LIFELONG LEARNING: Swinburne manager Maria Romanin (standing) with fellow ‘lifelong learners’ (from left) Debbie Goodall, Shane Charles and Graeme Dawson.By KATH GANNAWAY
ADULT Learners’ Week celebrates its 10th anniversary from 1 to 8 September and across Australia hundreds of events, workshops and events have been planned to promote lifelong learning opportunities for people of all ages.
The theme this year is “A pathway to adult learning in your community and workplace”.
For many the first steps to adult learning are taken at places such as local neighbourhood houses, TAFE and regional universities. The Yarra Valley is fortunate to have good access to all of these.
Maria Romanin, manager of the Swinburne TAFE campus in Healesville, has been at the forefront of adult education for more than 15 years.
In her interview with The Mail, Maria answered many questions regarding adult education and learning
Q: What drives people to return to learning?
A: Lots of reasons; to upgrade skills or just for something to do. People go through a learning process their whole lives but I think it can be when an opportunity arises, such as kids going to school, or wanting to pick up new skills.
Q: Are there more opportunities now for people to “go back to school”?
A: Mega opportunities! The big push by the whole of government is in terms of lifelong learning.
Q: Are men or women more motivated to return to study?
A: The ratio here at Swinburne TAFE is about 70/30. You find with men in some work environments there are more opportunities to do training. You also find men go back to learning when they are semiretired.
Q: What do you say to adults who say “I didn’t do well at school”?
A: When you are at school you are forced to be there, as adults you are there because you want to learn. As adults people are also more open to new knowledge, the attitude is different and the training is also different.
Q: What sort of support or programs are there?
A: Lots! Swinburne has a new program called Tapit aimed at getting people over 45 and sole parents back into training courses to upgrade or develop new skills.
Support can be study support, support in terms of fee payment, loans, counselling, and support from peers studying with them.
Q: What do you think is the most common benefit people get from returning to study?
A: Personal growth. It does wonders for selfesteem and self worth as well as learning a new skill.
Q: Can you teach old dogs new tricks?
A: Definitely! The fact that the majority of our students learning computers are mature age many in their 60s and 70s reflects that. These are people who would normally shy away but they realise how much fun there can be in learning something like that.
If you show an old dog a different way of doing something, if it makes sense, is logical, they will lap it up.
It’s human nature to want to learn; it’s just a matter of having the opportunities … and they’re here.
From community houses, self help groups and the University of the Third Age to very structured places like TAFE and university … there’s so much on offer.
