Students of TAFE NSW looking for skills in aged care and other health industries could see themselves with a competitive edge after the opening of a new health hub in Queanbeyan.
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The Health, Wellbeing and Community services SkillsPoint, is a part of a push to boost industry collaboration and build workforce skills.
TAFE NSW Managing Director Jon Black said the SkillsPoint centre will design future focused courses in areas with strong demand, such as mental health, youth services and childcare.
“SkillsPoints are a key initiative in TAFE NSW’s modernisation, and will ensure Australians are equipped with the hands-on skills needed in the expanding health, wellbeing and community services sectors, which are expected to grow by 4.7 per cent this year alone,” Mr Black said.
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One of the tools employed to help build skills includes ‘Sim-man’, a dummy that is able to demonstrate the symptoms of different types of sickness to give health students a chance to practice their responses.
The hub also featured various virtual reality education tools that give students a real time experience.
Mr Black said employers are increasingly looking for workers who can demonstrate practical experience rather than knowledge.
“The Queanbeyan-based SkillsPoint HQ will work closely with local industry to identify future need, and develop courses that offer the skills needed to support the local economy, as well as the wider NSW economy.”
Member for Monaro John Barilaro said SkillsPoints serve as an intersection point where the vocational education and training provider can come together with business and industry to “design and develop” future focused training for high growth industries.
“Queanbeyan is conveniently located near some of the health and community services sector’s leading companies in Canberra, making it an ideal location for this industry relationship centre,” Mr Barilaro said.
Eight other SkillsPoints are being rolled out across NSW.
For more information visit www.tafensw.edu.au/industry/skillspoints
