New Tafe centre of excellence to boost care across NT

The Federal Government has partnered with the Northern Territory Government to deliver a TAFE Centre of Excellence, specialising in essential care and services, that will deliver skills across the NT.

The governments are investing a combined $20.1 million to deliver the Regional and Remote Essential Care Services (RRECS) Centre of Excellence, through Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute.

Canberra is providing an additional $5.3 million to turbocharge the establishment of the RRECS Centre of Excellence – bringing the total investment to $25.4 million.

“This Centre of Excellence will deliver essential care training in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek,” Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.

“Labor’s investment will also fast-track a series of mobile training units, making access to skills training even easier.

The RRECS Centre of Excellence will be established through two central training hubs in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek and make mobile services available in remote areas.

The key aim is to increase training capability in essential health care services, with particular focus on aged care, birthing, children’s healthcare and mental health care.

The RRECS Centre of Excellence will help boost participation in training and upskilling for First Nations Australians and people in remote communities and will develop a Higher Apprenticeship Pathway to address qualification gaps and grow the essential care workforce.

The Government’s turbocharging measure will enable a series of mobile training units to be fast-tracked, so locals can access critical skills training sooner.

Each Centre focuses on areas of high skills need to help deliver a skilled workforce for strategically important industries.

Northern Territory Minister for Education and Training, Jo Hersey said that education and training was fundamental to rebuilding the economy and the NT RRECS would create real opportunities for locals, growing our essential workforce, and delivering stronger outcomes for the Territory now and into the future.

“With training hubs based in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, and mobile services reaching remote areas, this Centre will deliver high-quality training in critical areas,” she said.

The Federal Government is investing $325 million under the five-year National Skills Agreement to establish a national network of up to 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence.

Funding for TAFE Centres of Excellence is part of the landmark investment by the Albanese Government in the five-year National Skills Agreement, which was endorsed and funded in October 2023. Funding arrangements for the RRECS Centre of Excellence were finalised prior to the caretaker period.