LONG-TIME Tafe SA lecturer Helen Drinkell recently celebrated the end of the school year and the end of an era, with the educator signing off for the final time after 43 years with the vocational training provider.
After four decades at Mount Gambier’s Tafe SA campus, the lecturer brought an end to a record of service and achievement which started in 1976.
Ms Drinkell was first employed as an hourly paid instructor while also doubling as a veterinarian.
Over the years Ms Drinkell specialised in literacy and numeracy support and has worked with a range of students – including nursing and defence industry – as well as at the Mount Gambier Prison.
“My first experience with TAFE SA was actually before I started my job when I took German classes,” Ms Drinkell said.
“Those days it was mostly fun community classes but they have been gone for a long time.
“Now it is mostly focused on tertiary education and giving people another avenue towards their career.”
Ms Drinkell recalled a number of changes to the system, highlighting the vocational facility’s emphasis on getting people into work.
She said a significant amount of her time was spent working with students who were not successful during their secondary schooling.
“Some students often have a number of barriers such as socio-economic, family situations, coming out of abusive situations a whole range of things like that,” she said.
“I have also worked in supporting students from other program areas particularly in the series of work with the trade students and those other areas such as primary industries and hospitality.
“Even then there are students who are trying to overcome barriers of some sort.”
Ms Drinkell said students undertaking vocational educational and training qualifications focused on specific skills for a particular workplace.
She said qualifications aimed to provide a practical, work-orientated skills base.
“There is still a bit of culture in the schools that if a students is not highly academic then they should go for a trade,” she said.
“The reality is that in our trade programs those students still require a considerable level of math and English to achieve in those programs so it is not just a slack or easy option.”
Ms Drinkell praised the staff and students over her long career, stating the biggest highlight of her time at Tafe SA was the dedication of the students.
“The reactions of the students who are overcoming barriers
when they realise they can do these things is just amazing,” she said.
“Since working with Tafe, I have learnt that I have been very fortunate to have had the background I had.
“You really learn to appreciate it all and it is so inspirational to see students with disabilities come in and still have a go.”
