WELCOME TO Atwea College Semester 4 Magazine and Course Guide

As we approach the end of 2021, we look back at another year that has seen us overcome more challenges in the face of an enduring pandemic.

To overcome these challenges, Atwea again has had to prove our agility and responsiveness. Our main goal is to always provide inclusive and accessible education to our students. We strive to ensure their success, despite the barriers they may face. We are here to support them in their learning journey and make sure they achieve the outcomes they desire. Educational attainment is increasingly important as the demand for skilled employees grows. A modest improvement especially in the educational outcomes of young Australians would result in significant economic gains.

Atwea College and Alesco Senior College do more than just educate students. We prepare them for life – developing communication skills, self-discipline and respect for themselves, their peers and their world. We also strongly believe in the benefits of a rounded education, including the teamwork, self-expression and personal development that happens outside the classroom.

At Alesco, we know young people who complete Year 12 have a greater likelihood of being employed throughout their adult life and are less likely to be reliant on welfare, compared to their peers who do not complete school. Our school aims to develop students into independent and successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens – with the view to giving them all the skills, knowledge and capabilities to thrive.

In the first week of September, Atwea College celebrated a world-wide week dedicated to highlighting the outcomes of adult learning. For Adult Learners Week this year, we celebrated with the theme ‘Change Your Story’. We have an incredibly diverse student base, from all walks of life, who are wanting to change their lives. We are always proud to be a vehicle through which they make this change, steering them toward a brighter future where they have choice and opportunity. If they want to make the change, we will do whatever it takes to make this happen.

Atwea has been highly successful in attracting funding to support skills training in emerging areas of vocational pursuit. This is about identifying areas of employment need in our region and then working closely with employers and funding bodies to develop accredited courses. We want to ensure we can support our region’s economic recovery through education,training and community development. Students who enrol with community education providers such as Atwea consistently show the greatest increase into employment of any provider type. Community Education graduates were also the most satisfied with assessment, the most satisfied with the overall quality of training and the most willing to recommend their training providers.

We are also very proud of our Learn for Fun courses which enable health and wellbeing, engagement in recreational pursuits and increased community participation.

As we near the end of 2021 we would like to congratulate all of our students at Atwea College and Alesco Senior College who have completed, or are completing their studies and wish them all the very best for the future. We hope we have provided you with the support and confidence to take the next step in your journey.

If students want to make the CHANGE, we will do whatever it takes to make this happen.

Rowan Cox

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR