Australia’s largest multi-trades hub is open for business with more than 3,000 carpentry, plumbing, and electrotechnology students learning the latest industry skills at TAFE NSW Meadowbank. The region’s Premier officially opened the new AU$ 157 million state-of-the-art facility which will revolutionise vocational education and training and create a pipeline of skilled and job-ready workers.
The new facility will bolster local training options and support the growing demand for construction trades, which will help grow the economy and secure a brighter future for NSW families.
The new custom-built Hub will enable TAFE NSW to train an additional 1,000 apprentices for in-demand jobs each year at Meadowbank, in a modern, state-of-the-art learning environment. Interestingly, the government has seen a 20% increase in women undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship in the last year, with an 8% increase overall. The Minister for Skills and Training stated that the Multi-Trades Hub is a game changer for TAFE NSW and forms part of the broader Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct.
The NSW Government’s record budget for TAFE NSW is delivering more opportunities than ever before to help people get the skills, they need for the jobs they want, and this world-class facility is training students for future jobs and connecting them with local industries. The 12,000 square-metre facility features dedicated plumbing pits and a large-scale, flexible space to accommodate the construction of full-scale buildings for use in carpentry and electrotechnology training.
The Member for Ryde stated that the Multi-Trades Hub has been delivered as part of the new TAFE NSW Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) at Meadowbank, which will be a cutting-edge training facility focusing on digital technology.
Ryde is transforming into an education and employment powerhouse, and this new training space will help attract, retain and upskill local workers, which is a win for the community, the Member said. He also said that the completion of the revolutionary new IAT early next year will complement the Multi-Trades Hub and create one of the state’s leading TAFE NSW training facilities.
Recent research notes that the global digital workplace market size is expected to grow from US$ 22.7 billion in 2020 to US$ 72.2 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.3% over the forecast period. The main factors that are expected to drive the growth of the market are the availability of new technologies and tools and employees’ demand for greater flexibility in terms of work-life balance.
Organisations that are working to adopt digital workplace market solutions to enhance employee experience through a simpler and more flexible work style, helping and retaining more experienced and expert workers. However, the lack of training and required education among the workforce is expected to limit the market growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic positively impacted the digital workplace market growth. This can be attributed to the increase in the demand for cloud-based business continuity tools and the rise in the adoption of business continuity tools and workplace solutions due to COVID-19. However, lowered industry spending due to COVID-19 is expected to impact the adoption of digital workplace solutions and services.
SMEs that adopt digital workplace solutions incur a competitive advantage in the industry via increased productivity, cost savings, a more mobile and agile workforce, increased flexibility, and adaptability in the marketplace. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) must focus on their business operations and growth and improve their strength in their domain of business.
