Central Coast school leavers can supercharge their skills ahead of summer by taking advantage of a range of free short courses at TAFE NSW Gosford and Ourimbah.
As part of the NSW Government’s Summer Skills program, TAFE NSW is offering free training to people aged 16-24 to gain the practical skills to launch a career or land a job for summer in high-demand industries, including hospitality and retail.
Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson, who heads up the nation’s peak body for the accommodation industry, welcomed the new fee-free courses and said TAFE NSW was playing a critical role in supplying a pipeline of job-ready workers to employers.
“The collaboration with TAFE NSW and the NSW Government has been fantastic in what has been a very difficult time for industry,” Johnson said.
“They have provided great opportunities to design the training requirements we need now, both for existing workers and those just starting out.”
In the Central Coast area, accommodation food and retail service industries account for 18.6 per cent of the local workforce, with 39.1 per cent of retail and hospitality employees state-wide aged between 15 and 24.
TAFE NSW Executive Director Education and Skills North, Jason Darney, said TAFE was working closely with employers to deliver the skills needed to support a strong local economy.
“There were over 24,000 local businesses fuelling the Central Coast economy in the last year,” he said.
“We know 9 out of 10 new jobs will require people to complete further study to build the skilled workforce we need to support continued economic growth.
“The Summer Skills Program links school leavers and young people directly with local job outcomes and encourages them to undertake further study to explore careers in high-demand industries.”
TAFE NSW will offer free Summer Skills courses including Statement of Attainment in Bar Skills, Commercial Cookery, and Espresso Coffee at TAFE NSW Ourimbah and Statement of Attainment in Farm Welding Skills at TAFE NSW Gosford.
Source:
Media release, Nov 23
TAFE NSW