TAFE Queensland trains for future blockchain jobs

In the tech world, blockchain is one of the most talked-about emerging trends and Blockchain Collective Co-Founder, Austin Lewinsmith said soon the technology will be a seamless part of everyday lives for almost everyone around the world.

“Blockchain technology will underpin the development of the Web 3.0 revolution because it provides highly effective, efficient and secure ways of managing data,’’ said Mr Lewinsmith.

“Essentially it is a data structure that manages records while ensuring security, transparency and decentralization.”

Mr Lewinsmith said a few years ago he and his business partners Nathan Burns and Rafael Bergola were working on several blockchain-related projects when they discovered the world lacked recognised and accredited training in blockchain technology.

“We looked around and there were a few places on the internet that provide bits and pieces of training, but these courses were not comprehensive or officially recognised,’’ he said.

“We realised there was a need to create accredited educational courses for people who want to learn, use and apply blockchain so we worked with education professionals to develop a curriculum.”

Blockchain Collective turned to the State’s largest and most experienced training provider, TAFE Queensland, to deliver Australia’s very first registered Diploma of Applied Blockchain.

With enrolments now open, it's the first time students can study the qualification with access to VET Student Loans (VSL) to help pay their tuition fees.

TAFE Queensland General Manager on the Gold Coast, Karen Dickinson said the organisation is honoured to be partnered with Blockchain Collective to offer Australia’s first nationally-recognised blockchain course with access to student loans.

“The demand for knowledge and education about blockchain technology is growing exponentially around the world and TAFE Queensland is now at the global forefront of the industry,” she said.

TAFE Queensland’s blockchain course is project based and is focused on the outcomes for students who graduate with a portfolio of work, making them highly employable across many industries.

Ms Dickinson said the curriculum was largely developed to skill people for non-tech roles including management or operational roles within an organisation.

"While software engineers and IT experts are needed to implement and support blockchain applications, non-tech people are also needed to handle business operations that are vital to the overall blockchain project," she said.

“For example, there is a high demand for blockchain project managers who are in charge of the entire lifecycle of a blockchain project — from planning, supervision to execution, and deployment."

Students of TAFE Queensland’s Diploma of Applied Blockchain (10849NAT) will acquire a range of knowledge, skills and specific competencies to enable them to apply blockchain technologies and gain employment in just about any industry sector in the world.

Classes are taught online with regular face-to-face workshops at TAFE Queensland's Coomera campus including virtual participation.