Two Wollongong women have become the first TAFE NSW Information Technology students to gain paid IT traineeships at BlueScope Steel, opening the way for other women to fill skills gaps in local industry.    

Certificate IV in Information Technology students, Michelle Gray of Albion Park Rail and Abigail Horley of Lake Heights, are among three IT students undertaking traineeships with BlueScope, with Blake Agostini, of Horsley, rounding out the trio.    

After a long career in administration and business analytics, Ms Gray turned to TAFE NSW for help to make her dream of a new career come true.    

She began her course as a mature-age student, juggling study, work and parenthood, but says the change has delivered everything she hoped for.    

“It was challenging to learn skills and change jobs later in life but I’m so glad I did it,” she said.   

“My studies at TAFE helped me to secure a foot in the door in Networking at BlueScope and hopefully providing an opportunity in the future to move into cloud platform services and cyber security, which is a booming industry with an exciting future.”    

Ms Horley said the combination of hands-on learning with a major employer and the practical training provided by TAFE NSW was an ideal way to learn her profession.    

“I can’t imagine anything more perfect,” she said.    

“I have a terrific job with a great employer close to home, my colleagues go out of their way to help me learn and TAFE NSW has been one of the best education experiences in my life – all helping to apply what I’m learning to work and life, which is very important.”    

Mr Agostini works in the company’s Tech Care team and is undertaking his formal training with another education provider.    

BlueScope IT’s Organisational Capability Lead Katrina Hamer said providing traineeships was part of the company’s strategy to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce.    

“Aligned to Our Purpose and Our Bond, traineeships strengthen our communities for the future and recognise that our people are our strength,” she said.   

“They do so by providing opportunities for newer generations and career shifters, such as Michelle, to start and grow a career in IT and the broader BlueScope business.”    

Ms Gray’s teacher at TAFE NSW Wollongong West, Adrian Brell, said his student’s experience showed it was never too late to retrain for an industry with soaring demand for workers.    

“Michelle is one of the first of what we hope will be many of our students finding a place with BlueScope as a leading Illawarra employer and with billions of dollars of investment scheduled for the Illawarra over the next 18 years, she’s found her new role at a time when demand for IT professionals will only grow,” he said.    

Ms Horley’s teacher, Michael Lerch at TAFE NSW Mt Druitt, said it was encouraging to see more female students working in the traditionally male-dominated sector, with the flexibility of studying at TAFE Digital helping to make the difference.    

“Reducing that gender gap is a great way of meeting high demand from industry for IT professionals and for the students, traineeships offer the best of both worlds by providing formal learning and real-world experience while being paid to learn in that flexible environment,” he said.