Rockhampton push for $50m TAFE project

City leaders are spearheading a push for a TAFE Centre of Excellence to turbocharge skills and training in the Rockhampton region. CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Klomp was joined by Rockhampton Region Mayor Margaret Strelow, local Regional Development Australia chair Grant Cassidy, and Adnought Sheet Metal Fabrications manager Greg Adams in calling on the State Government to financially back the $49.8 million project. “The Queensland Government has identified ‘Investing in Skills’ as one of six key priority areas that will help the state bounce back after the economic shock of the pandemic,” Professor Klomp said. “That’s why we’re calling on the State Government to fund the Central Queensland TAFE Centre of Excellence, which will create hundreds of construction jobs in the short term, and will contribute strongly to developing the region’s future workforce in the long term. “For an investment of $49.8 million, we will create more than 350 jobs to be created in the construction phase of the project, as well as more than 300 long-term jobs and 48 per cent growth in TAFE students over the next 10 years.” Professor Klomp said the project would involve building a new, state-of-the-art TAFE training facility at CQUniversity’s Rockhampton North campus, freeing up the Canning St site for potential health and residential use. Mr Adams, whose company has trained a total of 26 apprentices through CQUniversity and its predecessor institutions, said the project was long overdue. “Industry moves fast these days and it’s critical that our TAFE infrastructure keeps up to speed with changes in technology, equipment and skills requirements, otherwise Rockhampton businesses will be left behind,” Mr Adams said. “I wholeheartedly support an upgrade that will bring our local TAFE facilities into the 21st century with the latest gear that can turn out the best apprentices possible.” As the public provider of TAFE in the Capricornia region, CQUniversity argues that it requires a new TAFE training facility to: Replace the current facilities which are aged and, in many cases, beyond their useful life,Accommodate more apprentices and trainees than the current facilities can handle, in order to help scale the region’s skilled future workforce,Provide flexibility so that the new facility can train Rockhampton region students for the jobs of the future, andRealise efficiencies from co-locating TAFE training alongside higher education in Rockhampton North. Professor Klomp said the University was seeking a Queensland Government funding commitment for the TAFE Centre of Excellence prior to the October state election. “This project will play a pivotal role in leading the Rockhampton region out of 2020 and into a brighter economic future,” he said. CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Klomp, Rockhampton Region Mayor Margaret Strelow and Adnought Sheet Metal Fabrications manager Greg Adams at existing training facilities with students Timothy Borg and Shawn Ingram.

Rockhampton push for $50m TAFE project

Industry Queensland

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