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Case Study 1: Using Centra.


The need for using technology in teaching heavy vehicle technicians is not a new concept. The trade changed quite dramatically in the late 1970’s with the introduction of electronic control systems to manage engine fuel consumption and later emissions. Today the technician is expected to have some knowledge and skill in using computer technology and multiple software options to diagnose faults and manage the various vehicle monitoring and management systems to maintain peak performance.

Jon Brannigan and Andrew Brideson were part of a small team involved in providing an accelerated training program to train ex-Mitsubishi and other retrenched workers for the mining industry. The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has had a crippling effect on the program which has now been placed into “mothballs”. Even so, over forty adult apprentices worked through the accelerated program and are now serving the remainder of their four year apprenticeship with host employers. The off-job studies normally covered over a three year period were completed in the first twelve months.

This type of training can be cost effective however without ongoing support, much of what has been covered at TAFE has not yet been reinforced through practice in the workplace. Because of this, apprentices can feel inadequate and vulnerable. The program is online but there are updates and new developments that students may not be aware of unless they were reviewing materials that had these updates. As a team, we did not want our apprentices to be left completely to their own devices. We wanted to maintain a level of support but how to do this given that they would not be coming back to TAFE. This is where we thought Centra might be useful. Both Jon and Andrew were keen to look at learning more about Centra and what it might be able to provide in additional student support.

No one in the heavy vehicle section knew how to use Centra as a facilitator although a couple of us had used it as a participant. It just so happened that while we were thinking about how we might support our students that the LTM program provided an answer.



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