By JO HARRISON
A $7.9 MILLION upgrade to the New England Institute of TAFE Armidale Campus for a state-of-the-art training facility will enhance the quality education and training available in the region.
According to the NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, it will also boost services and skills to an already burgeoning cafe scene in Armidale.
Premier O’Farrell and Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli officially opened the new facility on Monday and were joined at the event by Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall.
“Education and training is fundamental to the development and future prosperity of business and industry in regional NSW,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“Deloitte Access Economics predicts the region will see a 12 per cent increase in jobs in professional, scientific and technical services by 2016, a 10 per cent increase in jobs for café and restaurant managers, and a 6 per cent rise in jobs for health care and social workers.”
The upgrade will see TAFE Armidale Campus expand a range of courses offered and for the first time offer commercial cookery apprentices training in the New England. The new facilities include a kitchen, bar and restaurant to allow students to experience a simulated industry environment.
“Allowing students to apply theory in practice will prepare them for the expected increase in hospitality jobs forecast by Deloitte Access Economics over the next three years,” Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli said.
“The upgrade also provided new classrooms, e-Learning rooms, teacher accommodation, a gym, film screen area, home skills room, massage therapy area, and car park,” he said.
The upgrade was jointly funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments.
