Immigrants and refugees learn new skills in Sydney school classrooms under adult education program
Aishah Abdullah spends time each week studying in a classroom.
In short:
The Adult and Community Education (ACE) program delivers skills training to adult refugees and immigrants.
Many classes are held at schools where mothers attend with their young children.
The federal government has announced $22.8 million of funding to support the adult and community education sector in New South Wales.
At 42, Aishah Abdullah isn't like most other people her age — she spends time each week in a classroom at a local primary school.
In the final class of the term, Ms Abdullah sits in the front row and eagerly answers almost every question her teacher puts to the class.
It's a far cry from when Ms Abdullah first immigrated from Malaysia in 2020.
She wanted nothing more than to study, but making her way into education in a new country where English is her second language proved to be difficult.
Ms Abdullah spends time in a classroom with other immigrants and refugees learning new skills.
That was until two years ago, when Ms Abdullah joined a community life skills class teaching English, literacy, numeracy and digital and employability skills in an accessible learning environment.
Ms Abdullah was a kindergarten teacher in Malaysia before immigrating to Sydney with her husband. She said there was not enough money in Malaysia to allow her to continue her studies.
Mothers learn with their young children
Many of the woman in her class at Hampden Park Public School are mothers to young children and the program allows the women to study on the same site as their primary school-aged children, during traditional school hours.
There is a creche for younger children during class time, although some of the women choose to keep their children with them in the classroom.
The program allows the women to study on the same site as their primary school-aged children.
A partnership between Hampden Park and Sydney Community College, adult refugees and immigrants are delivered skills training under the Adult and Community Education (ACE) program.
For many of the women enrolled in the program, the classes provide them with a path to get outside of the houses and take their first steps into a new community while creating a support network.
Like Ms Abdullah, many of the class participants had careers in their former country that did not convert into work in Australia.
Adult education classes are run at Hampden Park Public School as part of a partnership between the school and Sydney Community College.
Classes allow for flexible work-life balance
After immigrating from Pakistan in 2009, Sadaf Saba began the program in 2021 and said the flexibility of the learning allowed her to continue her studies while being a mother and working on a casual basis.
Ms Saba completed four courses before studying at TAFE Bankstown. She now works as a teacher's aide while continuing her studies to be a teacher.
Further courses in social services and workplace skills are run at the Lakemba Uniting Church just around the corner from the school.
Many participants further their skills by moving onto other courses after finishing their foundational studies.
These classes allow learners to further their skills, with many participants moving onto these courses following the completion of their foundational studies.
Federal Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles, along with NSW Skills Minister Steven Whan, have announced $22.8 million of federal funding to support the adult and community education sector in New South Wales.
Mr Whan said at a time of "really serious skills shortages" giving people opportunities to engage more in the community and potentially in employment will be mutually beneficial.
By：https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-26/adult-community-education-classroom-work-skills-immigrants/104396336(责任编辑：admin)
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