Welding and Fabrication training in Brisbane

I'm not sure how to post in here as it's not an item as much as a service.

I own a training business in Brisbane called Skills and Technical Training Australia. We're based in Mt Gravatt, South Brisbane.

The training is ideally aimed at University undergraduates, and to that end the majority of students are part of the Formula SAE motorsport teams from the Brisbane universities such as QUT, UQ and Griffith.
The training is designed to teach practical skills, or procedural knowledge, to students who primarily learn theory, or declaritive knowledge.

The courses are based around motorsport, or motor vehicles and include TIG welding, Fabrication techniques, CAD/CAM/CNC and composite technologies such as carbon fibre vacuum bagging, pre-prgs and that type of thing. In addition to this I also do 3D digitising utilising a 6 axis digitising arm.

The training facility has 10 welding bays with AC/DC TIGS, a fabrication bay with items such as a magnetic panbrake, rollers, guillotine, cold saw, shrinker/stretchers, work tables etc.
Another bay is set aside for spaceframe chassis building classes along with manual lathe and a range of mechanical hand and power tools.
Training in composite technologies is carried out in the Partech facilities which are located next door.

While my username is TAFE teacher, this business is in no way associated with TAFE and is a privately run training business specialising in vehicle and motorsport construction techniques. It is based however in "M" block at Mt Gravatt TAFE, although I believe the name will soon change to the Mt Gravatt Learning and Training Precinct.

While the courses are aimed at the university students, they are also open to the general public.
One of the things I feel could assist guys like yourselves is I have also developed a class called a "workplace simulated flexible class". The way this class works is that once students have completed their "instructed class, such as a TIG/Fabrication course for example, they can then purchase "simulated workplace environment class time" to come into the workshop for further training. This training is supervised or guided training, and not instructional as a standard class would be.
For this reason, and to cover insurance concerns, the student has to have completed the guided training first as a pre-requisite to be able to do the simulated. The student doesn't have had to do all the different training courses on offer, just those that they intend to do.
The other interesting outcome of this training is that we don't select the task, you do.
Here's an example.
Lets say you want to fabricate a steel pedal box for your race car. As long as you've done the TIG/fabrication course, you can come in and build your pedal box in the simulated environment.
If however, you wanted to build an aluminium fabricated component, then you would have had to have completed the aluminium welding course first. Once done, you're able to come in and build away.
In another example, if you wanted to fabricate a cage for your race or street car, then you would have had to have completed the TIG/fabrication 101 course along with the space-frame chassis building course.
Again, this covers insurance requirements so I can show you are competent in the use of the particular equipment, and I also know you have been trained in using the workshop equipment correctly.

The simulated workshop costs are:
A 10 hour block of "simulated workshop training" is $150.00
This can be used in a minimum of 2 hour blocks up to the amount of time purchased.
The cost includes use of equipment you have been trainind in, and includes power and gas for the welder.
The student is to supply materials and consumables.
If you want to use a 5" grinder, you will need to supply the grinding discs.
If you want to use the TIG, while the gas is included, you will need to supply the welding wire.
If you wanted to build a pedal box, you would need to supply the sheet metal.
If you wanted to do a beetle chop top, then we would have to have a discussion first, but let's work it out.

Most consumables and materials will be available for purchase at the facility at competetive prices.

Students are also required to supply their own PPE such as safety glasses, steel capped boots and suitable workwear.

I hope this might help a few guys who may not have the space or equipment to carrry out work at home. In some cases it could be that you have noise considerations such living in a town house complex.

I think you'll find that at $15.00 an hour including power and welding gas, this is a very competetive way to complete tasks and have the satisfaction that you did it yourself.

One last thing. As far as my qualifications go, I have two trades and a number of qualifications.
I am a qualified panel beater/body builder.
I am also a qualified fitter/machinst specialising in CAD/CAM/CNC
I previously owned an operated an engineering business designing and manufacturing motorsport components to a world wide market, mostly drag racing, but also circuit vehicles.
Prior to starting this training business specialising in motorsport I worked for both a private RTO and TAFE as an engineering trainer.
I hold a Cert IV in Engineering as well as a CERT V in engineering advanced trade.
I also study myself at university in the education field.

I've also owned VW's and built my first beach buggy at age 13 after being given a VW floorpan. From there my first road cars were beetles with engines ranging from stock to 1835cc (was popular in the late 70's early 80's), and all sorts of modifications including fitting a type III auto way back in about 1982. I definately understand your passion!!!...

The website is www.sttatraining.com.au for anyone who is interested.
feel free to email me from that site if you have any questions.

Greig

I'm happy for suggestions on what guys would like to learn.
I've also been discussing this with the Clubman/locost guys and they would like a week long class for out of towners so they can do the TIG/FABRICATION 101 class and the Composites class 101 all in a week.
Would this be of interest to the Dub guys from out of town?

The chassis class is based around building a clubman as an ICV. It's a space frame car so works well. Another option if guys were interested would be to build a EXO car running a late model (Post 1998 for emissions) VW Golf engine trans or something similar.

I'm up for suggestions. This training business is based around learning and not teaching, meaning we don't want to bog people down with useless info because that's the curriculum. This is about learning what you need to be able to produce what you need. We're not going to skip corners, but just transfer the knowledge on what's needed.

Cheers
Greig

This is a great idea / opportunity.

I was in a position where i had my beam cut and tacked for a new position to raise the front end for a baja.

Rather than pay $50 to have someone weld it, I would have loved to have been shown the ropes and zap it up myself.

You guys do 1 or 3 angle valve seat grinding walk throughs? I Might be stretching it a bit. i got valves to install 🙂. What about tube benders and laser cutters for exhaust and flange fab?

Chris, no to the seat cutting, although I did consider buying a Serdi just for that reason, but unfortunately didn't do it.

As far as the flanges go, why not plasma cut and hand finish, then buy a bunch of mandrel bends and tig weld it together?
Are you doing stepped headers?
I had a conversation today with one of the trainers from Partek actually about building a mandrel bender for the workshop. I have to finish the flowbench first, then we can look at it.

And I've done the cut and twist beam thing. I thnik I'd install adjustables if I was doing it again.

The idea is you get the basic courses out of the way and then you're able to carry on doing " flexible workshop simulation" blocks when it suits you on the task you decide upon. Obviously further learning has no end date, and is now called "life long learning". You just keep re-enrolling as you decide and the jobs you need to do come up.