Centre for Appropriate Technology

 RTO No: 0857       Securing Sustainable Livelihoods through Appropriate Technology
 

About us:

The Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) works to secure sustainable livelihoods for communities of Indigenous people through appropriate technology. CAT provides information, knowledge and practical services across a range of areas including energy, housing and infrastructure, water, waste, telecommunications, transport and technical skills development. CAT utilises evidence based and applied problem solving approaches to assist communities of Indigenous people to access the information, services and skills required to live safe and happy lives.

About the training offered by CAT

People in Australia sometimes talk about the importance of 'bush skills'. To us at CAT, these are fundamental to people being able to live successfully in remote communities.
The approach that CAT takes is to ensure that training takes into account the aspirations and demands upon Indigenous learners as they develop their skills for a particular reason. Over 2000 learners have studied at CAT. They have sought to build their practical knowledge and confidence in technical subjects, whether to prepare them for vocational learning or to contribute to the immediate needs of their community. As CAT has developed, so its understanding of technology became more sophisticated. Appropriate technology is the range of skills, techniques and knowledge that come together to meet a particular social, economic, environmental or cultural need. These needs are not met by technology alone. Achieving a reliable and sustainable system takes much more than the hardware. Users need to be confident maintainers of the equipment and they need to know where to go for technical support. So, looking beyond hardware to consider people's aspirations, CAT became involved in training programs for people from the communities in Central Australia covering vocational skills in carpentry, metal-working, welding, construction and automotive maintenance. Trainees who come to CAT are achieving qualifications in their chosen field.
The Technical Skills Group monitors development in training needs and opportunities and has partnerships with Government and non-Government agencies to find training solutions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, organisations and people. We have partnerships with employment agencies, Aboriginal organisations and Councils, Shires, Central Land Council, remote area Community Councils, CDEP providers, schools and youth services.

Specialist areas we work and train in:

CAT is a Registered Training Organisation with Certificate courses available in Automotive, Applied Design and Technology, Civil Construction, Outdoor Power Equipment, Information Technology, Remote Area Power Supply. Other non-accredited training can be negotiated dependent on needs of communities.
70118NT - Certificate II in Applied Design and Technology (ATWORK)
AUR10105 - Certificate I in Automotive
AUR20505 - Certificate II in Automotive (Vehicle Servicing)
AUR20805 - Certificate II in Outdoor Power Equipment
UEE 21407 - Certificate II in Remote Area Power Supply Maintenance
ICA10105 - Certificate I in Information Technology
ICA20105 - Certificate II in Information Technology
BCC20107 - Certificate II in Civil Construction
BCC30607 - Certificate III in Civil Construction (Plant Operations)

Key staff:
Group Manager: Karin Berschl 8959 6152
Training Coordinator: Brian Day 8959 6150
TrainingPlus: Nick Raymond 8959 6178

Other programs:

Desert Peoples Centre:

The Desert Peoples Centre is a consortium formed by Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) and the Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT). It was established as an organisational expression of the commitment of both organisations to work together to develop better, innovative links between education and training and other services to achieve more positive and sustainable outcomes for Indigenous Australians, particularly residents of Desert Australia.
Respectively BIITE and CAT have substantial capacity in training, education and research relevant to the development needs of Indigenous peoples in desert Australia, and have established relationships with a wide range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders. The DPC is not intended to lead to short term redirection of existing CAT and BIITE teaching or administrative resources. However, over time, the DPC is intended to:
• Explore and establish better synergies from their business operations;
• Explore and establish better opportunities for involving and empowering indigenous people in the development of flexible innovative education and training responses to their social, cultural and economic development needs
• Explore and establish stronger education training and employment outcomes through better configurations of training, education, case management of students/learners and enhanced pathways through postsecondary education to employment, enterprise and community livelihood outcomes.
• Explore and establish opportunities to better link education and training activities with business and government in innovation and regional economic development.
It is intended that DPC will act as a coordinator and broker of services, a promoter of capacity strengthening and the development of sustainable livelihoods, an advocate for Aboriginal ideas and knowledge and a networker linking individuals and communities to service providers, government business and industry, and education and training providers.
The NT and Commonwealth Governments have made substantial financial commitments to DPC in financing the development of DPC through the establishment of the Desert Knowledge Precinct (DKP) which, provides a shared Alice Springs campus for BIITE and CAT

TrainingPlus:

The TrainingPlus program focuses on supporting Indigenous people to define and realise their training and career plans and to respond to employment opportunities in industries of their choice.
TrainingPlus works with businesses to identify skills they are seeking in their future staff, and supports trainees to identify their skills and strengths and areas where they need assistance.
TrainingPlus matches clients to participating employers for supported work placements. During work placements a case worker will actively support the employer and clients to ensure expectations are being met by both groups. TrainingPlus also provides support in dealing with Job Networks and other government agencies if seeking Wage Assistance or other help.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

You can download the TrainingPlus flyer here
For further information contact Nick Raymond: 8959 6178 or Eddie Sailor on 8959 6185
or email: nick.raymond@icat.org.au

Bushlight:
 

Bushlight is a project of the Centre for Appropriate Technology Inc (CAT). It is an innovative renewable energy project which aims to increase access to sustainable energy services within remote Indigenous communities across Australia. Bushlight does this with a strong focus on community engagement in the energy planning process, and by designing robust, technically advanced renewable energy systems.
Bushlight strives to:
• Improve the reliability of renewable energy systems in remote Indigenous communities
• Improve the capacity and confidence of communities to choose and manage renewable energy services
• Establish a technical service network to service and maintain renewable energy services in remote communities
Bushlight works in the most remote regions of Central and Top End Australia, where communities are isolated by hundreds of kilometers of dirt roads, can be cut off by flood, and have no access to town water, power and other luxuries.
Without reliable access to fresh food and refrigeration, fuel and qualified technicians, Australia's remote communities need sturdy, innovative and interactive energy services.
You can find out more about Bushlight at www.bushlight.org.au