The gazette november 2015

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November 2015 Volume 6 No 10 Monthly Newsletter THE Gazette Just another day in paradise Conservation and Land Management students from Great Southern Institute of Technology are helping to save an area of sand dunes at one of Albany’s coastal icons. At the idyllic Salmon Holes fishing beach in the Torndirrup National Park west of Albany, where erosion was threatening the stability of the dunes, the students have been carrying out a restoration project which will ensure environmental benefits for years to come. It has also brought satisfaction and pride as well as practical experience for the students, according to their lecturer Terry Madden. The project, a collaborative effort by the Department of Parks and Wildlife and Great Southern Institute of Technology, was funded from the Department of Planning’s Coast West initiative. Terry said preparation for the project began in the classroom early this year, with work health and safety training and an introduction to botany. Other units throughout the year as part of the course taught the students how to maintain natural areas and the finer points of erosion, sediment control, and propagation of native plants. The students started the project in September, examining the indigenous plants in the area and then fencing off the steep, eroded area. A few weeks later, they began installing coconut matting, which will remain in place while revegetation is underway. Seeds from adjacent native plants – including the woolly bush, peppermint, wattle, westringia, sword grass, pigface and banksia – were sown and will grow within the matting, which will afford protection until the vegetation is well established. Continued on page 2 Department of Parks and Wildlife National Park Ranger Mark Roddy, Lecturer Terry Madden (second from right, back row) and the student group admire their work.

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Page 1: The gazette november 2015

November 2015Volume 6 No 10

Monthly Newsletter

THEGazette

Just another day in paradiseConservation and Land Management students from Great Southern Institute of Technology are helping to save an area of sand dunes at one of Albany’s coastal icons.At the idyllic Salmon Holes fishing beach in

the Torndirrup National Park west of Albany, where erosion was threatening the stability of the dunes, the students have been carrying out a restoration project which will ensure environmental benefits for years to come.It has also brought satisfaction and pride

as well as practical experience for the students, according to their lecturer Terry Madden.The project, a collaborative effort by the

Department of Parks and Wildlife and Great Southern Institute of Technology, was funded from the Department of Planning’s Coast West initiative.Terry said preparation for the project

began in the classroom early this year, with work health and safety training and an introduction to botany.Other units throughout the year as part

of the course taught the students how to maintain natural areas and the finer points of erosion, sediment control, and propagation of native plants.The students started the project in

September, examining the indigenous plants in the area and then fencing off the steep, eroded area. A few weeks later, they began installing coconut matting, which will remain in place while revegetation is underway.Seeds from adjacent native plants –

including the woolly bush, peppermint, wattle, westringia, sword grass, pigface and banksia – were sown and will grow within the matting, which will afford protection until the vegetation is well established.

Continued on page 2

Department of Parks and Wildlife National Park Ranger Mark Roddy, Lecturer Terry Madden (second from right, back row) and the student group admire their work.

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To access this newsletter as a PDF by email or for a printed copy, phone 9892 8888.To download a PDF, visit the website www.gsit.wa.edu.au. The Gazette is on the Publications page under the ‘About Us’ tab.

Want to read The Gazette in another format?

From page 1Being a natural fibre, the matting will

eventually decompose, causing no detrimental effects to the environment.Terry said installing the matting had been

hard work, involving carrying about 25 heavy rolls of the material up to the eroded areas and unrolling it down the dunes before pinning it in place. Each roll was 25 metres long and 2 metres wide.It had, however, been an excellent project

for the students’ understanding of the industry they were training for, Terry said.“It has given them a good idea of the sort

of work that’s in front of them,” he said.Department of Parks and Wildlife

National Park Ranger Mark Roddy said the students had worked well and shown enthusiasm for the job.Mark said the busy spot was popular with

anglers and other visitors from outside the region, of whom a large proportion were from non-English-speaking backgrounds.For this reason, it is important that

appropriate signs are installed to keep people off the areas during the restoration process and educating them about preserving our coastal land.Student Marcus Randall has appreciated

the chance to work on the project.“It’s given us a lot of practical experience

out in the field,” Marcus said.“Getting to work on meaningful projects

brings great rewards,” he added.At the end of the project, Department of

Parks and Wildlife rangers will monitor the area. Within a few months, the plants’ root systems will be established, bringing new life to the dunes.

Another day in paradise

The student group installed coconut fibre matting on eroded dunes at Salmon Holes. The matting can be seen on the left. The fence at the bottom of the slope will keep people off while restoration takes place.

Nick Miller works on the fence.

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Top: Marcus Randall.

Above left: Darcy Martin and Owen Donegan.

Above: Owen Donegan pins the matting in place.

Left: The coconut fibre matting will eventually disintegrate without harming the environment.

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Over the past fortnight I have been meeting with staff and providing an overview of the impact that changes to government policy are having on the operations of the institute. I’ve appreciated the positive feedback I

have received, and staff suggestions made in respect of ensuring that our delivery continues to be relevant to our students and community.I encourage you all to put forward

ideas for improving either our business performance or the learning and working environment in any area. The Institute Resources Board meets

regularly and any proposal for innovation that requires additional resources will be favourably considered.I can assure staff that although we

operate under constraints we did not anticipate five years ago, the institute is in a sound position and well prepared for any new challenges that may arise in 2016.Managers and lecturers have been asked

to review course structures and the student market to ensure that our programs remain relevant.This review has led to the GETSTUCKIN

program which offers an alternative for school-aged students .Structured around school terms and

timetables, the GETSTUCKIN program recognises that school-aged students would benefit from enrolment in a vocational stream rather than a single qualification, and their study load should cover four or five days a week.We have also recognised that financial

hardship is discouraging some students

from re-enrolling in further qualifications, and in 2016 students on concession with an existing payment plan that extends to 2017 will be offered the option of a fee waiver if they re-enrol in a new qualification.My congratulations go to Skills for

Education and Employment (SEE) Coordinator Lucy Wellstead, who has been selected to sit on a national IT user reference group to improve reporting mechanisms for both the SEE program and the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). Lucy’s selection reflects the high esteem in which she is held by her peers.The Strategic Plan 2016-2018 and the

2016 Business Plan are key governance documents. Once approved by the Minister, the

strategic plan will be circulated to staff.I am pleased to see that building work to

the library at the Albany campus and the new Mount Barker campus will be finished ahead of schedule, ready for the new academic year. I would like to welcome back Trades

Manager Kathy Keay, who has served a 12-month secondment with the Training Accreditation Council in Perth, next month. Kathy’s experience in, and specialised

knowledge of, auditing is a valuable skill set which will be a great advantage for our delivery areas.Thank you to Michael Korn, who acted

in the position while Kathy was working in Perth. Michael will now return to lecturing duties.All staff are invited to play in the annual

cricket championship on Friday 27 November at 1pm. Proceeds will go towards a scholarship for

FROM THE

MD’s DeskAROUND THE INSTITUTE

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FROM THE

MD’s Deska student facing financial hardship in 2016. See page 25 for details.I look forward to seeing everyone at the

end-of-year afternoon tea on 11 December at 2.30pm. The portfolio news below shows other

initiatives and achievements by people around our institute.

CommerceStudents of the Certificate III in Business and Certificate III in Tourism are collaborating on a fundraising campaign as part of their course – Rocky Road against Domestic Violence. They will sell Rocky Road at the Albany

campus on 25 November and all proceeds will go to the White Ribbon Foundation.Healthy Computing classes are to be

run in Tambellup for Aboriginal students, who will then be encouraged to enrol in a Gaining Access to Training and Employment (GATE) program next year. This course, which is made possible

by an ANZ Seeds for Renewal grant, is another example of our institute facilitating study for Aboriginal people and bringing opportunities to help them on the path to meaningful employment.

Primary industriesDairy Lecturer Jay Rowles attended a forum for managers and trainers at the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA) in Melbourne. The institute enjoys a strong relationship

with NCDEA and delivers qualifications across the South West. Examples are Cups On Cups Off (CoCo) and Artificial Insemination (AI) short courses.

Skills Development CentreAn SDC tender for a ‘Singing Together’ program for students with English as a second language was successful in gaining a grant from the Department of Social Services. This will start in 2016 and after about 10 weeks of rehearsal, the students will present a community concert.

TradesStudents in the Certificate II in Kitchen Operations course opened their own café in George’s on three consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The students, who all attend high school,

produced excellent fare under the guidance of Cookery Lecturers Andrea Gallagher, Mark Crabtree and Steve Speight. The initiative was well supported by

Albany campus students and staff, many of whom were seen to return to try different dishes on the menu.

Community and HealthGeorge’s Restaurant was also the venue for the completion ceremony for graduating nurses on 6 November. The eight nurses are about to receive their BSc (Nursing) from Curtin University, a degree course which is delivered entirely at this institute. The group were applauded by their invited

guests of family and friends, and Amanda McCallum representing Curtin University. Congratulations to the nurses on this

achievement, which takes significant commitment and dedication to achieve, particularly for those with young families.A number of Children’s Services students

and staff were involved with the recent Early Years Conference at the Albany Entertainment Centre. Presented by the Great Southern Early

Years Network, the conference hosted nearly 400 delegates over the two days. Well done to those staff members who

helped to organise this.

Cheers,Chris

PORTFOLIO NEWS

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Tempeny Gurney constructs a delicious Aussie burger.

Sue Stokes enjoys morning tea with Terry and Maria Tomasini.

Jamie Puls at the coffee machine.

People working and studying at the Albany campus recently made a beeline to George’s Restaurant, where students of the Certificate II in Kitchen Operations ran their own café.For three weeks on Thursdays and

Fridays, the group presented a range of tasty fare for morning tea and lunch.Cookery lecturers Andrea Gallagher,

Mark Crabtree and Steve Speight supervised the students as they produced tempting biscuits, cakes and scones to serve with fresh coffee or milk shakes.At lunch time, the kitchen cranked

up as the menu changed to offer substantial baked and toasted sandwiches and burgers – all with chips.With their new-found skills and a

taste of working in a commercial kitchen, the students are well equipped to take on further training or find entry-level work in the industry.Their enjoyment of the venture was

matched by customer satisfaction, which was evidenced in the number of return customers over the three weeks.

Kitchen a hive of activity for training café

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Great Southern Institute of Technology students are assisting in a University of Western Australia project to collect soil samples across WA’s 250 million hectares.The Certificate II in Conservation and Land

Management students have worked in various locations around the Great Southern, including Katanning, Tambellup, Broomehill and Albany.The samples must be collected within a set

timeframe to enable the research to be meaningful and useful.Microbes are fundamental to life as we know it,

playing a vital role in maintaining ecological balance within the environment.The samples our students collect will be analysed

by UWA for sequencing microbial DNA to create a baseline – a point of reference for the health of WA’s environment. This benchmark could lead to initiatives addressing

key sustainability issues.WA is a celebrated biodiversity hotspot which is

under threat. The symbiotic relationship that microbes have with native plants directly affects agricultural health and productivity. The study could show how indiscriminate use

of chemicals and pesticides are destroying those microbes, thereby interfering with native plant growth and potentially changing the environment for ever.To collect the samples, the students clear and

mark out a quadrant measuring 50 cm on each side, photograph it and record its reference number for uploading later to UWA. They also record the site’s GPS coordinates, the date and time.They then dig a hole 5cm in diameter and 10cm

deep in the centre of the quadrant and take a soil sample, which is placed in a small zip-lock bag to be sent for chemical analysis. Also, two small DNA sampling tubes are filled to a

set level for DNA analysis. At the end of each sampling, the area is restored

and the samples are placed in cold storage as quickly as possible.They are then transported to UWA for analysis and

entry into the data bank.Five students from the Albany campus and 13 from

the Katanning campus have been involved in this important research project.

– Mark Randall

Students dig up data for vital project

Conservation and Land Management student Craig Little shows a data recording sheet and soil sample for analysis by UWA.

Each quadrant is marked out and numbered before the sample is taken.

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Nurses treated to fine farewellA group of BSc (Nursing) students held a celebration to mark the end of their 3½ years of study at Great Southern Institute of Technology.The evening celebration on

6 November gave the new nurses a chance to celebrate with those family members and friends who had supported them through the Curtin University degree course, which is delivered at the institute’s Albany campus.The institute’s Acting

Managing Director Chris Jones congratulated the students and wished them well. He also thanked the institute’s

dedicated nursing lecturers, who consistently ensure a high standard of education and training. Chris then introduced

Amanda McCallum, representing Curtin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, who addressed the gathering.Following the formal

proceedings, the students enjoyed supper and cut a special celebratory cake.

Alan Averill and Allan Stewart.

Noeleen and Pauline Sprigg.

Celeste O’Flynn and Jezzale Anarna.

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Celebrating the completion of their degree course are Samantha Cook, Caitlyn Cooper, Sally Daniels, Amaro Taqwa, Jane Stewart, Kirby Sprigg and Jorja Bevan.Megan Robson was absent.

Michael Purtill, Sally Daniels, and Halle and Tess Purtill.

Nika Kilvington, Bailey Blight and Kathryn Zambonetti.

Jodie Watkins, Chris Jones and Amanda McCallum.

Quinton Ostigh with baby Jesse Ostigh, Daemyn Cooper, Delma Witham and Reuben Cooper.

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Cultural connection at program’s heartOn 11 November, Great Southern Institute of Technology hosted a group of young Noongar people taking part in a career pathway program presented by South Coast Natural Resource Management.The Cultural Connections

4 Youth Project helps young Aboriginal people at risk to develop their skills in natural resource management and encourage a closer connection to their land and culture.Having been introduced to

various resources around Albany, the group visited the institute to hear about training opportunities and pathways to vocational education and employment.The eager participants

gathered in George’s Restaurant, where they were hosted by the institute’s Aboriginal Programs branch. Speakers from the trades and

environment portfolios inspired the youngsters, who were taken on a tour of the campus to view the facilities for study and recreation.Aboriginal Programs Manager

Ron Grey said the students had been enthusiastic about the visit, which would help them in their vocational education and training plans for next year.He congratulated Aboriginal

Programs Assistant Melissa Meyer on her considerable work on the project and South Coast NRM on the creation and management of it. He also wished the students well for their future in training or the workforce.

Charlie and Jezelda Lethbridge with Aboriginal Programs Assistant Melissa Meyer (centre).

Sherelee Shandley and Zalleah Binsaad.

Anthony Turner and Tayla Winmar.

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Jordan Wallam, Noah Woods, Kyle Williams, Jordan Muir and Brandon Woods.

Jakeb Finlay, Taj Williams, Ashley Riley and Nic Finlay.

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Building project ahead of scheduleThe refurbished library, with its various offices, classrooms and meeting areas, is on track for completion in time for the new academic year.Here’s a selection of photos of the

progress of the building work.

Light, open spaces characterise the new building.

Ceiling features add interest to the architecture.

A seating area and steps under construction.Existing offices get a makeover.

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Staff offices near the main entrance.

A covered walkway will lead from the back of the building to the new health block.

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Helping to organise a Melbourne Cup lunch at the Katanning Country Club gave Gaining Access to Training and Employment students a chance to show the community the diversity of their skills.With their lecturers Andrea Rundle and Sally Crossley, the students presented a colourful and delicious variety of food platters which drew accolades from the punters.While raising funds for the tennis club, the students were happy to put their skills into practice at this popular community event.

Skills on show to feed hungry hordes...

Left: Tiernan Muir gets busy in the kitchen.Right: Kelly Stephens makes the table look attractive.Below: Nadia Woods tops a pavlova.Bottom right: Decadent desserts made a fitting end to a wonderful meal.

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... and a pizza oven to keep them fed

With the craze for wood-fired pizza seemingly never-ending, a new pizza oven made by students at the Katanning campus is sure to earn its keep for years to come.Under the guidance of lecturer Mark

Randall, students of the Certificate II in Horticulture and Certificate III in Rural Operations made the pizza oven, which was built around the metal frame of an old desk.The students’ brickwork, cementing and

metalwork skills were called into practice

for the project, which took the high school students most of the year, combined with their lessons on horticulture and landscaping.The telling part was in the cooking of

the pizzas, which brought unanimous accolades from those who had worked on the project as well as those who just got to eat the pizzas.Finished with a depiction of the Aboriginal

flag, the pizza oven now takes pride of place in a corner of the Katanning campus.

Student Shane Woods paints the pizza oven.

The oven takes pride of place at the Katanning campus.

Access All Areaswith Wendy Macliver

This year Disability Awareness Week in Western Australia is from 30 November to 5 December. It includes International Day of People with Disability celebrated on 3 December.This week promotes the State

Government’s Count Me In vision that all people live in welcoming communities which facilitate citizenship, friendship, mutual

support and a fair go for everyone.To celebrate their achievements, the

Access Art students at Katanning campus are holding an art exhibition at the Katanning Art Gallery. Disability is not always visible. Take a look at myinvisiblelife a blog of

community stories about living with an illness or disability that is not visible.

Count Me In

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Showgoers stop at stand for advice

Kristine Deutschmann and Jan Auld were on hand to give out information to prospective students.

Showgoers Lynley Gouldthorp and Lauren Cooper chat with Kristine Deutschmann.

Good numbers of visitors to the Albany Agricultural Show took time to stop at the institute’s stand for course and career information.

Student Support Manager Jan Auld and her team gave out course lists and took enquiries from those planning to study in 2016.

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As we head in to summer, Albany’s weather is just perfect for getting outside for a bit of exercise, but in our busy lifestyles finding the time is often hard. One solution is to multitask and walk or

cycle to work – or for those even more adventurous, skate board. Choosing to walk or cycle turns your

commute into a multipurpose activity – travel and daily exercise.Often for short trips, the time taken to walk

or cycle to work, school or the shops is just as quick as using your car. Most adults can walk 1km in about

10 minutes or cycle 5km in about 15 minutes, meaning a 1-2km walk or 5km cycle each way to work will get you your recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise.From an employer’s point of view, staff

using active transport to travel to work also has benefits, with research indicating people who are physically active in their

daily lives are more productive in the workplace and have better attendance records.Therefore the workplace is the ideal

setting to support and promote active travel with both staff and employers gaining a significant benefit.To help community members and local

businesses implement changes to promote active transport, the City of Albany, with funding from the Department of Transport, has recently employed a TravelSmart Officer whose role includes assisting employers and their staff to look at ways of encouraging more people to use active transport for their daily commute.Businesses wishing to know more about

the Dept of Transport’s TravelSmart Workplace Program can visit the Department’s website or contact City of Albany TravelSmart Officer Carl Beck on [email protected].

SeedsOF SUSTAINABILITY

Make your workplace TravelSmart

Carl Beck is a member of the institute’s Governing Council and TravelSmart Officer with the City of Albany. Carl will make a presentation – and demonstrate the benefits of an electric bicycle – at the next Seeds of Sustainability Committee meeting, scheduled for Monday 7 December at 1pm in the boardroom at the Albany campus. All interested staff and students are welcome to attend.

Email [email protected]

Do you have an idea for an article in The Gazette?

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An industrious group of students recently took over the training kitchen at the Albany campus to churn out dozens of portions of sweet, chunky rocky road.The calorie-laden concoction of

chocolate, marshmallow and jelly is not all for their own consumption – though they probably had to taste each batch for quality control purposes.The group of students are from the

Certificate III in Business and the Certificate III in Tourism, for which the unit ‘Promote innovation in a team environment’ is common to both.The group chose to operate their

mini chocolate factory to draw attention to the serious social issue of domestic violence.While promoting the sale of the

rocky road, students Stan Smith and Trish Johnston explained the group’s chosen fundraiser had been for the White Ribbon Foundation, which raises awareness of domestic violence while campaigning to end men’s violence against women.Student Trish Johnston said the

group considered their options for the beneficiary of the funds, and once they had decided on White Ribbon, the rocky road imagery fitted the theme.Another student, Stan Smith,

made up a poster which is on notice boards around the Albany campus – and reproduced on the next page.At morning tea time on

Wednesday 25 November, the students will set up a stall between A, B and M Blocks, where they will sell their popular confection for $5 a portion.

Sweet road to harmony

Business student Ruth Harloe lines the tins in which the rocky road will set.

Natasha Wheelwright and Trish Johnston melt chocolate.

Sukhpal Sadeora stirs the chocolate ready for adding marshmallows and jelly sweets.

Stan Smith – who designed the poster on the opposite page –pours the rocky road into a tin to set.

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Stan Smith’s poster to promote sales of rocky road.

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Reconciliation Action Plan 2014-2015In launching its Reconciliation Action Plan last October, Great Southern Institute of Technology demonstrated its commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so that together, real benefits can be achieved for the wider community.To highlight Indigenous issues and track our progress as defined by the plan, The

Gazette publishes an article every month.This month, we continue our series of articles on the role of the institute’s Aboriginal

Education, Employment and Training Committee and the initiatives put to the committee by Aboriginal students.

A group of Aboriginal students taking the Certificate II in Community Services at the Albany campus recently participated in a meeting of the institute’s Aboriginal Education, Employment and Training Committee (AEETC).The committee, set up to ensure the

availability of appropriate training courses and opportunities for Noongar people, welcomed the students, who put forward

initiatives to be presented to the institute’s executive for consideration.Community and Health Manager and

committee member Donna Blight said as part of their course, the students had examined the Reconciliation Action Plan.They had then toured the Albany

campus,where they had identified areas for cultural enhancement.

Continued on page 15

Committee to consider studentideas

Henry Dabb, Brendan Kelly, Jasmine Osborn, Mark Colbung, Tanya Inman and Henry Jones near a water tank on which they would like to see traditional painting.

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From page 14“Several ideas sprang from

their discussions,” Donna said.“At the AEETC meeting,

they made a presentation on their findings,” she said.Among the students’

ideas to promote cultural awareness were a Noongar welcome statement at the main entrance and an Aboriginal six-season garden behind the new library.Student Henry Jones said

he would also like to see

native gardens planted around the gazebos to enliven the landscape.He said the opportunity

to attend the meeting had been valuable for the group.“We were able to share our

ideas about what could be put into action and areas that could be better utilised and brightened up,” Henry said.Brightening the campus

was also a major consideration for student Tanya Inman, who said the group had been keen to see the rainwater tank in bushland near the north-eastern corner of the campus painted in traditional artwork, and a half-size basketball court installed nearby.“You would get to meet

other people on the

basketball court and it would be good for kids on the campus to be active at lunchtime,” Tanya said.Henry agreed, saying

social activities could promote good attendance.Cross-cultural connections

were an important aspect of the initiatives for student Mark Colbung.“We have people from

other countries such as the Philippines, and it would be good to be more culture-friendly,” Mark said.In the committee’s meeting

report, recommendations were made for submission to the executive. If the initiatives are found to be viable, they will be carried out in the next few months – and enhance the campus for the benefit of the institute’s people for years to come.

Committee to consider studentrequests

HR NewsWith Paula Pattinson

Positions Advertised• Internal EOI Refunds Officer – successful applicant was Tracey Jones• Principal Lecturer, Trades – no appointment made• Farm Technician – successful applicant was Brett Cameron• Internal EOI Fees Officer – successful applicant was Dianne Franzinelli• Lecturer Community Services – readvertised, applications closed 16 November• Desktop Support Officer – applications closed 9 November• External EOI Casual Lecturer Media and Design – applications closed

19 November• Lecturer Nursing – advert appeared 18 and 19 November, applications close

2 December.New staffA warm welcome is extended to the following new or recommencing staff:• Peter Glen, Casual Lecturer Land Management• Hayley Lawrence, Casual Lecturer, Skills Development Centre• Katherine Hancock, Casual Lecturer Fitness.Staff exiting• Jodi Remaj, Lecturer Hairdressing, ceased 25 September.

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Safety First

With Rick Muller

In a medical emergency, calling for an ambulance could mean the difference between life and death. However, people

sometimes hesitate to call because they are not sure if the situation qualifies as an emergency. If in doubt, always

call triple zero (000). The people who take your call are trained to help you and will direct you to the appropriate resources.Remember, if you

are not sure that what is happening is a real emergency, you can always phone for an ambulance and they will come and assess the situation. Ambulance

paramedics can always attend, assess and then leave the person if they do not require further emergency treatment.It is a good idea to take

a first aid course so that you can recognise a

medical emergency and administer first aid until medical help arrives. Your quick and effective action could mean the difference between

life and death for the injured person. For more information

on staff first aid courses, phone me, Rick Muller, on 9892 8725.

When should I call an ambulance?

If you’re in doubt about phoning 000, do it. The person taking your call is trained to help.

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This column courtesy of Great Southern Population Health. For more information, phone 9842 7500 (Albany)

or 9821 6287 (Katanning).

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you will have heard phrases such as ‘sweet poison’ and ‘toxic sugar. But what does this

actually mean? Is all sugar bad for us? How much sugar is too much?

What is sugar?Sugar is a type of carbohydrate which we need for energy to fuel our brain and body. The term ‘sugar’ can be used to refer to all sugar, but there are different types, including natural sugar and added sugar.

Natural sugar Sugar is naturally occurring in foods such as fruit, some vegetables and dairy. These foods can be

higher in sugar, but also have high nutritional quality as they are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. These foods are not considered to be harmful to our health and are an important part of a balanced diet.

Added sugarAdded sugar – or free sugar – includes refined sugar that is added to food and drinks such as soft drinks, lollies, ice-cream, cakes, biscuits and sports drinks. It also includes sugar

present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. Sugar can also be

added to foods which are not typically sweet, such as salad dressing, sauces and microwave-ready meals. These foods are

considered to be high

in energy but lacking in nutritional quality. Therefore we need to eat them in moderation.

Ok, so how much can I eat?The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently recommended that for good health we should eat less than 10 per cent of our total energy intake as added sugar. If we want additional health benefits, we should aim for less than 5 per cent, which is less than six teaspoons a day.

The sugar debate

For more information and tips and to use the sugary drinks calculator to measure your sugar intake visit the livelighter website.

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Check out what’s happening at Your Regional TAFE

The Quality Implementation Group (QIG) is systematically working through the Academic Quality Documents to ensure they comply with the Standards for RTOs. The list below shows the recently updated documents.

Academic Quality Document updates

If you come across a document with out-of-date information, please advise Caro Saunders (ext 8742).

The following documents have been added, updated and deleted on the intranet: New:ASRD033 Create/Modify a Student Study Plan Work InstructionASRD034 Qualification Processing – Electronic Stamp on Student Study Plan Work Instructions

Reviewed and Updated:QFAS0041 Credit Transfers and Exemptions FormQFAS0110 Statement of Attainment Explanatory NotesQFAS0133 Post Validation Form

Deleted:ASRD012 Developing Training and Assessment Strategy Overviews (TASO) Information SheetASRD013 Developing Training and Assessment Plans (TAPs) Information SheetQFAS0050 Qualification Application FormQFAS0051 Qualification Application – Ineligible Request for Further Information Form

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