Monday, 23 April 2018
THE region will soon boast nine additional TAFE NSW teachers – a 10 per cent increase – as part of an unprecedented state-wide recruitment drive, according to Northern Tablelands MP and Minister responsible for TAFE Adam Marshall.
Mr Marshall announced the establishment of a TAFE Teacher Recruitment Taskforce to oversee the recruitment of 253 new TAFE teaching staff across the State over the next 12 months, which is in response to a huge surge in trade qualification course enrolments.
“This is great news for our region,” he said. “Extra jobs in our towns are always welcomed and I’m looking forward to seeing the new teachers recruited at Moree, Boggabilla, Glen Innes and Armidale in the coming months.
“This represents a 10 per cent increase in TAFE frontline educators across the Northern Tablelands and is due to the growth in enrolments, particularly in trade apprenticeships.
“Over the last 12 months we’ve seen a 19 per cent surge in electrical apprentices through TAFE, while enrolments for plumbing and carpentry are up 11 per cent.
“These new teachers will help TAFE cater for a growing number of students over the next three years, furthering TAFE’s reputation as an education provider that reflects local business and industry needs.
“With each additional staff member to help hundreds of local young people achieve their career goals, this is a tremendous investment in employment and industry for our region.”
Mr Marshall said today’s announcement came on the back of a colossal few months for TAFE in the region at Glen Innes and Armidale.
“These extra teachers will complement the $2 million Connected Learning Centre at Glen Innes, which opened late last year and created two extra teaching positions at the campus,” he said.
“Just last month we celebrated the opening of the $6 million TAFE NSW Digital Headquarters in Armidale and the 51 new full-time jobs that came with it and the Moree TAFE campus will soon undergo a $450,000 upgrade.”
Mr Marshall said the increased investment would particularly benefit students in country NSW, with 112 of the 253 new teachers to be based at regional TAFE campuses.
Of the nine additional teachers being recruited across the Northern Tablelands, three will be at Moree, one at Boggabilla and Glen Innes and four at Armidale.