Heavy Industry manufacturing, once largely considered moribund, appears to be emerging from the shadows with a $47m funding injection for a Wollongong Centre of Excellence announced yesterday.
The Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is a significant announcement in the Albanese Government’s $325m commitment to establish a network of 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence across Australia.
Perhaps indicating that Australia has a way to go in becoming a heavy industry leader, The Illawarra’s new Centre, opening in 2027, will provide a range of courses aimed at getting more students learning how to operate “legacy equipment” as well as improve efficiency through digital and robotic technologies. Advanced manufacturing techniques will also be taught.
In addition to offering microcredentials and microskills training, the Centre will pioneer a new qualification which strengthens the bridge between VET and HE or threatens to eat the lunch of universities, depending on your point of view.
The Associate Degree in Manufacturing and Applied Digital Technologies is a new type of qualification, to be piloted at the Centre. “This Degree Apprenticeship will provide a pathway between school, vocational education and training, and higher education.”
Each new Centre of excellence is being created in partnership between the Federal and State or Territory governments, which is part of “putting TAFE at the heart of the vocational education and training sector,” Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said.
