
The workshop is the meeting place between education and industry.
Studentworks student Josephine Kidd, 15, from Exeter High School, said she had made a lot of good friends while she had been there.
But, it was the skills she learned as part of the hospitality/catering course she would take with her into the future.
“I’ve learned a lot about food safety and how to safely prepare food,” she said.
“I knew the basics but I’ve learned a lot more since being here.”
Queechy High School’s Jaiden Hudson, 15, said he enjoyed learning more about wood work and being in the workshop.
“I like to make things but I have never had the opportunity to do that before at school,” he said.
He said he enjoyed spending time with his instructor at Studentworks because he [the instructor] had a good way of explaining instructions.
Mrs Thomas said students built up a rapport and relationship with their instructors, who taught the practical skills alongside the theory.
She said instructors helped to show students how their theory learning can be applied in real life and how it relates to employment.
- Studentworks held their open day at the Rocherlea workshop on October 26. The organisation is seeking contracts from interested parties, who can contact them on 6326 4514.
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