Title - News and Press Releases

Training partnership heralds ‘promising future’ for Northern Rivers community

Monday 13th September

A partnership between two community-focussed state government organisations is being formalised on Monday. TAFE NSW-North Coast Institute (NCI) and the Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD) have agreed to work together on a range of regional community development initiatives, and this is being celebrated by a signing ceremony on Monday 13th September at 4pm at Lismore Campus.

In a first for NSW, the agreement pledges to provide a range of support mechanisms and projects aimed at:

  • providing relevant high quality and innovative learning and business improvement services
  • assisting existing and expanding enterprises
  • assisting new and relocating enterprises
  • investigating regional and local skills needs, gaps and solutions across industry sectors.
  • working hand in hand with business.
  • helping business to do better in the northern Rivers

Mr Frank Hay, the Regional Manager for DSRD said, “I see a three-fold outcome for the community in this partnership; first, and most important, a much needed boost to local employment opportunities for our people. Secondly, there’ll be the creation of a skilled workforce to meet the needs of our regional industry. Finally, there is a wide and diverse set of employment needs of new and innovative industries here, and this partnership targets skills development to meet these needs.”

Mr Hay will be present at the event along with Mr Ian Oerlichs, the Chair of the Northern Rivers Regional Development Board and other local dignitaries such as Mr Charles Moran, Elder, Bundjalung Elders Council and Mr Merv King, Mayor, Lismore City Council.

Neil Black, Director of the North Coast Institute, said that the partnership was a key part of the Institute’s strategic goal of commitment to regional development. “We’re focussed on the development of vocational education that meets the needs of the community, industry and business, and this partnership is an outstanding example of this.” Mr Black said. He referred to specific projects already underway, like the boat building project at Broadwater slip, which needed workers who could work in steel, aluminium and composites to “Lloyds standard”, and the assistance with employment, training and assessment to meet AQUIS standards at a meat processing company at Casino .

Mr Black also said that the manufacturing industry has undergone significant restructuring and has incorporated a range of emerging technologies. “This partnership project will collaborate with industry to gauge their workforce needs and in doing so ensure their future growth and long term viability in the North Rivers region.”

The event commences at 4 pm in Room A1.10, Lismore Campus, TAFE NSW North Coast Institute, Conway St, Lismore.

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Contact:
Neil Brown, Manager Media and Public Relations
North Coast Institute of TAFE NSW
6586 2224 0438 624 804