TAFE Queensland showcasing emerging industries

TAFE Queensland has been busily preparing training initiatives and forming important strategic partnerships with suppliers and businesses pushing forward emerging industries and techniques within the engineering sector across the past year.

As the largest training provider in the state, TAFE Queensland provides training across all levels of the engineering industry and lays claim to more than 55 per cent of Queensland’s apprentice and trainee commencements in the Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade (MEM30219) and Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (MEM31922) according to the latest data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Among the training provider’s emerging industries focussed initiatives in 2023 was the Engineering and Emerging Industry Night at the TAFE Queensland Eagle Farm campus in Brisbane. The event saw more than 15 of TAFE Queensland’s partners in emerging industries across various sectors present their latest technological advances to more than 150 local industry members.

There were demonstrations of advanced industrial technology including Cobot Welding, Geospatial Control systems, Hydrogen and Sustainable Energy, Additive Manufacturing, Robotics, Advanced Composites Manufacturing, and more, which provided local employers with insight into their industry’s future and into the aligned training being delivered by TAFE Queensland.

Feedback from attending industry members expressed a gratitude to TAFE Queensland for organising an event that allowed them to learn about and interact with a variety of the class-leading suppliers in their industry, identifying possible areas for expansion and collaboration to enhance their own businesses.

TAFE Queensland is not only linking industry members with the future-focussed suppliers in their industry, they also offer the training necessary to bring workplaces up to speed with this new technology. With engineering workers being required more frequently to possess technological skills ranging from Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) to Additive Manufacturing processes, there are a range of specifically designed courses on offer at TAFE Queensland to provide trade-qualified industry members with these additional skills.

Under the Australian and Queensland Governments’ Fee-Free TAFE initiative, eligible Queenslanders can complete courses such as the Certificate III in Manufacturing Technology (MSA30208), which trains students in CAD, with no course fees. Additionally, short courses such as the Introduction to CNC – CNC Operations (NONAC03098) are available to provide basic, cross-discipline training to existing welding or engineering workers.