North Regional TAFE's Kununurra campus is home to a new state-of-the-art Health and Hospitality Training Centre, that will train local workers for local jobs. In a major boost to the Kimberley region, the $6 million training centre provides specialist training spaces for nursing, aged and disability care, allowing North Regional TAFE to deliver National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) training in Kununurra to help meet demand in the region.
Among the new amenities is a NDIS simulated facility for both in-home and residential care, complete with bathroom, lounge room, kitchen, and bedroom to mimic a home environment, as well as a small nursing ward to ensure students are training in an industry-standard environment.
The new training kitchen and barista area has an adjacent, multi-use space that can be converted into a café or conference facility for hands-on event training, and an art-workshop will provide training for cultural activities unique to the East Kimberley. Hospitality and tourism students are also benefitting from the new training centre, with advanced technological capabilities to connect campuses, and allow flexible remote learning.
The facility was designed by Saleeba Adams Architects, and local workers were employed throughout the duration of the project, with Kununurra-based Kimberley Green Constructions appointed for the build. Kununurra is the largest training delivery location in the East Kimberley region, and is set to deliver training to more than 500 students in 2023.
The Kununurra Health and Hospitality Training centre is one of 15 major projects taking place at TAFE colleges across Western Australia, as part of the State Government's $243 million investment upgrading the TAFE network.
Training Minister Simone McGurk said, "The health, tourism and hospitality industries are essential to the Kimberley region and these upgrades will ensure local workers have the skills to fill in-demand jobs. North Regional TAFE's Kununurra campus now has the outstanding new facilities to carry out training for the crucial aged and disability care sector. This will support students to train in the same environment they will find in the workplace, ensuring they are job ready. A skilled regional workforce is a high priority for our Government, and we will continue to invest in the regions so local people can continue to train and work close to home."
Member for Kimberley Divina D'Anna added, "We need skilled workers right across the Kimberley and this investment means students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities right here in Kununurra. Already this year around 500 students have enrolled in courses at North Regional TAFE's Kununurra campus. I would urge anyone considering a new career to give TAFE a go and take advantage of these fantastic facilities."
