TAFE's Bid for $75m Construction Centre

TAFE NSW has lodged plans to build a $75-million Construction Centre of Excellence at its Kingswood campus in the Nepean.

The plans are for a purpose-built three-storey 8400sq m building to accommodate 3500 students and create a skilled worker pipeline to help build the Western Sydney revitalisation programs.

The building includes a ‘floating’ rooftop parasol and external colonnade surrounding the perimeter of the building’s footprint and takes design cues from exemplary learning spaces across Australia including Monash University.

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Dr Geoff Lee said the facility would be a “dedicated centre of excellence for construction” at the campus, about 50km west of Sydney.

“With its world-class facilities, expert teachers and on-site industry engagement, the Construction Centre of Excellence will help to deliver the skilled workers needed for major construction projects such as the Western Sydney Airport and Aerotropolis, and the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport,” he said.

The building will provide specialist spaces for training and education for construction-related courses including internal and external learning, an auditorium, collaboration and breakout spaces, practical workshop areas and external terraces.

The Construction Centre of Excellence will be a new learning environment with an emphasis on flexibility and adaptability, to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, industry engagement and educational excellence.

The proposal will add a further 88 jobs on site by 2030 and improve the quality and quantity of educational facilities across the State, with anticipated TAFE enrolment growth of almost 25 per cent between 2020 and 2030, from 17,500 to almost 22,000 enrolments.

The plans are currently on exhibition until April 14.