Councillor Peter Bailey, left, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, Councillor Andrew Murat and Site Manager Tony Lulhum discussing the TAFE Digital Headquarters construction progress.
Friday, 9 February 2018
THE new $6 million TAFE NSW Digital Headquarters is quickly taking shape in Armidale with construction of the new facility to be completed next month, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall, who is also the Minister responsible for TAFE NSW, confirmed that the Headquarters would create 51 new full-time positions, with 23 of those already filled and the remaining 28 under recruitment now.
“TAFE Digital is a huge boon for the Armidale community, with 13 of the first 23 staff relocating to the region with their families from as far as Brisbane and Melbourne to take up these new high-tech jobs,” Mr Marshall said.
“Of the remaining 28 positions being recruited now, I expect the vast majority to be people from outside the region, moving here to make Armidale their new home.”
Mr Marshall recently toured through the completed Digital Lab and the main headquarters building, still under construction. He said the benefits of the TAFE Digital Headquarters were already being felt across the region.
“It’s an exciting time for the city and the entire region with this and so many other projects ‘on the go’ and plenty more in the pipeline,” Mr Marshall said.
“In a capital city, this new TAFE NSW Digital Headquarters and the 51 jobs would be swallowed up. In Armidale, they and their families will provide a terrific economic boost to local business, swell numbers in our schools, and boost the capacity of community groups.
“Every house and business in Armidale is connected to the information highway by NBN’s high-speed fibre-optic cable.
“The city has arguably the best digital infrastructure of any urban centre in the country and this new headquarters helps build on that and show that not everything has to be in Sydney.
“I cannot wait to see the headquarters fully operational in Armidale and benefits begin to flow,” Mr Marshall said. “All of TAFE’s digital course delivery and content development, including cutting edge new technology, for the whole State will occur right here in our own region – that’s something we can all be very proud of.”
The TAFE Digital headquarters is located at the Armidale TAFE NSW Campus and will be officially opened at the end of March.
About TAFE Digital
- TAFE Digital is a key part of the NSW Government’s modernisation of TAFE NSW. It will expand the organisation’s presence across the State as well as bringing more jobs to rural and regional NSW.
- Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced Armidale as the location for the new HQ in November 2016, following a competitive bid process, which included Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Coffs Harbour and Tamworth.
- TAFE Digital will introduce the latest digital course content, innovative teaching approaches and reality simulation technology to recreate real-life working environments to enhance the learning experience at Australia’s largest education and training provider.
- Importantly, TAFE Digital will reduce the current duplication of effort in course development and online learning throughout the State.
- TAFE Digital is working closely with Armidale Regional Council and Evocities to promote Armidale as an EduTech hub and place to relocate.