TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centres of Excellence

• Through the National Skills Agreement, the Federal Government is partnering with states and territories to establish TAFE Centres of Excellence.
• The Australian Government is investing up to $325 million over five years across Australia, with matched funding from states and territories, to establish nationally networked TAFE Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
• TAFE CoEs aim to deliver a skilled workforce for strategically important industries to meet national challenges.
• TAFE CoEs connect industry and education partners to foster seamless training pathways between high schools, TAFE NSW, and universities.

• The NSW Government has committed to revitalising the manufacturing sector, recognising its role in driving economic growth and job creation across the state.
• TAFE NSW is collaborating with industry and universities to establish TAFE NSW Manufacturing CoEs.
• We’ll forge partnerships with industry and universities to create innovative education models and co-design training programs. The aim is to expand core skills in manufacturing and uplift skills in advanced manufacturing.

• Manufacturing CoEs will deliver on the NSW Government priority to rebuild and grow the NSW manufacturing industry, starting in Western Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter.
• Manufacturing CoEs will deliver on Commonwealth Government priorities to develop:
  • Greater collaboration between TAFE, industry and universities.
  • Critical skills that support national priority areas and innovative approaches to education and learning to support increased engagement and student retention, including learners from key equity groups.

• A Manufactoring CoE is not a physical building, but a flagship education model under the new National Skills Agreement.
• This model will support a collective effort from TAFE NSW, universities and industry to develop training programs that generate a skilled manufacturing workforce.
• NSW Government and Commonwealth Government funding will support refurbishment of the existing training facilities at TAFE NSW Newcastle (Tighes Hill), Wollongong, and Wetherill Park campuses.
• The Centres of Excellence will deploy mobile training units to reach regional and remote learners.

• Three Manufacturing CoEs will be established at existing TAFE NSW campuses in Western Sydney (Wetherill Park campus), the Illawarra (Wollongong campus), and the Hunter (Newcastle, Tighes Hill).

• On 27 February 2023, the NSW Government made an election commitment to address the manufacturing skills gap through the TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centres of Excellence starting with Western Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter.
• Western Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter regions are the location of critical existing and emerging manufacturing industries.
• While each location will have a primary focus (Net Zero, Advanced Manufacturing and Heavy Manufacturing), each location will remain responsive to diverse local industries, making CoE education available across all three locations.

• Manufacturing CoEs will offer additional education and training through new Higher Apprenticeships, Microskills, and Microcredentials to fast-track training provision in manufacturing manufacturing skills.
• Microskills will be available for any learner, school students, current apprentice, existing qualified or unqualified worker.
• Microcredentials would be available for any learner, with a focus on existing apprentices, and existing workers include transitioning workers.
• Higher apprenticeships would be available for high-potential apprentices, Higher Education candidates and qualified tradespeople.
• All new educational offerings will be developed in consideration of the existing, critical core education pathways currently delivered through TAFE NSW—Manufacturing CoE education and training will not duplicate these offerings.
• The CoE Education Model is designed to:
  • Attract students into existing pathways.
  • Provide opportunities for students to progress into a higher education pathway within an apprenticeship model (the Higher Apprenticeship).
  • Upskill existing students and qualified workers in areas not currently available in existing qualifications.
• Supported by extensive consultation and applied research, the Manufacturing CoEs will focus on attraction and retention of talent in the manufacturing sector, including underrepresented groups, such as women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• The Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments are providing matched funding of $78.6 million ($157.2 million total over four years) to establish the TAFE Manufacturing Centres of Excellence.
• An additional $5.27 million of Commonwealth turbocharged funding has been made available to support the focus on Net Zero manufacturing in the Hunter.
• The investment will support:
  • The development of new courses including two Higher Apprenticeships, Microcredentials and Microskills.
  • Fee-free training to over 10,000 learners over four years in new training and qualifications including Higher Apprenticeships, Microskills, and Microcredentials.
  • Refurbishment of training facilities at TAFE NSW Newcastle (Tighes Hill), Wollongong, and Wetherill Park campuses.
  • Two Mobile Training Units that can be mobilised across NSW to enable access to teachers, specialised equipment, and practical training.

• The TAFE NSW Manufacturing CoEs will work collaboratively to bring together expertise with universities and industry, to respond to critical skills needs in manufacturing.
• We’ll forge partnerships with industry and universities to create innovative education models and co-design training programs to expand core skills in manufacturing and uplift skills in manufacturing.

The TAFE NSW Manufacturing CoEs course delivery will start in 2025.

For any enquiries, please contact manufacturingcoe@tafensw.edu.au