Adaptive Learning To Help our Region Recover

ATWEA College began more than 100 years ago as a place that provided access to education and learning for workers of this region. While the college has changed significantly since then, its commitment to delivering tailored education and learning options has not.

Executive Director of Atwea College Rowan Cox, said that Atwea’s role had always been to provide a stable learning platform that could flex and adjust to the ever-changing needs of the community. “We have been able to provide the people of the region with learning and education that could add value to individual, community and economic outcomes through skills training, educational qualifications and lifestyle learning options,” she said.

“We know that our community needs to access affordable and bespoke educational courses that are designed to suit their needs as they navigate through the health and economic challenges of Covid19,” she said.

Like most, the COVID-19 crisis had had a significant impact on the college which includes eight campuses in the region (included the Alesco Senior College) that are operated by more than 100 staff who provide learning options to thousands of local people each year. While the organisation continues to hold on to its staff, delivery of face to face accredited and non-accredited courses were put on hold. However, Atwea has been able to advance its plans for a new online teaching platform and has been successful in attracting additional government funding to provide facilitated learning. Current students are in the process of being contacted and set-up in the new online ‘Canvas’ platform.

The NSW Government grant will provide additional skills training for the growing number of unemployed in our community. The College was successful in securing a grant through the government’s Training and Services Department of Education under the ACE Relief to combat the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

“The grant will support the delivery of online and blended learning platforms specifically for people who have been redeployed, unemployed, low to middle-income adults who were at home and considering future job prospects. Atwea will offer courses in skill sets in focussed service industries, business, health and community services. It will also provide training for ever-changing job seekers through customised skill sets. Training will be delivered immediately by a combination of online, blended and practical application at all Atwea campuses,” she said.

“It is becoming clearer that there is a real need for people to access affordable and relevant skills training. Atwea is well prepared and is working with business, organisations, the not for profit sector and the wider community to develop the right courses and learning experiences now and into the future – whatever that might look like.” she said.

---

About Atwea College

Atwea College (Formerly WEA Hunter) is one of the state’s largest providers of adult and community education in NSW. It is also one of the sector's most diverse education providers offering government contract training, vocational education training and youth education across seven campuses. Atwea College is also the parent organisation to the award-winning Alesco Senior College.

Visit www.atwea.edu.au for more information.