Premier Mark McGowan visited North Regional TAFE's Broome campus today to turn the first sod on the new $11.6 million Hospitality and Student Services Centre.
Construction will be carried out by local Broome building company H&M Tracey, with the project consisting of two state-of-the-art buildings; one for hospitality and tourism, the second for hair and beauty training.
Designed locally by Engawa Architects, the buildings will be linked by an outdoor meeting place, and among the many highlights will be a live works training restaurant and alfresco café, providing a welcome boost to hospitality and tourism training.
The redevelopment will also facilitate industry-standard practice in hair and beauty with dedicated spaces for simulated training, as well as additional space for student and corporate services.
Both the hospitality and hair and beauty industries are vital to the region's peak tourism season, and the new facilities will help deliver more skilled workers for Broome and the Kimberley.
Construction is expected to be completed in July 2022.
The project is part of the McGowan Government's record $184.3 million investment to fund essential infrastructure upgrades to the State's TAFE network.
The Rebuilding our TAFEs plan includes:
- $184.3 million in capital works projects across Western Australia;
- $25 million for free TAFE short courses to upskill thousands of Western Australians;
- $345.9 million for the Lower Fees, Local Skills program and to freeze all other fees at current rates until the end of the 2025 training year; and
- $11.9 million for the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive.
The McGowan Government has slashed the fees for 180 TAFE courses under the Lower Fees, Local Skills initiative, including for courses in tourism and hospitality.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"These new facilities are part of my Government's investment of more than $184 million in projects to upgrade TAFEs across WA.
"When completed, these new facilities will provide fantastic new learning opportunities for hospitality and tourism students in Broome - with simulated training to produce job-ready workers.
"This will help meet the demand for skilled workers in hospitality and tourism industries across the region, especially during the peak tourism season.
"Along with my Government's Lower Fees, Local Skills initiative, there really is no better time to gain affordable and valuable qualifications in WA."
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"The $11.6 million investment at North Regional TAFE's Broome campus is another example of the McGowan Government's commitment to providing first-class learning environments to Western Australians.
"This project will produce job-ready workers, as well as support 141 jobs for local workers, including apprentices and trainees, during construction."
As stated by Kimberley MLA Divina D'Anna:
"While the pandemic has caused skills shortages in the Kimberley, it has also provided new opportunities for more local people to step up and fill the gap in a whole range of industries.
"The McGowan Government is continuing to invest in quality local training and these campus upgrades will make it easier for people from our region, young and old, to get on the pathway to a good job."
