Top notch trade teachers

Among TAFE Queensland’s many industry-experienced, passionate trade teachers are a particular group of high-achievers training apprentice engineers at TAFE Queensland’s Eagle Farm campus. The team train fitting and turning apprentices studying the Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade (MEM30219) and other associated engineering courses at TAFE Queensland’s trade campus in Brisbane’s inner-North.

Possessing a wealth of experience across the engineering industry, team members Nigel Wealleans, Marcus Jeffery, John Gardner, and Nilesh Govind-Vanmali have each spent decades in the profession before transitioning to teaching the next generation of tradespeople.

Student feedback for the team is regular and impressive, with apprentices often remarking on their immense technical knowledge and nurturing teaching methods.

“It’s extremely apparent how much they care about student progression in their teaching styles and delivery of the course information. From staying back late for tutorials, updating PowerPoints, fabricating jigs and devices, putting their own time into continuous improvement, one on one help, and all the training record book admin,” one student wrote.

“Each and every one of them manages to stay very calm and composed in class even in challenging situations. This makes the learning environment positive and a pleasure to be part of. I hope they don’t retire before I finish my time here at Eagle Farm, there will be big boots to fill when they’re gone!” they continued.

Recently, after identifying an opportunity for greater training possibilities, Mr Wealleans led the team – with help from TAFE Queensland teachers in other industries such as electrotechnology – in designing and creating new training exercises for fourth-year apprentices.

Mr Wealleans said he undertook the additional project to provide better learning outcomes for apprentices including the ability to train on industry-standard equipment, and that the project called for collaboration from a number of teaching teams.

“We built these machines to provide an opportunity for students to work on up-to-date machines that relate to the workplace environment,” Mr Wealleans said.

“The exercises actually run at speed, so they provide real time dynamic feedback for correct operation.”

“The exercises help consolidate the apprentices’ overall mechanical knowledge by combining many different technical details. The students get a sense of satisfaction from correctly assembling and condition monitoring the machines that simulate real world applications,” he said.

The fitting and turning teaching team at TAFE Queensland’s Eagle Farm campus are just one example of the more than 2,500 dedicated educators across TAFE Queensland’s 60 campuses and online training.