David Salisbury
David Salisbury is our longest serving teacher, having taught at Chisholm Institute of TAFE for more than 30 years. He is proud of his work and passionate about safety.
“I love guiding people on their learning journey. They may not have been on this journey before and will often need guidance to keep things moving,” says David.
As the lead educator for Chisholm's Safety Training team, David delivers and assesses accredited and non-accredited courses on campus and in the workplace.
Learning by doing
David creates hands-on simulation activities for his students to gain realistic, safe learning opportunities in controlled environments. He's developed training props specifically for identifying, assessing and working safely.
‘Safety training is inherently dry. By using demonstrations, practice and observation assessments that include the relevant workplace tools and equipment, we can include physical activity, movement and realism in our learning and assessment practices. And maybe inject a bit of fun!’.
He also believes it’s important to adapt his teaching methods to suit students from a diverse mix of backgrounds, without losing focus on the quality and compliance requirements of the course.
“Australia is becoming more culturally diverse and most safety procedures require a certain level of English reading, writing and comprehension skills. Often, more time may be needed to complete written assessments and additional explanations and observation assessments may be needed,” explains David.
Innovative industry training
David is highly regarded in the Plumbing and Water Safety industry; he is considered an expert in his field. He collaborates with key industry organisations, like South East Water, to develop relevant training programs and strengthen Chisholm's partnerships.
“All jobs have their own inherent safety and welfare hazards. Relevant and on-going safety training must be embedded in industry to minimise workplace injuries” David explains.
As part of the Safety Training Team, David developed mobile, confined space training trailers to provide flexible training to industry clients in a controlled yet engaging and realistic environment.
Implementation of this innovative project changed the way Chisholm delivers confined space training and provided the capability and capacity to meet our industry clients' training needs. Additionally, these trailers enhanced the learning experience for our students.
Importance of continuous learning innovation
David is diligent and meticulous in his planning for the courses he teaches. He places great importance on staying up to date with industry and growing as a professional.
About David
David teaches several of Chisholm’s safety courses including Enter and work in a confined space, Pipe Laying, Work safely in the solar industry and Preparing to work safely in the construction industry course (White Card training).