New acquisitions give Cobram College students a cutting edge

By Gabriel Garcia

Nov 4, 2022

Tyre-ing work: Cobram Secondary College student Imogen Brooks (Year 10) removes a tyre on the college’s newly acquired Honda HRV 18 model. Photo by Gabriel Garcia

Cobram Secondary College students have been given a cutting edge advantage with newly acquired state-of-the-art equipment for use in metal, wood and automotive work classes.

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New equipment includes a Blue Carve Spark CNC Plasma Cutter, a Flash Forge Adventurer 4 3D Printer and a Blue Carve Turbo CNC Router.

They also have a new Honda HRV 18 model car.

Helping hand: (L-R) Billy Chapman (Year 8), principal Kimberley Tempest and Joshua Sullivan (Year 8) look over the new car engine. Photo by Gabriel Garcia

Their acquisitions are part of a push by the college to give students new and real world applicable learning opportunities as well as ensure that the college remains a premier educational facility well into the future.

Cobram Secondary College principal Kimberley Tempest has called the acquisitions a win for the students.

“Really this is a new era for our school where we are really focusing on the science, technology engineering, mathematical side of our school. The new equipment will allow us to really focus on the design, applied learning side of that technology area,” Ms Tempest said.

I feel the need for speed: Year 8 students (L-R) Isabel Sierra, Joshua Sullivan and Billy Chapman getting comfortable in the new car. The car will be strictly used for automotive classes. Photo by Gabriel Garcia

Craig Hunt teaches design and technology (which encompasses metal and woodwork) and believes that the equipment had to match the opportunities available in the real world.

Cutting ahead: Ethan Brooks (Year 10) demonstrates the use of the plasma cutter.

To this end the college made certain that each piece of equipment matched industry standards.

With the newly-acquired equipment: Cobram Secondary College School Captain Daniel Campbell (Year 11) and Isabel Sierra (Year 8) show off the new 3D printer. Photo by Gabriel Garcia

“If they (the students) decide to be tradespeople, these skills that they're learning from using these machines are transferable to what's out there,” Mr Hunt said.

The new 3D printer, plasma cutter and router have already been introduced into the teaching program with Year 11 student Kitty Nadugu using the router to create a coat hanger which won Best Exhibit and First Prize Metalwork at the Cobram Agricultural Show earlier this year.

Winner: Kitty Nadugu, Year 11, won a prize at the Cobram Agricultural Show for the coat hangar constructed in woodwork class. Photo by Contributed

The Honda car, donated by Honda Australia as part of their education program, will be used for Introduction to Automotive classes with years 9 and 10 students, who are set to get their first hands-on experience with the car later this month.

Cobram Secondary College has also got future plans to hold VET Engineering classes in 2023 and VET Automotive classes in 2024.

The students themselves are ecstatic about the future opportunities.

Year 10 student Imogen Brooks believes the variety of new equipment will be good for everyone and hopes it will encourage female students to look into trades as a possible career.

Working hard: Imogen Brooks (Year 10) with the new router. Photo by Gabriel Garcia

College Captain Daniel Campbell is excited that the new equipment will give students like him a boost when it comes to preparing for future work.

“The fact that it's 21st century top-of-the-line equipment really means that people who work in this space can train and get prepared for what it's like out in the workforce, take on apprenticeships and things like that,” he said.

Cobram Secondary College is asking the public to donate any car parts, engines they no longer have use for or tools to help progress the students’ learning.

Contact the general office on 03 58711700 if you wish to assist.