After two years of dedication and persistence eight Aboriginal students from across the western and Orana districts graduated on Wednesday at a special presentation at the Dubbo TAFE campus.
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The TAFE students have spent the past two years competing their school-based traineeship, and on Wednesday they graduated with an Aboriginal education support school-based trainee certificate III.
TAFE Western education support programs head teacher Shane Kilby said the students completed a new and exciting pilot program, which first began during term 3 in 2013, and saw them spend 100 days working and training at a number of local primary schools in the region.
"It was fantastic to see the development in the students - seeing them transform from shy trainees into happy, confident adults," she said.
"The students were a great help to the teachers in the classroom and the children really enjoyed having them there for support."
TAFE Western Jamie Sampson, Aboriginal Programs educational leader said it was great to see the students dedication to the course.
"Students of today have so much opportunity and support, so to see programs like this, it really gets me excited," he said.
The trainees who have successfully completed the school-based traineeship may choose to go on to a certificate IV in education support.
The Aboriginal education support school-based trainee certificate was a joint partnership, with TAFE Western, Department of Education and Communities, State Training Services, Elsa Dixon Funding, Way Ahead Program, Western Student Connections, Access Group Training and Indigenous Youth Careers Program, all vital in the success of the pilot program.