TAFE students, teachers ‘hands-on’ in Ironman Australia
Thursday 29th March 2007
TAFE students studying Massage Therapy will be applying their skills to many of the 700 plus athletes competing in the 2007 Ironman Australia event being held at Port Macquarie on 1 April 2007. Two of the competitors will be TAFE teachers from Kingscliff Campus.
Nearly forty students from TAFE NSW-North Coast Institute’s Kingscliff and Port Macquarie campuses will work in a volunteer capacity in the Finish Area, providing massage therapy to the athletes under the supervision of teachers Sandy Bennett (Port Macquarie) and Jeff Bennett (Kingscliff).
Head Teacher Deborah Praden, from Kingscliff Campus, says that the students have been part of the Ironman event for the last six years.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world – it is literally ‘hands-on’ and as such is outstanding industry-relevant experience for our students,” says Ms Praden, “and it provides them with the chance to network with leading-edge practitioners”.
Massage students from Randwick and Gymea Campuses in Sydney will join the students from TAFE NSW-North Coast Institute.
Health and Recreation teachers Delina Rahmate (pictured) and Brian Cooke (both from Kingscliff) will compete in the event, which involves a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km cycle and a 42 km run.
“It has been a challenge balancing our training regime with our teaching commitments,” says Ms Rahmate, “but we see it as teaching by example, and providing some great real-life insight into what we are teaching the students.”
“Everyone, both teaching colleagues and our students, are right behind us.”
Acting Institute Director, Neil Wendt says that the involvement of both staff and students in this major event are good examples of how TAFE NSW-North Coast Institute engage at many different levels with the North Coast community.
