BY ISABEL EVERETT
The State Government plans to expand TAFE facilities in Scone with the construction of a $3 million trade workshop, and mobile training storage facility.
The announcement is the latest pledge in the campaign for the Upper Hunter by-election.
The workshop will be built at the town's Connected Learning Centre, offering courses such as wool classing, horticulture, small motor maintenance, welding, animal studies, chemical skill sets, agricultural fencing, and chainsaw operations.
“It'll deliver hands-on skills and meet industry demand for practical training and the mobile facility will extend training in agribusiness across the Upper Hunter," Deputy Premier John Barilaro said on Thursday.
The announcement follows the sale of Scone's TAFE campus to Racing NSW.
Racing NSW CEO, Peter V'landys says the sale means the workshop can offer training in new fields, while they operate the TAFE Campus as an equine training facility.
"No ones got anything to be frightened about, if anything they should be excited that this is going to be expanded dramatically," he said.
"We knew that the number one career path here is thoroughbred racing, and we've got a shortage of staff. We've had to bring in staff from the Philippines in track work riding, so we've got a skill shortage, this will fix that."
Construction of the new facility is projected to commence in late 2021 to support course delivery during Semester 2 2022.
