A journey of learning for the Foundation Skills Class at TAFE Queensland began five weeks ago and will end with graduation for the seven students next week.
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However to showcase their new skills an exhibition and morning tea was held on Thursday morning.
Learning Solutions Teacher, Kat Ufer said the principles of completing a project are the same no matter what we are doing in our life.
“For instance if I said I was going to start going to the gym today, am I setting myself up for failure? Questions need to be answered and prior planning needs to be done, like having appropriate clothing, shopping for the correct foods and setting aside time that wouldn’t conflict with making dinner or walking the dog,” Ms Ufer said.
“If you weren’t adequately prepared then you could feel disappointed and the project of going to the gym would fall by the wayside, so an action plan is required.”
The seven students were encouraged to come up with a plan for their combined project which was to hold an art exhibition.
“The class have learned to write meeting agenda’s, prepare and plan tasks, to budget, to estimate and calculate cost as well as to use computer programs to design invitations,” Ms Ufer said.
“They also learned how to overcome shyness, to be good public speakers and how to self-review and self-reflect on their strengths and weaknesses.”
“We did encountered obstacles while trying to reach our goal on a daily basis, however the students learned how to overcome these.
“They realised that if they didn’t follow their action plan or finish a task, then the following day they would have more to do,” she said.
Student Josephine Jack addressed the crowd thanking everyone for attending the art exhibition.
“I grew up in the Northern Territory but live in Mount Isa and have been here now for 37 years,” Ms Jack said.
“My home was Robinson River, and one of the paintings I did depicts my home with a hill, and the river running through to the sea, the holes represent different fishing holes. We used to walk to each fishing hole to gather food for the family.”
Junior said he moved to Mount Isa to change his life around.
“My painting is of the turtle flower. The flower represents relationships. If you wear the flower on your left ear it means you are taken, unavailable, but if you were it on your right ear it means you are single and ready to mingle.”
“The turtle represents strength, wellness and most importantly family,” he said.
Patricia was born on the Barkly Tablelands and said her painting symbolises kangaroo dreaming.
The story goes that the old people believed that when they passed on they became the kangaroo, they were well respected.
“My mother would pray over the kangaroo, and I remember asking her when I was young ‘what are you doing’ and she said, before we eat we must thank and pray over the kangaroo.
Cherri Marshall said her painting depicted the Simpson Gap in the Northern Territory.
“It is one of the prominent waterholes, my painting of a caterpillar symbolises the Gap and the circles represent the waterholes,” Ms Marshall said.
Ms Ufer said the Foundation program has been running for two years and the students build on all of their skills.
“The class is open to everybody, it’s a pilot program with a project based outcome which doesn’t necessarily mean art, it can be anything.”
“We have had great feedback about the course and the support system it has in place.”
“When the students first arrive they were quiet and quite shy but when they graduate next week, they should do so with a sense of pride and achievement and a realisation of the study pathway they are about to embark on.”