Tuesday, March 10, 2009 KEEPING THE SOUTH EAST INFORMED SINCE

CE 1861 $1.00 inc. GST

$1

March 10th 2009

NEWS
Volkswagen send
sixth gene ration G
s
olf SOCIAL
SNAP
ld
YOUR LOCAL
out into the w or • Page 4

CAR BUYING SHOTS

INSIDE GUIDE – Page 11
BW491048

INSIDE TOMORROW: TV WATCH – SEVEN DAY TELEVISION GUIDE LIFTOUT

New Nissan
370Z - More

Training shortfall
de

Suzuki unveils agile, more

small car thrills
pioneer • Page 6
• Page 3
C uze marks

family connections in the would help attract interna-

area. tional students.
“I feel that this problem has Mr Mezinec said the campus
BY JASON WALLACE been long standing as I came had been creative in its deliv-
Email: jason@tbw.com.au
Email: jason@tbw.com.au up against the same brick wall ery approach, finding ways to
T E R T I A RY s t u d e n t s i n when studying visual and meet course demands through
Mount Gambier have voiced applied art in 1992 when the use of video conferencing,
frustration at a lack of course diploma was not being offered web-based courses and cor-
options at the city’s TAFE SA locally,” she said. respondence when they could
campus and are considering “There must be some way not be provided on-campus.
circulating a petition to call that local people can remain He said modern methods
for a more diverse selection of in the region to continue their of course delivery were also
training opportunities. studies.” becoming more popular due
They have warned a contin- Limestone Coast TAFE SA to technological change and
ued lack of training choices regional education manager increased study by workers.
will lead to an exodus of young David Mezinec said the insti- “TAFE SA can deliver
people from the region. tution worked hard to meet anywhere, anytime now and
Rebecca Winterfield told all study needs, but could not if there is a need we can usu-
The Border Watch she had always cater for everyone. ally service it through that
been studying information “There will be times we are approach,” he said, adding
technology at the facility until not able to meet the needs of enrolments had climbed to
recently when the course she all potential students, but if 5263 last year.
wanted to undertake was not there is a course they can’t do However, Mount Gambier
offered locally. locally I would have thought 25-year-old Robert Stewart
“I was forced to study exter- we could tee it up by external said the lack of TAFE courses
nally, even though I would mode,” he said. and high costs associated with
prefer to attend on campus,” Mr Mezinec said course university was still holding
she said. selections had to be based him back from employment
Ms Winterfield said she on the number of potential opportunities.
would be unable to continue students to be economical. “I’ve been trying to get into
studying locally beyond this “If there are a number of courses I want to do for years
year as appropriate diplomas people looking at a certain and they are either not avail-
were not offered at the local area we are always interested able or you have to travel to
TAFE or university facili- in following it up,” he said. another area to do them,” he
ties. “We want people to stay said.
“If Mount Gambier is to in the region and be trained “For regional people to get
continue to grow into the to the highest level possible good jobs, that is what they
future and retain skilled through TAFE.” face.”
professionals it is important Mr Mezinec said additional Mr Stewart said that while
to offer many more courses certificate courses were a diverse range of courses
to those that would like to offered each year, with more was offered locally, many
remain in the region and not than 100 now available on- interest areas were not met,
just in the IT area either,” campus in Mount Gambier, “especially when you consider
she said. in addition to many external we service the broader area
“Information technology study options. from Naracoorte to Kingston
is the way of the future, yet He said he hoped the number where there would be a lot of
there are limited courses of diplomas offered on-campus primary industry needs”.
available for us to study.” in Mount Gambier could also He said he was considering
Ms Winterfield said she be increased from the current distributing a petition to call
was not prepared to leave 10, with expectations the for increased opportunities at pFears have been aired that a lack of some course options at the city’s TAFE SA
the region as she had strong higher-level qualifications the city’s TAFE SA campus. campus are driving young people away to study elsewhere.

WEATHER Mount Gambier Today - Fine. Mostly sunny. 26o – full report page 23 TV GUIDE Page 10 COMICS Page 14 CLASSIFIEDS Pages 15-17

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