How would you juggle a full time job and studying for Certificate III in Business Administration at the same time?

Kempsey Toyota found the answer for their receptionist, Catherine Haigh and she has just received her qualification with only one visit to North Coast TAFE’s Kempsey Campus.

Catherine was approached by another provider two years ago, offering government incentives and training ‘on the job’, but she never heard from them again and didn’t give it much thought.

That was until Toni Shannon, a Business Administration teacher at North Coast TAFE, dropped her car at the Toyota dealership in Kempsey and told Catherine that she could receive formal recognition for the administration skills she had picked up at work.

Catherine spoke with her employer and arranged for Toni to assess Catherine on site, during work hours, though North Coast TAFE’s Employer Services program.

“There are great benefits to both the employer and employee to gain qualifications this way. Firstly, it doesn’t cost my boss overtime, because it is all done here at work and they get tax incentives. Secondly, I gain a nationally recognised qualification for the work I have done, which is something I can build on,” Catherine said.

Her employer, Rod Hall, Dealer Principal, couldn’t be happier with the results. “Catherine is the heart of our Kempsey dealership and she is the one we go to for help. Like most small businesses,we struggle if we are one person down, so having North Coast TAFE come to us was a great benefit. The only time Catherine took away from the office was one lunch hour visit to the TAFE,” Rod said.