In 2003, Chisholm and the China Electricity Council (CEC) embarked on a major project to enable Chinese students from the power company vocational colleges to obtain two Diploma certificates, an Australian-accredited Diploma qualification and the equivalent Chinese qualification.
Chisholm worked with the following colleges:
- Fujian Electric Power Technical College
UET50219 – Diploma of ESI Power Systems - Jiangxi Vocational and Technical College of Electricity
UET50219 – Diploma of ESI Power Systems - Shanghai Power Industry School
UET50219 – Diploma of ESI Power Systems - Shanxi Electrical Vocational and Technology Institute
UET50219 – Diploma of ESI Power Systems - Wuhan Electric Power Vocational College
UET50219 – Diploma of ESI Power Systems - Zhengzhou Electric Power College
UET50219 - Diploma of ESI Power Systems
The collaboration provided the power companies with a work-ready pool of bi-lingual local talent. For graduates of the program the tangible benefits were:
- Two qualifications – The Australian qualification is well recognised worldwide and the Chinese qualification, strongly regarded by Chinese industry.
- Improved English language skills
- Skills directly linked to prospective employment
- Work placement component
- Experience a new culture through visiting Chisholm teachers
- Learning and be assessed using international competency based practices
- Strong employment prospects with 90 per cent employment of graduates within six months.