| Twelve Months ago PEA reported on the Airds High School Years 9 & 10 OPE technical training initiative. The school’s Metal & Engineering teacher Frank Christensen developed the course as a strand of a “Power Technics” elective. This covers a broad range of areas relating to various forms of power technology. Frank decided that there was a great deal of potential to utilise student interest in a more select area of the overall program – small engines.
 Caption: OPEA members visited Mt Annan High School to observe the Year 9 & 10 Small Engine “Power Technics” course in operation. Other groups also participated including the Australian Army.
As the PEA article demonstrated, the course proved very popular with students and Airds High School quickly reached its maximum small engine enrolment capacity. After Frank Christensen transferred to nearby Mount Annan High School he took implemented a small engine course there. Later, Miller HS a third local high school also adopted the program.
The course is an elective accredited to their school certificate covering a broad range of equipment, the student will have 220 hours hands-on experience. It is the intention of the OPEA to have this prior learning recognised and to go towards a traineeship within our industry, this could reduce off the job training by 12-months.
OPEA
OPEA has been addressing the need to introduce school leavers to the OPE Industry as part of its ongoing program of relieving the chronic lack of new, qualified small engine technicians in this industry. Recently the OPEA Board along with other OPEA members and several Technical/Service Managers and members of other training group’s visited Mt Annan High School. The OPE course there currently is fully subscribed with 25 students (ie 20% of students) from Years 9 & 10.
 Caption: The basics of Two-Cycle engine operation
The course uses the school’s well-equipped metalwork room and power mechanics annex. Engines and finished products have been donated by Suppliers such as Victa, Briggs & Stratton and Stihl with some local Dealerships also contributing (notably Village Mowers, Ingleburn).
The school is grateful for the donations as Frank Christensen is convinced that the project’s success revolves around the ability to give the kids a ‘hands-on’ experience.
“Kids need a challenge – but one that is engaging enough for them to achieve success,” he explained to OPEA members. “If the problem set before them is too hard, many give up.” Small engines are both complicated enough to retain interest, while being relevant enough for them to enjoy the satisfaction of accomplishment. The students find this, tearing-down an engine, putting it back together again (with some help) and then being able to start it.
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According to Principal Chris Presland, the OPE initiative has done wonders for students looking to become involved down the track in a range of related industries and apprenticeships. It has done a lot to help students see a vocational relevance in their coursework at an early age. Two full years have now been completed and from the 25 students in the Class of 2004, seven (7) have entered the automotive industry.
The challenge therefore remains to retain these students inside the OPE Industry.
Dovetailed into National Curriculum
 Caption: The course uses the school’s well-equipped metalwork room and power mechanics annex. Engines & finished products have been donated by OPE Suppliers with Village Mowers, Ingleburn also supporting the project.
This could be achieved if the course was officially dovetailed into the new National Curriculum for Small Engine Technicians. Then students successfully completing the Years 9 & 10 course could complete an OPE Technician Certificate III in only two years instead of three. This has many attractions for both prospective trainees and employers. The trainees can gain their qualifications quicker (and with it pay for themselves quicker and attain full Technician pay rates) while the employers enjoy the services of a trainee that is productive from Day One. It also adds about 10 productive working weeks in a Dealership to the Trainee’s first year. Meanwhile the employer still enjoys all the Federal Government incentives for employing Trainees. That has got to make training new Technicians more attractive to Dealers.
Hub Concept
An ideal situation would be for two similar facilities to be set up in other Sydney schools (ideally in the Blacktown and Hornsby areas) to act as hub providers for the rest of the metropolitan area. Three hub schools could cover Melbourne (eg: St Albans, Broadmeadows, Dandenong), two Brisbane (North and South sides) with one each in the other state capitals and major regional centres.
Even allowing for “wastage”, such a set-up should provide a constant stream of potential Trainee Technicians for the OPE Industry. The second year of the Small Engine Course is finished by a One hour exam where the student has to demonstrate competency in all areas of the course.
Over 90% of the students pass.
This should provide a constant stream of potential inductees to the OPE Industry.
“The OPE Industry has a desperate shortage of Technicians that is only going to get worse if something isn’t done; and done quickly,” Village Mowers Principal Geoff Grimes explains.
The OPEA members agree and are putting their support behind the project.
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