By Melissa Blewitt

Condobolin High School second-year Automotive students completed a week of industry work placement in Dubbo recently, gaining practical experience as part of the mandatory work placement component of their TVET Automotive course delivered through Condobolin TAFE NSW campus.
Students were placed with a range of automotive businesses across Dubbo, where they worked alongside industry professionals in real workplace environments. During the placement, students experienced the demands of the industry, with some commencing work as early as 7am and others finishing as late as 5.30pm.
The placements provided students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning in a practical setting while developing technical skills and a greater understanding of workplace expectations.
Host businesses included Dubbo Automotive Ford, Dubbo City Toyota, Halls Transport Repairs, Iron Earth Diesel, Mackintosh Mechanical, Royans Dubbo and Western Plains Automotive.
Throughout the week, students also strengthened key employability skills, including teamwork, communication, punctuality and workplace responsibility, while representing Condobolin High School positively within the local business community.
The work placement program was supported through Regional Industry Education Partnerships (REIP), with funding helping to make the experience possible.
The school acknowledged the ongoing support of Troy Kelly for his commitment to vocational education opportunities for local students.
The school also thanked staff members Ms Magro and Mr Shannon for accompanying the students and providing supervision and support throughout the placement.
The experience gave students valuable insight into the automotive industry and the skills required for future employment in the sector.