Sod turned on $10.2M trade training centre in Rockhampton
The first sod has been turned and construction is underway on the $10.2 million first stage of the planned CQUniversity TAFE Centre of Excellence at the Rockhampton North campus.
Minister for Training and Skills Development, the Hon Di Farmer MP joined CQUniversity’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Klomp for the occasion and to inspect the site.
Once complete, Stage 1 of the TAFE Centre of Excellence will cater for 350 students in the construction trades, including Certificates III in Bricklaying, Carpentry, Plumbing and Cabinet Making.
The development will help meet growing demand for VET at CQU in Rockhampton, which is forecast to increase by 8.6 per cent by 2030 and the new facility will also help to cater for the Central Queensland’s growing construction industry, which is expected to employ more than 12,000 people (8.7 per cent of the region’s workforce) by 2025-26.
Queensland-based builder WHF Group is leading the construction of the project and adjoining carpark upgrade, with up to 100 jobs created during construction.
The 6000 sqm site will include a large outdoor practical construction space, along with a 2330 sqm underroof facility that will encompass an open plan indoor workshop, classrooms, a meeting space, breakout spaces, a staffroom and office space.
The site will also house more than $1.5 million of specialist construction trade training tools and equipment.
The Stage 1 project is expected to be completed by late 2024 to early 2025, in time to welcome students for Term 1, 2025.
The project has been funded by an $8.4 million investment from the Queensland Government along with a $1.8 million contribution from the University.
Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said: “This $8.4 million investment is all about providing the high-skilled, highly-capable construction workforce that Central Queensland will need as the population grows and demand for infrastructure grows along with it.
“Once complete, Central Queensland TAFE students intending to work in the construction industry will have access to modern training, in a state-of-the-art facility.
“Under the Equipping TAFE for our Future (ETFOF) program, the Queensland Government has committed more than $15.9 million for infrastructure upgrades at CQUniversity campuses in Rockhampton and Mackay.
“That includes the $7.5 million expansion of the trade training centre at Mackay’s Ooralea campus – doubling the size of the existing facility.
“These upgrades – and the consolidation plans for CQU Rockhampton – will enhance training capacity and respond to the needs of the local community, as well as our priority industries.”
Professor Nick Klomp, Vice-Chancellor and President of CQUniversity said that he was delighted to see the first stage of the project underway.
“The establishment of Stage 1 of the Rockhampton TAFE Centre of Excellence will allow CQUniversity to consolidate more if its Rockhampton based operations on the Rockhampton North campus site, while also developing new, state-of-the-art facilities to benefit skills training and development in the region.
“The development of this facility is much needed in the region as local industry and the community rely heavily on skilled trade professionals to keep our economy running.
“The facility will deliver apprentices and trainees in the region with world-class facilities and equipment to ensure they get the most out of their training experience. This better prepares them for their future careers and the needs and expectations of industry. This will also have a positive impact on their employers as apprentices will be trained to use the latest resources and technology.”
Professor Klomp also said that the University is committed to securing further investment to develop Stage 2 of the project, including facilities for refrigeration and air-conditioning, metal fabrication, hairdressing and beauty, horticulture, hospitality and cookery, visual arts and information technology training.
Transcript
Another great day for CQUniversity with the turning of the sod for our stage one of the CQUniversity TAFE Centre of Excellence.
It's bringing our trades training from our city location here to Rocky North. It allows us to dove tail in with the other facilities here in our School of Mining, our Schools of Engineering to make sure that we bring all the trades and all the education together so all our students our trade students our higher education students have the opportunity to access the gym, accommodation, student support and of course the latest facilities.
So I thank the Queensland Government for their support contributing $8.4 million to this $10.4 million project allowing us to create the teaching facilities and the contemporary tools and equipment and facilities that our businesses and industry expect our students to be trained on.
And it's just what Central Queensland requires. We're bringing three or four different trades over from the city campus here onto Rocky North, that is plumbing, construction, cabinet making, carpentry, all those sorts of facilities that dovetail so well in the things we've just recently brought over in automotive and heavy auto.
So it's the perfect location to be able to combine and consolidate all of that training.
Central Queensland is absolutely exploding with opportunities. There's $4 billion worth of projects happening in this region and we know that none of those things can happen unless we have the workforce with the skills to actually get those projects underway which is why this new facility is absolutely critical.
It means that up to 350 students a year will be able to train in those important areas of plumbing, construction, brick laying, exactly the skills that we are going to need for the jobs that are needed in this region.
We know in 2 years time there's going to be a 14.5% increase in the workforce required in this region.
We're excited about what this does for the region of course. It produces it creates opportunities like 100 jobs being created just in the construction phase, but as exciting and as good as that is for the economy of Central Queensland, actually the real strength of this is the graduates we're going to be producing, the hundreds of graduates we're going to be producing every year into over the next decade.
That is what the the region requires, that's what industry is demanding and CQUniversity is really proud of that.
