Upgrade foreshadowed for Bankstown College TAFE campus, Chullora to be sold

BANKSTOWN College looks like it will get money to modernise but Skills Minister John Barilaro has said Chullora campus would be sold.

Bankstown’s TAFE campus is set for upgrades, says South West Sydney Institute director Peter Roberts (pictured with students at the campus). Photo: Melvyn Knipe

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THE South West Sydney Institute has foreshadowed upgrades to Bankstown College following the release of an “unprecedented” six-year plan for TAFE in NSW.

The plan lists priorities to “modernise” TAFE and create jobs, boost apprenticeships and build new infrastructure.

SWSI director Peter Roberts told The Express part of this would mean funnelling money from underused campuses to upgrade other facilities, like Bankstown College.

“Bankstown College is a major centrepiece of the region and it will continue to grow, so for our students and the people that live in the area the commitment from the government is very, very strong,” he said.

Rani El Alam is a second-year adult carpentry apprentice at Chullora TAFE. Picture: Craig Wilson

“We desperately need to upgrade some of our facilities and Bankstown comes into the mix.”

Bankstown College offers about 100 courses in everything from hairdressing to business management.”

While Mr Roberts said there wasn’t detail yet on a timeline or what the upgrade might involve, he said some money could come from Chullora’s tired campus.

“Chullora is very old and probably not a fit-for-purpose site,” he said.

“We are just waiting for the government to make a decision and we have reinvestment strategies if (it is sold).”

Chullora’s campus, which offers trade courses, could reportedly fetch up to $22 million.

NSW Skills Minister John Barilaro. His spokesman confirmed Chullora campus would be sold.

A spokesman for NSW Skills Minister John Barilaro confirmed the campus would be sold and proceeds used “in other areas to meet the changing needs of students, industry and the community”.

TAFE NSW has been criticised for a surge in costs for some courses, sometimes by thousands of dollars.

Mr Roberts said there would be no change in course fees this year or next.

“For the next year for sure there is no change in course fees. There are many, many free courses available and many students who are unemployed or have social benefits get intensive exceptions,” Mr Roberts said.

He also touched on the merger of TAFE NSW’S 10 institutes, expected to be complete by 2018, saying it would cut back office administration costs.