$3.5 million TAFE Engineering and Trade Workshop boosts Mount Isa job opportunities

• A $3.5 million Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Training Modernisation project positions the local TAFE Queensland campus to significantly boost enrolments and job opportunities in the region.
• Almost 1000 construction hours were completed by apprentices on the refurbishment of the campus trade workshop.
• More than 900 engineering, manufacturing, and technology students per year are expected to benefit from the modern facility from 2024-2025.

Officially opened today (21 June 2023) by the Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer, the Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Workshop offers modern engineering facilities for students in a range of subjects from civil engineering to technology fields.

The Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Training Modernisation project is part of the $50 million “Revitalising TAFE Campuses Across Australia” initiative with the Australian Government.

More than half the 800 plus students at Mount Isa TAFE are enrolled in trade training and it’s expected the modern workshop will continue to boost enrolments in coming years to up to 950 students each year.  

Skilled engineers and tradies are needed across all industries and this investment in the campus will support local jobs and help build a skilled future workforce for Queensland.  

Quotes attributed to Federal Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor:

“The Albanese government is investing in Queensland through upgrading and expanding facilities such as the Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Training Workshop.

“This facility upgrade will increase access to training and provide state-of-the-art facilities, leading to jobs for Queenslanders in the midst of a skills shortage.

“By working collaboratively with each state and territory, the Australian Government is working to build a skilled economy for the future.

“The Government has supported almost 150,000 Australians to enrol in Fee-Free TAFE this year, marking the start of a once-in-a-generation reform of the TAFE and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

“More than 26,000 of those Fee-Free TAFE places are in Queensland and uptake from regional areas such as Mount Isa has been strong.”

Quotes attributed to Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer:

“The Queensland Government is committed to creating good jobs for Queenslanders.

"Our Good people. Good jobs. Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 aims to create a skilled workforce ready to seize today's jobs and embrace new opportunities, and our Mount Isa TAFE upgrade is doing just that.

“It’s predicted that by 2024-25, more than 28,800 people will be employed in North West Queensland, with the mining industry both the largest employing and fastest growing industry by June 2025.

“Our efforts will make sure our students will be job-ready, with this modernised workshop delivering state-of-the art facilities, matched with high-quality training from TAFE Queensland.

“I’m equally excited that this project has been built for apprentices by apprentices, with almost 1000 construction hours completed by our trade apprentices. 

“The Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Training Workshop is great news for students and a highly skilled workforce is great news for employers and for the North West Queensland region.”

Further information

Mount Isa Engineering and Trade Training Workshop was funded by the State and Federal Government.

The project has modernised the oxy/arc welding, fabrication, grinding and machine training areas to meet current building codes or industry standards, and a safe working space for up to 14 students and two staff at one time.

The upgraded facility will support TAFE Queensland students enrolled in Building and Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Technology, and Mechanical / Industrial Engineering and Technology fields.

Since 2017, the Queensland Government has invested almost $280 million in building new and upgrading existing training facilities across the state, including more than $41 million for the North and North West Queensland region.

Ends

Media contacts:

Gary Shipway (Farmer) 0458 090 906

Erin Smith (O’Connor) 0458 950 010