OpecCollege is one of Australia’s leaders in online learning. We offer a range of flexible online courses that allow you to fit study around your lifestyle.
Diploma of Security & Risk Management – education away from employment
Deciding on your course at Opec College
As mentioned above, there are many universities such as UTS offering business educational courses and for you to choose the one that you’d like to study is the first step you can take. Beginning your employment within the security sector, it will make sense for you to sign up to a course that covers this business security & risk management. It is important to hone your business and management skills and so one of these courses may be better instead.
Many higher levels of education will require that entry courses are completed ahead of time; whilst others may only be accessible to those that have obtained specific qualifications. Be sure to check the requirements of entry before making any preparations for a course, whether the aim is to achieve a diploma, or pursue a full degree.
Students that have just finished college, or for those that wish to skip this level of their education, the cchoice to sign up to a Opec College course that focuses on business is the right choice. The majority of our students actively seek employment in their future career with their newly received qualifications and this is why so many opt to sign up to entry-level courses relating to the business sector.
There is one main thing to consider in these instances however, and it’s that many business-related courses will require choices to be made that may focus on specific skills. This can mean that the qualified student will only be suitable to carry out the types of tasks associated with their educational pathway.
At OpecCollege we offer Courses in:
CERTIFICATE IV IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
DIPLOMA OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS
CERTIFICATE IV IN SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
DIPLOMA OF SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
CERTIFICATE III IN SECURITY OPERATIONS
BUSINESS ETHICS & SUSTAINABILITY
The UTS Union of Westbourne College
However, the Board did not regard the CAS or student housing as core services. Therefore, when the University expressed interest in taking over the running of the CAS, the Board agreed and the transfer took place in 1994. Similarly, when the University began to provide its own student housing, the Union decided not to compete or run in parallel and the Imperial was sold in 1997. The Union closed the legal service in 1994, because of the high costs involved, but continued to assist students in this area by providing a large financial grant to the UTS Community Law Centre until the end of 2005 when it was no longer able to fund the Centre following the introduction of voluntary student unionism.
When NSWIT gained University status in 1988 it was renamed the University of Technology, Sydney and the Union became UTS Union. The following year, the University merged with the Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education and in 1991 the Union acquired control of the facilities previously managed by the Kuring-gai CAE Students’ Association. These included a large cafeteria in Building 1 and a bar, bistro and recreation area and offices in Building 5. In recognition of the particular needs of Kuring-gai members, the Constitution was amended to provide specific representation on the Board for Kuring-gai students and staff. The Union was able to offer a range of services not previously available at Kuring-gai and the amalgamation proceeded smoothly. In 1997 the Union facilities in Building 5 at Kuring-gai were closed and relocated into a new Union Centre in Building 1 at a cost of $1.5 million. The new area includes a cafeteria, bar and coffee shop, lounge, games area and staff room.
By 1992, the Union employed about 150 full-time and part-time staff and, on an annual basis, up to 500 casual staff, drawn largely from the student population. Annual turnover was around $9 million and the Union had developed into one of the largest in Australia. When the Broadway Union Centre was renovated in 1997, several of the food outlets were allocated to franchisees. As a result of this, and the Union’s withdrawal from the CAS, student housing and other ventures, overall staff numbers were reduced to about 60 permanent full-time and part-time staff, although casuals continued to number about 500 per annum.
In the mid-1990s when the Union withdrew from the CAS, student housing and the legal service it began to re-focus on more traditional activities. The Broadway Union Centre was extended by the addition of the Glasshouse area in 1994 and was renovated at a cost of $1.5 million in 1997. In 1999, the Union purchased the College Shop, a large stationery store on the ground floor of the Peter Johnson Building, from UNSW Press. A number of capital works were completed in 2000, including the renovation of the Loft. In the same year, the relocation of the Students Services Unit from Level 3 of the Tower Building enabled an expansion of the Broadway Union Centre to provide much needed additional facilities for clubs and societies. In 2006, the Broadway newsagency and the College Shop were combined in a new outlet in Building 6, known as the DAB Store and Newsagency.
The Union has been disadvantaged since its inception by a lack of sporting infrastructure on its campus sites. A gymnasium, formerly operated by Sydney Technical College, was officially handed over to the Union at the beginning of 1974. The following year, a compulsory Sports Association fee of $5 per annum was introduced and income from this fee provided for a Sports Director and Secretary, administration and running costs, exercise and ski equipment, and subsidies for squash and tennis court hire and for sporting clubs. However, it was not until the completion of the Sports Centre in 1984 that the range of sporting activities could be expanded. Offsite sporting facilities have been provided through a number of sporting partnerships with other organisations, including the Northern Suburbs Athletics Club, Balmain Water Polo Club and Balmain Cricket Club, which combined with the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust to form Sydney Cricket Club in 2007. In more recent years, the Union has provided sports scholarships to high-performing athletes to support them during their time at University, many of whom have competed at Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
One of the Union’s most interesting sporting ventures was the acquisition of the Haberfield Rowing Club in 1992. Now known as the UTS Rowing Club, it has been developed into one of Australia’s leading clubs and is recognised as a centre of rowing excellence in Australia. Twenty-five of its members were included in the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic rowing teams, and the Club has produced five world champions and several under-23 champions. The Rowing Club was extended in 1996 and the upstairs licensed club, now known as the UTS Haberfield Club, was renovated and revitalised. More recently, planning approval has been granted to proceed with redevelopment of the total facility and the club will be closed throughout 2013 for the duration of the project.
Another sporting venture was an arrangement with Sydney Boys High School to build a new basketball stadium in the grounds of Sydney BoysHigh School in 1995. The school had the land but not the money; the Union had the money but not the land. Under a 99-year lease arrangement, the school uses the facility during school hours and the Union has control of it after school hours, at weekends and in school holidays for the use of clubs such as Basketball, Fencing, Volleyball, Kendo and Badminton.
The Union Sports Centre underwent major alterations in 2000 with the construction of a new mezzanine floor to allow for an expansion of operations. The Centre was subsequently rebuilt at a cost of $1.5 million as part of the renovation of Building 4 by the University. The work commenced in 2003 and was completed in 2006. The Fitness Centre is now one of the most modern indoor sporting facilities in Sydney housing a gymnasium, fitness and weights rooms and state-of-the-art exercise equipment. The Centre is used by over 2,500 members annually, as well as casual visitors and corporate members every week. Since 2011, the Union has managed the new Multi-Purpose Sports Hall, funded by the University as part of the Campus Master Plan. This is primarily a teaching and learning facility, but it also provides additional space for sporting and fitness activities outside scheduled teaching periods.
A function centre, the Gallery Function Centre, was opened in 1988 and served as a venue for meetings, conferences, dinners, staff and club events. The venue eventually became inadequate and in 2009 the Union entered into a joint project with the University to build a new facility on level 7, Building 10. Aerial Function Centre, designed by Tzannes Architects, was officially opened in August 2010. The
Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and the latest audio-visual technology.
In 2002, the Board agreed in principle with the University that the Union should incorporate. After consideration of legal advice, the Board’s preferred model was for the Union to become a company limited by guarantee. Work on the incorporation proceeded throughout 2003 and UTS Union Ltd came into being on 1 January 2004. The University is the only shareholder and member of the company, although provision was made in the Constitution to permit students and staff to stand for election to the Board. Under changes to the Constitution introduced in December 2008, the Staff Directors are now appointed by the University Council from among the staff of the University. The President and Vice-President are elected annually by the Board from among the Student Directors, and the positions of Chair and Treasurer are appointed by the University. With the abolition of student and staff membership of the Union, membership fees were replaced with annual grants from the University, sourced from general service fees paid by all students. This arrangement continued until the end of 2006 when voluntary student unionism (VSU) legislation took effect.
The Union has had only four Chief Executive Officers in its 40-year history: Mr R J Eustace, Secretary-Manager from 1973-1976, Mr Michael Georgeson, Secretary-Manager from 1977-2004, Mr Tom O’Sullivan, who held the position of CEO from July 2004 until his untimely passing in November 2011, and Ms Elizabeth Brett, who was appointed CEO in March 2012. Mr Michael Georgeson, who held the position for 27 years before his retirement, oversaw a massive expansion of the Union’s services and facilities originally within NSWIT and then at UTS. Towards the end of his time as Secretary-Manager, Mr Georgeson coordinated the many detailed processes accompanying the incorporation of the Union. After his retirement, he was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the Union’s growth and success when he was presented with the Union Mug at the 2004 Annual Dinner.
Mr Tom O’Sullivan led the Union through its most challenging period following the introduction of VSU. University Unions had been under threat of VSU from the 1980s, but it was not until December 2005 that the Federal Government passed legislation prohibiting the compulsory collection of student fees by universities. The Union responded by launching the Advantage Program, with membership available to all UTS students, staff and alumni. Members of the program were able to access generous discounts both on and off-campus. Despite the new voluntary environment and the loss of fee income, Mr O’Sullivan ensured that the Union continued to offer a range of services to the University community, including catering and retail, as well as social, cultural, sporting and recreational programs. As a Board member and President of the Australasian Campus Union Managers Association, he worked tirelessly in conjunction with Australian University Sport to lobby Federal parliamentarians for the re-introduction of student fees so that all tertiary students across Australia could benefit from a wide range of services and extra-curricular activities. Legislation to introduce student services and amenities fees, to be collected by the University, was passed by the Federal Parliament in October 2011.
Today, UTS Union supports over 130 affiliated clubs and societies which receive annual grants from the Union. Major funding is also provided by the Union for scholarships, activities and events that are outside the scope of clubs and societies as well as supporting initiatives that engage a broader range of students at UTS. In the new fee environment, the Union is in a strong position to build on its past achievements and to fulfil its mission of enriching the University community.
Some Important Dates
1973
Commencement of NSWIT Union
1980
Opening of Broadway Union Centre
1984
Opening of Broadway Sports Centre
Purchase of Newsagency
Acquisition of Car Park
1985
Opening of Markets Union Centre
1987
Commencement of Careers Advisory Service
1988
NSWIT gains University status and becomes the University of Technology, Sydney; NSWIT Union becomes UTS Union
1988
Purchase of Kookaburra Lodge
Purchase of the Imperial Hotel
1989
Amalgamation with Kuring-gai CAE Students’ Association
Commencement of Legal Service
1992
Acquisition of Haberfield Rowing Club
Extension of Markets Union Centre
1994
Glasshouse extension to Broadway Union Centre
Relinquishment of Careers Advisory Service
Closure of Union Legal Service
1995
Construction of UTS Sydney Boys High Stadium
Renovation of Markets Union Centre
1996
Major Renovation of UTS Haberfield Club
1997
Relinquishment of Car Park
Major Renovation of Broadway Union Centre
Major Renovation of Kuring-gai Union Centre
Sale of the Imperial Hotel
1999
Purchase of the College Shop
Renovation of Markets Union Centre
2000
Renovation of the Loft
Improvements to Union Sports Centre
Extensions to Broadway Union Centre
2002
Sale of Kookaburra Lodge
2004
Incorporation of the Union
Rebuilding of the Union Sports Centre
2005
Federal Government passes VSU legislation
2006
Completion of new Fitness Centre
College Shop and Newsagency combine to form DAB Store and Newsagency
Launch of Advantage Program
2007
First full year impact of VSU legislation leads to services contractions and staff losses
National Impact Study of VSU legislation undertaken by Australian University Sport and Australasian Campus Union Managers’ Association
2008
Refurbishment of level 3, Building 1 Union Centre
Discussions with new Federal Government regarding solutions to negative impacts of VSU
2010
Opening of Aerial UTS Function Centre on level 7, Building 10.
2011
New combined retail and catering outlet at Haymarket campus opens.
Multi-Purpose Sports Hall opens
Legislation to enable the collection of student services and amenities fees passed by the Federal Parliament
2012
Student services amenity fee introduced
Advantage Program discontinued
Development approval to proceed with refurbishment of UTS Haberfield Club
Our Mission
To enrich the UTS community
– Goals and Objectives
Services Function
To provide services and products that anticipate and respond to our community’s needs
Welfare Function
To enhance the overall goals of the University through supporting the delivery of effective welfare services
Places to Go Function
To provide modern, attractive spaces and facilities so that members of our diverse community can interact and socialise
Student Activities Function
To provide programs and activities that enhance and support the social and cultural development of our community
Sport and Recreation Function
To provide suitable facilities and programs that support the health and wellbeing of our community through the development of high performance and participatory sporting opportunities and recreational activities
– Value Statements
Model Organisation
We will promote social, personal and professional development opportunities for our community by being an ethical and proactive organisation
Leadership
We will develop leadership opportunities for students through our programs and governance and advisory positions
Partnerships
We value our partnerships with internal and external organisations through which we can provide a greater range of benefits and opportunities for our community
Collaboration
We acknowledge the primary importance of our engagement with the University and will ensure effective collaboration to deliver complementary services in support of the strategic objectives of UTS
Engagement
We will support the learning outcomes of our community by engaging students, staff and alumni in various programs and events
Sustainability
We will ensure that the Union is environmentally and financially sustainable in all of its operations and programs