The importance of education took centre stage as Minister for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education Tim Crakanthorp embarked on a visit to Corowa on Tuesday this week.
Accompanied by the Member for Albury Justin Clancy and representatives from Federation Council including Mayor Pat Bourke and General Manager Adrian Butler, the minister's visit aimed to explore avenues for expanding educational opportunities in the region.
The minister’s first visit was to the Corowa Saleyards currently undergoing $10.1 million redevelopment.
Mr Crakanthorp was pleased to see the modernisation to the saleyards, incorporating state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge livestock handling systems, and improved animal welfare measures and said the NSW Labor Government would continue supporting regional development with an emphasis on sustainability.
The highlight of the visit was the announcement of new horticulture courses at TAFE NSW in Corowa, Finley, and Narrandera, representing a significant step forward in providing locals with access to quality education and qualifications.
This development will enable local residents to access qualifications and hands-on experience in the rapidly growing horticulture industry.
“It’s a pleasure to be here today… I’ve had a look around and great to see the energy and the excitement of the students here in Corowa,” he said.
“This course will give Corowa, Finley, and Narrandera locals the opportunity to learn the hands-on skills to start a career in the in-demand horticulture sector.
“We want to get out into the regions and communities and match the skills needed to drive our economy.”
The minister also highlighted the economic potential of the horticulture field, stating that gardening services across Australia are projected to generate nearly $3 billion in annual revenue by 2024.
“We want local people to be part of that to help drive the economy and trained through out TAFE system.”
The introduction of horticulture courses at TAFE NSW aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills to support this thriving industry.
TAFE NSW Corowa Head Teacher of Horticulture Sarah Cox expressed optimism regarding job opportunities for Certificate II graduates, stating that they could pursue careers in nurseries, local councils, or even start their own gardening services businesses.
“At present, TAFE NSW Corowa is running a face-to-face Certificate II in Horticulture, which has attracted a significant number of enrolments from individuals across various age groups and professional backgrounds,” Ms Cox said.
“Anything from working at a nursery, or a local council to opening your own gardening services business.
“We have had such a strong response to the course in Corowa and it really is an exciting time to be entering the industry.
“It’s showing that young people can stay in the community and don’t have to go further afield to get their education. It’s going to be a booming industry. People are looking more at sustainability and growing their own produce and there’s increasing job opportunities.”
Member for Albury, and recently appointed Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education Justin Clancy gave a warm welcome to Minister Crakanthorp and reminded him to visit anytime.
“Tim it’s great to have you here, and in the education sense, we share a lot of common ground,” he said.
“To see a modern, up-to-date learning centre like this in a place like Corowa, is so important. I think there’s a real passion there to see further education in regional and rural areas.”
Mr Clancy highlighted the need for accessibility and equitability of provisional services.
“I will be making sure we hold this government to account where necessary but hope to ensure we can work together to have things like cross border qualifications, training services, training opportunities across the border and funding for country university services,” he said.
“We are seeing these learning spaces as a great way to work and connect with the community. Our saleyards visit earlier highlights how we can embed real opportunities for learning in agriculture as well.”
During his visit, Minister Crakanthorp toured the TAFE NSW Corowa Connected Learning Centre, a digitally enabled facility that expands course options and training opportunities for local residents.
The minister encouraged interested individuals to explore the available courses and enrol for Semester Two at TAFE NSW.
For further information on TAFE NSW courses and enrollment, interested parties can visit the official website at www.tafensw.edu.au.