About Us

Schools Industry Partnership

 

The Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury & Penrith Schools Industry Partnership ( SIP) is a non-profit incorporated association. We are owned by our members who represent all key stakeholder groups including all school systems, TAFE, Local government, chambers of commerce and employers. We are constituted expressly for the purposes of supporting education.

SIP has been servicing work placement coordination for local schools and TAFE since 1995 under various funding arrangements. SIP has also delivered Career & Transition support, adopt a school projects under the former Career Advice Australia Program, as well as youth mentoring programs across the region.

Since inception SIP has successfully placed over 20,000 students in work placement.

SIP annually rewards student and employer participation through the SIP Awards, where students, educators and local businesses are recorgnised for their achievements.

SIP currently has eight full time staff equivalent staff working across a range of programs and projects including the Work Placement Coordination program, the Partnership Broker Program and the Independent Employment Adviser Program.

SIP has a high profile in the business community which makes it easy for employers to engage at the level appropriate to their requirements and capacity.

SIP’s monthly newsletter is received by over 800 hundred subscribers including our host employers, members of chambers of commerce and the education community.

SIP is a member of the Business Education & Community Alliance servicing the Western Sydney Region from Parramatta to Katoomba.

 

 

Our current board is chaired by Keith Miles - Principal of Blaxland High School, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team at SIP.

 

   

 

CEO  Ian Palmer has been involved in Work Placement programs, group training organisations and economic and employment development in Western Sydney for decades and is a true devotee to the " it takes a village to raise a child" philosophy.