The IEP are thrilled to announce Orange Community Training and Education Centre (OCTEC) as our Corporate Affiliate Partner in Australia! OCTEC is a not-for-profit offering high quality employment, training, advocacy and youth services.
Here is their story:
BORN OF COMMUNITY
Almost 50 years ago, a group of concerned citizens living in an Australian country town, 250 kilometres west of Sydney, began an agency to address a pressing community need. With the support of the local council, the Orange Community Training and Education Centre (OCTEC) was created in 1976 to address rising levels of unemployment among disadvantaged young people.
Today, Orange is a regional city of 43,000 people and OCTEC Limited is a major provider of vocational services for disadvantaged people living across the eastern seaboard of Australia. From an initial client base numbering in the dozens, they now assist more than 20,000 people annually, through pre-employment, employment, advocacy and vocational training services. Despite this growth, one thing has remained unchanged – OCTEC exists to serve, develop and strengthen local communities by providing disadvantaged people with pathways to careers.
LEADERSHIP AND VALUES
OCTEC is an Australian not-for-profit and is governed by a Board of Directors, each vastly experienced in local public and private sector administration, and with more than 150 years combined service.
Reporting to the Board, and responsible for the delivery of all programs and services, their CEO Andrew McDougall began with OCTEC as a youth worker back in 1980 and has remained with OCTEC ever since. In 2013, Andrew was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his services to local communities and social welfare.
OCTEC’s managers and staff deliver customised services, allowing them to meet the continuously evolving circumstances of our clients. To address these needs, they employ a diverse workforce; e.g. 72% of their managers identify as female, more than 80% of their staff have some lived experience of disability, and more than 40% come from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Aligning with the aims of the IEP, OCTEC has a five-decade commitment to improving the standards and quality of vocational and employment services through the development and continuous improvement of our people. This includes funding for all of their employment services staff to complete the IEP Award in Employability Essentials – a nationally recognised certificate qualification in Employment Services.
PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS
OCTEC delivers high-performing vocational services to a wide range of disadvantaged people. They are contracted by the Australian Government to deliver employment and pre-employment services to people with disability, disadvantaged young people (aged 15 to 24), the long-term unemployed, and parents not currently in the workforce, many of whom experience economic and/or social disadvantage. As an Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO), OCTEC delivers nationally accredited qualifications relevant to job growth sectors including health, aged care and community services.
To achieve their organisational aims, OCTEC partners with thousands of community organisations at the local, state, national and international level. Recognising the importance of employers, they have a national database of more than 80,000 partner businesses, representing all industry sectors and organisational sizes.
Most important of all, are the partnerships we form with our clients. Whether they number in the dozens, or in the tens of thousands, clients have always been at the heart of everything OCTEC does.
