Tuesday, 30 January 2024

MEDIA RELEASE

The NSW Government today confirmed TAFE NSW will remain at the heart of vocational education and training in the Northern Rivers, providing local communities with access to training in moder facilities that are aligned to in-demand jobs.

Minister for Skills, TAGE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said the NSW Government is focused on the work required to secure a resilient future for TAFE NSW in the region.

"I'm here in Lismore today to see for myself the impact the devastating floods of 2022 has on the TAFE NSW campus," Minister Whan said.

"Floodwaters damaged every building on the site, and destroyed valuable specialist equipment like kilns, digital cameras, nursing equipment, hundreds of computers and the entire library collection."

"It's a testament to the commitment of TAFE NSW employees, many of whom suffered personal property losses, that training services recommenced within three weeks of the floods using TAFE NSW facilities at Casino, Wollongbar, and Ballina, as well as Southern Cross University.

"Since then, TAFE NSW has been working on options to protect our assets from future harm, deliver on training needs for the local community, and ensure the community is part of that process."

NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, and Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin welcomed the NSW Labor Government's commitment to restoring TAFE NSW in Lismore and across the region.

"For generations, TAFE NSW Lismore has played a vital role in training our nurses, artists, and hospitality workers," Ms Saffin said.

"The need for a strong, public training provider with the capacity to deliver on the skills Lismore and the Northern Rivers community need to actively participate in growing the economy has never been more important."