• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Coffs Coast Community College

Coffs Coast Community College

  • Home
  • Courses
    • Community Services
    • IT & Digital Media
    • Business
    • Hospitality
    • Life Skills
    • Lifestyle & General Interest
    • Work Skills
  • About
    • Our Board
    • Our Team
    • Our Recruitment
    • Our College
    • Mission & Vision
    • Charity Status
    • Venue Hire
    • Allegra School Coffs Harbour
  • Our Stories
  • Information
    • Student Handbook
    • Funding
    • Unique Student Identifier
    • Enrolments
    • Privacy
    • Student Support
    • Suggest a Course
  • Our Community
  • Contact Us
  • 02 6652 5378
  • Locate Us

Featured Story

Marius Odiachi’s Story

September 24, 2019 By

2019 Adult Learner’s Week, Marius Odiachi was nominated for the #ALW2019 scholarship. Coffs Coast Community College is very proud of Marius and his achievements since arriving in Coffs Harbour.   This is Marius’s story.

My name is Marius Odiachi thanks to Coffs Coast Community College, I have been successful in securing a job straight away while I was actually training. I enrolled for a Certificate III in Individual Support in January 2017 and then completed a second course in 2018/19 in Certificate III Individual Support Speciality Disabilities. It is mind blowing how much support and help the College gave me, it is incredible.  

My sisters and I moved to Australia from Nigeria couple of years ago to join my mother.  During the civil unrest (war) we lost contact with her. At that time, before the war broke out, we were residing in Sierra Leone.  I was only 7 years old in 1997 and my sisters were very young.  Luckily for us, we were put on a ship to Nigeria (our father’s home country) where we lived with relatives and once things settled down, we began to look for our mother.  We went through lots of search on social media, then, we finally found our mother through Facebook 15 years later; by then I was 22.   We started communicating and though she had her doubts but, I was able to convince her.
My mother had fled Sierra Leone in search for a better life, hoping she would find her children or family, but to no avail, then she moved to Australia. Once we found our mother, we came to Australia and my sisters and I made our way to Coffs Harbour to start a completely new life. We came in with the Child Visa 101.

I tried to quickly get myself to get work, as I was well educated in Nigeria but was unable to use any of my educational acquisitions, since I had not finished my University program I started over in Nigeria, and did not have any concrete evidence of acceptable grade here in Australia.  As part of my upbringing I had to try to contribute to the family, so the pressure to find employment, to support myself and my sisters became priority to me, as I am the only male present in Australia with my family. My family including my sisters and I had no access to Government funding, so employment was a serious concern as my mother was unable to work at that time, she was diagnosed with DVT, and was taken off work, I had to find a job.

Fortunately, I was able to get a job at the blueberry farms but getting there became an issue, as it was located at Woolgoolga/Nana Glen and I did not have any means of direct transport.  A friend of mine suggested that I should think about becoming an Assistant Nurse (AIN), she also suggested Coffs Coast Community College, and that they were really supportive to people like me.  So, I went into the college to ask about the Certificate III in Individual Support.  I had only $200 on me and nothing else. The College were so supportive in letting me pay for my course in parts, whereas in Nigeria you could only pay for such program upfront, but they were like, “are you sure you want to spend the $200 now”.  I mean that was unheard of for me, it blew my mind. I was determined to use that to pay for what I could for my course and they allowed me enrol. Just at that same time fortune shone its light on me, and I got a job as a cleaner, with that I was able to work through the night to bring a salary home. I found the long nights and the three days a week training very taxing, but I found out that the College and its trainers and staff were extremely understanding, and were very dedicated to seeing me achieve success, and completing the course; and then getting employed.    I will be forever grateful for the help I received as it has turned my life around.  The friendliness and the ease to me was the key, it made me more dedicated and I really wanted to go on.

Furthermore, conditions to the Certificate III Individual Support course required me to complete 120 hours at a workplace to become competent.  It had to be in an aged care facility or family support environment.  The college helped with placing me in the best workplace to gain this experience, as this was an extra boost for me to do an excellent job.  I was impressed how supportive the trainers at Coffs Community College were, because they would visit me to assess me while on my work placement and also ensured that I was enjoying the experience, this helped urge me on.  More so, this gave way for me to gain employment at a Nursing Home straight away and a career in caring and nursing in the community  and subsequently I had another offer to work  in the disability sector and this brought me back to the Coffs Coast Community College where I enrolled and completed the units of competency for Certificate III Individual support Disability Specialisation. 

Marius Odiachi

I haven’t stopped studying, because I want to keep on improving, and now I have enrolled into University to become an Occupational Therapist.  While, I was at the college they were helpful with fine tuning my writing skills and this has been very helpful at University. I was nervous, stressed and was not sure I could complete the Certificate III in Individual Support and Disabilities, but the support and encouragement I got from CCCC helped me forge on towards improving myself and furthering my career.  

I want to thank all the people at Coffs Coast Community College for taking care of me.

If you are interested in becoming a Community Carer in Aged Care or Disability visit
Certificate III Individual Support and Certificate III Individual Support Specialisation Disabilities

Technology just keeps changing all the time

July 11, 2019 By

Estelle Russell worked all her life in the Early Child Care industry and found that, as she is no longer in a career, the access to learning new technology stops with it. 

“In a world where technology is in constant flux and change, it is almost impossible to keep up to date” says Estelle. “Every time you get a new phone, or an update on your phone, you feel like you have to start all over again”. 

The best thing is that Tech Savvy Seniors is not a one-off course. “You’re able to keep coming back to learn the jargon and have new technology explained. Not only that, Tech Savvy Seniors is very affordable”.

That is one of the reasons why friends Estelle Russell and Danielle Matignier-Babb keep coming back to the Coffs Coast Community College. 

Estelle is committed to working voluntarily in community organisations and thinks that it’s vital to keep up-to-date with phone technology.  As a passionate writer, Estelle is looking forward to learning more about publishing her works online. “The Tech Savvy – Sharing Photos and Other Attachments Online course will really help me put my book together”.

Danielle, also a keen writer, has learnt to update her skills but she too is needing to use her smartphone for more than making phone calls.  “The only other way to learn new skills is to enrol in lengthy business courses which I don’t want to do,  so I really appreciate the two hour sessions to pick up the skills I actually need” explains Danielle. 

To find out more about Tech Savvy Seniors contact Coffs Coast Community College on 6652 5378 or admin@coffscollege.nsw.edu.au

Your Community College in the heart of Coffs Coast

February 22, 2019 By

Pictured are staff from the Coffs Coast Community College
Pictured are staff from the Coffs Coast Community College

Learning is a vital component in keeping Communities vibrant and resilient. Coffs Coast Community College has been providing Adult and Community Education and Leisure programs in the Coffs Coast region since 1995. We are a not-for-profit, also known as a Charity, and a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The College is renowned for providing learning opportunities for a broad range of people and particularly pathways to lifelong learning.

“In addition to the RTO, we also offer programs providing support to disadvantaged groups such as refugees and students with language and literacy barriers. Our strength is in taking the time and care with people to ensure we meet their needs” said Suzanne Crossley, College Manager.

“We are dedicated to the provision of relevant, affordable and accessible lifelong learning opportunities that contribute to the development and enrichment of the Coffs Coast Region. And we’re a great place to meet new people and make new friends”.

Located in the heart of the City, in the City Square, Coffs Coast Community College is ideally positioned to cater for a range of learning.

“We offer a variety of Accredited Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications in such areas as Individual Support, specialising in Ageing and Disability Support, Business, Information Technology and Foundation Skills”.

“In addition, Coffs Coast Community College are able to provide courses specific to business needs, for example Manual Handling for Individual Care providers. We can cater to workplaces or community by providing courses to upskill Staff and special interest groups” said Suzanne. “This could include but is not limited to Provide First Aid and CPR, MS Excel, Safe Food Handling and Supervision, Basic MYOB, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Responsible Conduct of Gaming (RCG)”.

Our Office is open during Business Hours 8.30am – 4.30pm and 5.30pm on Thursdays. If you would like further information regarding how we can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 6652 5378 or visit www.coffscollege.nsw.edu.au

Share your adventures with Tech Savvy Seniors

February 22, 2019 By

11 Feb 2019

While we might not all be taking a grand tour of Europe this year, many of us are nonetheless incorporating adventure into our lives – and photographing these adventures. Whether travelling for a month with a caravan, going away for a short break somewhere more local or exploring our own neighbourhoods, being able to re-visit these experiences through photographs is good for the soul.

Tech Savvy Trainer Andrew Horton
Tech Savvy Trainer Andrew Horton

For Coffs Coast Community College Trainer Andrew Horton, teaching people how to share these adventures with the use of technology, sending these photos to friends and family or posting them on social media is one of the delights of training within the Tech Savvy Seniors program.

“Starting something new can be a bit daunting, particularly if that something new requires skills that are yet to be acquired” said Andrew. “Our Students get a lot out of these courses and ask lots of questions. They want to know more and more and I’m pleased that we are able to offer this great opportunity”.

Tech Savvy Seniors is a well-designed program because we are able to teach people what they want to know and include the skills that people may not yet know that they need. Tech Savvy Seniors is popular and we get a great mix of people. “Other components of Tech Savvy include an introduction to the internet, online banking and cyber safety to name a few. Android and Apple devices are included”.

Contact our helpful staff at Coffs Coast Community College for more information including upcoming Tech Savvy Seniors courses 02 6652 5378 or email admin@coffscollege.nsw.edu.au

Primary Sidebar

MORE STORIES

Photos of past student Marius Odiachi

2019 Adult Learner's Week, Marius Odiachi was nominated for … View Full Story

Estelle Russell and Danielle Matignier-Babb

Estelle Russell worked all her life in the Early Child … View Full Story

Gordon Amman, Jolie Kaffa and Amanda Johnston

15 Feb 2019 Who do you consider a Senior?  Coffs … View Full Story

College Staff

Learning is a vital component in keeping Communities vibrant … View Full Story

Andrew Horton

11 Feb 2019 While we might not all be taking a grand tour of … View Full Story

Footer

Popular Courses

Individual Support
First Aid and CPR
Information, Digital
Media and Technology

Introduction to Computers
Tech Savvy Seniors

SEE ALL COURSES

Location & Contact

Phone us 02 6652 5378
Send us a message
Find us on the map
Find us on Facebook

SEE ALL CONTACT INFO
White Allegra School Logo

ALLEGRA SCHOOL WEBSITE 

Copyright © 2022 · Coffs Harbour Website Design