21 years of registration as a Registered Training Organisation.
It’s a long time, but it seems like just yesterday.
My Dad, Eric Graham, was a lecturer at Edith Cowan University, and at the tender age of 62 decided to take early retirement and do something else. I remember taking my baby daughter (now 24) to his retirement function where he talked about becoming a courier. It was a good thing that didn’t happen. He had a terrible sense of direction.
A couple of months later Dad was working for the Submarine Corporation at Garden Island reviewing training materials for the Collins Class submarines. I remember that as I got to do a tour of one and loved it. The contract lasted for a while and during that time Dad formed Education Training Advisory Services with my Mum. They called it ETAS for short.
A few years later, in 1997, the government decided to form registered training organisations. Dad thought this was a great thing and decided that ETAS should become one. His was really one of the first private companies to do this. Our RTO number is 1967 and we were registered before most TAFEs. Given that the numbers now go up to the 60,000s this is an indication of how far sighted he was with his plans.
From the outset until well into their 70s Dad did the training and Mum did all the legwork. It’s been a family business all along and my sister, niece and most of my children have worked there.
Along the way ETAS grew and started delivering to some great WA companies in the mining industry, and to a lot of government departments. We've worked overseas and even had a 5-year contract delivering training in Mongolia.
21 years later we are still here. We’ve been a bit battered by the downturn in the mining industry but have stuck to our core beliefs in all this time. Dad was an amazing man who formed great relationships, and really wanted to deliver the best possible educational experience to all who worked with us. I really believe this is why ETAS has weathered the storms that have beset the RTO industry and is still delivering quality programs to our clients today.
I’m proud of the business my Mum and Dad built and am honoured to still be involved.
Rob Graham
Proud son (and Managing Director)