Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh has ushered in a new era of skills training for the North Coast today, officially opening a multi-million dollar trades hub at TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour.
Mr Singh said the $13.3 million Coffs Harbour Education Campus Trades Hub will deliver training to around 700 apprentices per year and further boost vocational education opportunities for local communities.
“The 2500 square-metre industry-standard training facility will include new specialist trade training spaces in areas including carpentry and joinery, construction, electrical trades, waterproofing, shopfitting/cabinet making, kitchen design, plumbing and water operations,” Mr Singh said.
“This NSW Government investment will ensure TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour is able to better align course offerings to key areas of skills demand in the region.
“Investment in education and training is critical to the success of our region’s economy, and these new state-of-the-art facilities will have a positive, tangible impact on local communities throughout the North Coast.
“I’m proud to be part of a government that recognises the importance of the trades in driving progress and economic prosperity.”
Located within the Coffs Harbour Education Campus, the new CHEC Trades Hub will run parallel to the $3.2 million Coffs Harbour Connected Health Hub, which opened in July 2020.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the new trades hub would further bolster the ability of TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant training linked to jobs.
“TAFE NSW trains 80 per cent of the state’s apprentices, and this new trades hub marks another significant investment in the future of education in NSW,” Mr Lee said.
“The NSW Government is investing in the right facilities to meet the current and future needs of our community, ensuring students have the practical knowledge they need to get a job and employers have a strong pipeline of skilled workers.”
