Alternative schools, trade colleges gaining in popularity | The Courier Mail

Another great story about the AITC was published in the Courier Mail, the Gold Coast Bulletin and Sunday Mail, by Toby Crockford (excerpt below),

The number of Queensland students graduating high school drastically dropped in the past three years, with current rates below those seen a decade ago.

Australian Industry Trade College’s Brisbane campus opened at the start of 2022 with 25-30 students – they now have 130.

“I think most people would agree the current school model is not fit for purpose for a growing number of young people,” AITC Brisbane assistant principal Rhys Cassidy said.

“Young people will come to us … with low self-esteem because they don’t see themselves as learners, and perhaps as second-class citizens, in the current schooling environment.

“Employers will say to us they value young people who have on-the-job skills and training … (then) they can go to university at a later date, or articulate into other training and degrees.”

Jack Boonstoppel, 16, left his previous school in Year 9. He is doing a Certificate III in Road Building Maintenance and has worked on BMD Group’s Springfield Arterial Project.

“At my old school, they weren’t going to help me much if I chose an apprenticeship. I was originally planning on doing carpentry, but they said I had to find the work myself,” he said.

Esther Norsgaard, 16, left her previous school at the end of Year 9 and joined AITC. She hopes to start training in advanced refrigeration technology next year.

“The teachers (here at AITC) are really supportive and they really motivate me.”

Astra Sheward, 16, left mainstream schooling in the middle of Year 10 and joined AITC. She hopes for a career in plumbing. She has also worked on Ipswich’s Springfield Arterial Project.

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