ARCIA Work With Riverina TAFE to Enhance RF Skills Training.

For a number of years now ARCIA has recognised that fewer organisations in Australia are teaching a radio trades course suitable for apprentices. ARCIA has been trying to find a way to fill the void in training for RF Skills and during last year we discovered that Riverina TAFE College in Wagga Wagga are doing some RF training for the technicians for Air Services Australia. Although their course is similar to our industry’s needs it is not an exact fit at this stage and will need to modify it to suit our members’ needs.

We have held several discussions with Riverina TAFE and we invited them to be involved in Comms Connect in Melbourne last year, this was to also allow them to see a bit more about our industry and the options we offer, as well as gain an understanding of the differences between our needs and those of Air Services Australia. Following on from that both of our organisations believe that there is a future for RF Skills training and we continue to work with the Riverina TAFE to develop some outcomes.

On 18th May a number of ARCIA members who employ trainees/apprentices and members of the training and education committee will be meeting with the staff from Riverina TAFE in Wagga Wagga to discuss the course content and inspect their facilities.

With the recognition that no individual training organisation can presently justify running a radio trades training course, plus there are no RTO’s with suitable content to suit our industry, we believe that we must continue to work with Riverina to develop this option.