Fee-free and low-fee training, combined with its record investment in WA TAFE colleges, is helping hundreds of Kimberley students at North Regional TAFE (NRT’s) Broome campus skill up for local job opportunities.
Almost two-thirds of the 599 publicly funded enrolments at NRT’s Broome campus are by students training in fee-free and low-fee courses, demonstrating the importance of making training accessible to all Western Australians.
NRT’s Broome campus offers a variety of fee-free and low-fee courses in priority industries such as building and construction, the care sector, and hospitality and tourism, to meet local skill demands.
“WA’s TAFE colleges are the heart of our State’s vocational training system and they play a crucial role in skilling the workforce for the communities they serve,” said premier Roger Cook.
“The State Government is committed to ensuring all Western Australians – regardless of where they live – can access world-class training that gives them the skills needed to thrive in the State’s workforce.
“It’s pleasing to see that two-thirds of publicly funded enrolments at the Broome campus are in fee-free and low-fee training courses.”
In the first term of 2025, fee-free and low-fee courses in the health, education and care industry have been popular with students, with more than 110 publicly funded enrolments in courses including School Based Education Support, Early Childhood Education and Care, Community Services and Youth Work.
A further 53 publicly funded enrolments have been recorded in Maritime Operations courses and skill sets, helping to build a skilled workforce for Broome’s local maritime industry.
There have been more than 55 publicly funded enrolments in building and construction qualifications with students training in Carpentry, Civil Construction Plant Operations and Construction Pathways.
Students training in civil construction at NRT’s Kimberley campuses are also benefiting from the State Government’s $810,000 investment in new equipment through the Modern Equipment Program, ensuring they are training with the latest industry-standard equipment that reflects what they will encounter on the job.
The new equipment includes a tip truck and trailer, tandem roller, loader, an excavator, and a skid-steer.
The State Government will invest an additional $33.8 million over the next four years to expand the Modern Equipment Program to deliver new equipment for electrical, building and construction, health, driver training, automation and manufacturing courses.
In addition to the new equipment, NRT’s Broome campus has also received an infrastructure upgrade as part of the Cook Government’s record $250 million investment in WA TAFE colleges. The Broome campus now boasts state-of-the-art hospitality, hair and beauty and student services facilities, which were opened in June 2023.