This year is a time for celebration for TAFE Queensland.

For 130 years TAFE has been providing vocational education throughout Queensland. In August, 2012 two other important milestones for vocational education were marked in Queensland; National Skills Week was celebrated for its second year and the new $30 million Trades Training Precinct was officially opened at Tropical North Queensland TAFE (TNQT).
 

The Tropical North Queensland TAFE Trades Training Precinct was officially opened by the Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education, Saxon Rice on Tuesday, 28 August.

For 35 years TNQT has been offering vocational education and training in Cairns. Formerly the trades offered at TNQT were housed in seven blocks across the campus. The recent completion of the new $30 million Trades Training Precinct includes trades, horticulture, electrical and automotive training areas. The construction of a new 8000sq m facility brings together carpentry, brick and block laying, plumbing, civil construction, refrigeration, fitting and turning, boiler-making, metal fabrication and diesel fitting.

TNQT Institute Director Joann Pyne said she felt it was apt that the new Trades Training Precinct was officially opened during National Skills Week and TAFE Queensland’s 130 year anniversary.

"National Skills Week is when we had the opportunity to raise the status of practical and vocational learning and acknowledge the contribution of our skilled workers to our economy and community," Ms Pyne said.
"This year we have about 1.7 million people nationally undertaking training in the vocational education and training sector. These people really are the back bone to many of the jobs which help drive the prosperity of our nation.

"At TNQT more than 1100 apprentices have been training this year in our new Trades Training Precinct. The skills they have been equipped with will make such a valuable impact on our local economy and community in general.

"The apprentices have benefited from the $2.1 million investment in state-of-the-art equipment and technology that has been installed in the $30 million Trades Training Precinct, such as the gas workshop which contains fully functional commercial and domestic kitchens for plumbing apprentices’ training."

Ms Pyne said that the Trades Training Precinct was designed and built using local contractors who created a building with great consideration to future growth and our tropical environment.

"Sustainability and future needs were certainly guiding principles in the design of the precinct," she said.

"It is only fitting that during National Skills Week we opened a building that showcases the skills of local people with the foresight and ingenuity to create a precinct that is the best trades training facility north of Brisbane."

Dulux Australia Spruces Up TNQT

After donating paint and equipment to every Surf Living Saving Club in Australia, Dulux Australia visited Tropical North Queensland TAFE (TNQT) laden with gifts of painting equipment and materials that TNQT’s Facilities team and apprentices will find very handy in maintaining and finishing off projects around campus.

For many years Dulux has been actively supporting communities and organisations with donations of much needed paint and equipment. Dulux is also proactive in offering free advice to painters and contractors so they can fine-tune their skills and utilise equipment like Dulux’s Environmental Wash Units and Spray Booths and help reduce carbon footprints.
 

The Dulux donations to TNQT were gratefully received by Trades Education Manager, Geoff Hardwicke who noted that the equipment would be put to good use throughout TNQT.

TNQT joins the local FNQ Football Association as being a beneficiary of Dulux Australia’s generosity and great community spirit.

Top gong for TNQT student

Letting nothing stand in his way of achieving his academic goals has earned Aaron Bond the title of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year in the prestigious Queensland Training Awards (QTA).

Aaron is currently completing a Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication with Tropical North Queensland TAFE while undertaking an apprenticeship with Rio Tinto Alcan in Weipa. Already Aaron is employed in a leadership role within the international mining company.

The industrious student was nominated in the Queensland Training Awards by Skill 360 – taking out the regional title in August before being announced as the winner of the state title at the gala presentation in Brisbane on September 15.
 

Aaron was joined at the state presentation by fellow TNQT students Darren Blackman and Neil Muller.

Darren and Neil were also regional winners and state finalists in the Vocational Student of the Year and the Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year categories, respectively.

TNQT institute director Joann Pyne congratulated the finalists and winners, commending them on their efforts to achieve their goals through education.

"At TNQT we pride ourselves on offering innovative and industry-relevant programs, but it is the commitment and effort of our students that paves the way to successful careers," Ms Pyne said.

"These students, and our nominees and finalists, are role models and will no doubt go on to become leaders in their chosen fields. We congratulate them all."

A dozen finalists who listed TNQT as their training provider competed in the 11-category field of the QTA regional awards presentation in August, with three announced as winners and state finalists.