Page 41 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

INDUSTRY • EDUCATION

and from the Cairns region help the
learning for all involved. We learn more
from exploring what is different than
we learn from revising what is already
familiar to us. We are able to offer
something unique - an international
perspective which prepares our local
and international students for a global
experience.
Tell us about your plans for growth
over the next 12 months and beyond...
Shuaib Chaudhry
For our Business College in the next
12 months we intend to add new
with each teacher being an industry proposition. We rock! programs which will assist our business
specialist. More importantly, they have As a community, we must be vigilant partners to grow. We want to create
a strong commitment to sharing their that we maintain our competitive edge new markets among individuals,
knowledge with their students. Their in the education space and ensure our schools and businesses in the region.
intimate knowledge of their industry policy makers understand the sector This region has substantial potential
and emerging trends is brought so we can achieve a stable regulatory for growth, mainly by creating new
into the learning process. We know and policy environment. We’re not opportunities and engaging candidates
the approach is working when our there yet. If we can achieve the desired who might not otherwise have
graduates are sought by our industry stability, then international education considered vocational training or the
partners. will continue to grow and to enhance Cairns Business College as partners in
the Australian economy. growing their businesses and careers.
What is the college doing to capitalise We partner with the other education The model of being a partner in the
on the growth in the international providers to support Study Cairns and plans of others is not common in
education sector? Trade Investment Queensland and are vocational education and training. Too
When we set our plans to grow grateful to Cairns Regional Council and frequently the approach has been to
enrolments, the most important asset the Queensland Government for their craft a solution, offer it to the market
we have in our favour is Cairns itself. support of education in Cairns. They then deliver the solution, regardless
Somewhere between the rainforest understand the value of international of its relevance in each client’s unique
and the Reef are the campuses and education to our local economy and circumstances. A partnership model
businesses which allow us to attract our community life. The collective requires more flexibility in the crafting
international students. Some come to effort allows us to “punch above our of courses and education styles which
Cairns for the tropical climate, while weight” in comparison to larger, very respond to unique and changing
others come for the adventure and sophisticated competitors. requirements. We have been careful to
exotic location. Our goal is that each build a team of trainers and enrolment
student leaves us after having had “the What is the mix of students at the advisors who understand this
learning experience of a lifetime”. As college? partnership approach. They can craft
locals, we tend to take our uniqueness We aim to achieve an equal mix of solutions which meet the unique and
as a fact of life. It’s who we are and international and domestic students. different needs of our stakeholders.
where we live. This is so different for a Our Language Centre is all overseas
student in Stockholm, Buenos Aires or students; our Business College has
Shinjuku. We promote our academic a good mix of local and overseas MORE:
quality, but we never lose sight of what students. I believe that the cultures and cairnslanguagecentre.com.au
the city of Cairns adds to our value experiences of students from overseas cairnsbusinesscollege.com.au

PARTNERSHIPS AND PATHWAYS
Providing pathways for students is a
major benefit of the Cairns Language
Centre and Cairns Business College
being an entity of Charles Darwin
University. Students have a clear path
into the University’s qualifications and
the qualifications of the International
College of Hotel Management, which is
also owned by the University. Being part
of a leading University also helps the
centre maintain high academic values
and maintain an expert and international
Charles Darwin University perspective on its values, activities and
processes.

41 • tropicnow.com.au