Questions
The eight things people ask at the desk.
Two of these get asked in a whisper. The answers are the same whoever is at the desk and they are written down for that reason.
- Is it really free?
- Yes, for everything except the nursing assistant course. No registration fee, no books to buy, no deposit. The nursing assistant course is $400 and that includes the state exam fee, and if that is the reason you are not enrolling then tell somebody at the assessment day, because there is a fund for it.
- Do I need papers to enrol?
- No. We ask your name, a phone number, and your date of birth so we can put you in the right class. We do not ask about your immigration status, we do not have it on file, and there is nothing on our system for anybody to request.
- When does the next term start, and is there a seat?
- The next assessment day is Tuesday 31 August and Term 6 starts Tuesday 7 September. Every class and its remaining seats are on the classes page, and the count is updated the afternoon of each assessment day rather than at the end of the week.
- Can I bring my children?
- Yes, and it is free. Six months to eleven years, mornings and evenings Monday to Thursday, in two rooms with four staff. You do not need to book — bring them to the first session. This is the thing most people find out about after they have already decided they cannot come.
- What if I work nights?
- Every ESOL level except level 5 runs mornings as well as evenings, and the equivalency class runs both. The Saturday computer room is open 10am to 2pm whether or not you are in a class.
- What if my English is very low?
- ESOL 1 assumes nothing. Some people in it are learning to read and write for the first time in any language. Come to an assessment day and somebody will sit with you in your language if we have a volunteer who speaks it, and we usually do.
- How long does the nursing assistant course take?
- Twelve weeks, Monday to Thursday, eight until two. It ends with the state exam, which is on the last week and is included in the $400. You need ESOL 4 or better, or English as a first language, and the work involves lifting people.
- Do you find people jobs?
- No, and we will not say that we do. The nursing assistant course ends in a state credential that employers here hire on, and we know which nursing homes have called us. That is not the same as placing anybody and we are not going to blur it.