Mount Barker TAFE set for major expansion following $800k funding boost
Mount Barker TAFE is set for a major expansion after securing $800,000 in federal funding, with five major industries set to benefit.
Adelaide Hills
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Mount Barker TAFE is set for a major overhaul after securing $800,000 in federal funding.
Upgrades will focus on the construction, automotive, community services, hospitality and business and IT departments – to help bring facilities up to modern standards.
Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie said Mount Barker was one of two regional TAFE campuses to have benefited from the recent Federal Budget announcement.
She said Victor Habor TAFE would additionally receive $200,000 to upgrade facilities for forklift licensing, training in tourism and hospitality and community services.
“TAFE and similar training organisations have been the poor cousin when it comes to investing in post-secondary education in the past decade, and nowhere is that more evident than in South Australia,” Ms Sharkie said.
“We need to ensure that young people realise that there are many pathways to success and that the support is there to access those pathways. One pathway is certainly TAFE.”
Ms Sharkie said federal investment across regional SA – specifically in Mount Barker – was more important than ever.
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“Both campuses are located in rapidly growing areas with Mount Barker set to be the second-largest city in SA in the next 30 years with a population of more than 56,000 by 2036,” she said.
“The size of both campuses, and the age of their facilities, will significantly restrict the quantity and quality of courses they can offer our young people if we don’t act now.
“We need the facilities to train the carpenters and mechanics of the future, not to mention building up the trained aged care and disability care workforce we are going to need.”