A growing cohort of courses at South Regional TAFE have moved online to deliver curriculums, giving students the opportunity to follow their interests without geographical restrictions.
South Regional TAFE spans 196,600 square kilometres from Bunbury to Esperance leaving online courses a desirable option for regional and remote students. Currently, courses are available across industries such as the arts, digital, gaming, music, AUSLAN, environmental, health and safety, business, and cyber security.
Margaret River Campus Lecturer Caroline Abbey said that it made sense to deliver the Diploma of Graphic Design(opens in a new tab) and the Preparatory Skill Set for Professional Graphic Design Practice(opens in a new tab) courses online as the student’s eventual career would use the medium to research, present briefs, collaborate and deliver concepts.
“The courses are incredibly flexible with opportunities for one-on-one classes, online progress reports, feedback between students, live classes, interactive discussions and problem solving.”
“I am able to accommodate large groups of students from across Western Australia who might study full-time or part-time, while maintaining a personalised schedule to support their individual needs.”
“I work with a lot of students who are in their early 30s and have always wanted to follow a creative career but haven’t had the opportunity. Studying an online course allows them to pursue a career change in design alongside their current employment and commitments.”
“Not only has the overall course delivery been successful but my students have also achieved individual success.”
“Last year, my student Felicity Jones won the statewide road safety campaign competition Re:act and then went on to win South Regional TAFE’s 2024 Student of the Year.”
“This year, six of my students have already secured jobs in September, well before they are due to complete their course in December.”
Lecturer Harriet Paterson teaches the Geographic Information System (GIS) Skill Set(opens in a new tab) and the Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management(opens in a new tab) online or in-person from the Albany campus.
“From my perspective, whether you are physically in the classroom or online you can develop a culture of sharing and support with all the participants”.
“My students have an opportunity to grow confidence while presenting their work to their peers and see the benefits of a feedback model particularly within the GIS Skills Set where we share our screens and utilise different maps relevant to their geographical locations.”
“All the data we need for the GIS Skills Set is already online so this 10-week course is an effective continuation of the work they will be expected to complete in their future employment”
“The flexibility has been popular with regional and remote based students, and the Diploma also includes short, recorded lectures so that students can complete their course-work between their other commitments, and make the most of the live-classroom element”.
“At the end of both of these courses, students could have data, maps or a management plan that they can either share with their employer or use as part of their portfolio to apply for future jobs.”
With a vast array of online courses now available, South Regional TAFE invites potential future students to explore their options and get in touch with any questions. www.southregionaltafe.wa.edu.au/courses