Better TAFE Facilities
$3,827,702 has been allocated to the Gold Coast Institute of TAFE from the Federal Government's Better TAFE Facilities fund, for new equipment and work to be carried out over the next twelve months, with funds to benefit each of its five campuses.
In summary, these urgently needed funds will be used to upgrade GCIT's Ashmore, Coolangatta and Ridgeway campus facilities and to purchase state-of-the art training equipment in high demand delivery areas that will benefit students at all campuses.
Of this:
$1,570,949 will be used to refurbish Ashmore campus including the canteen area, carry out essential maintenance at Ridgeway campus and enable Coolangatta campus to reduce its water usage. A total of 6000 sq m of floor spaces will be impacted by the refurbishment project including redecoration and refitting. Water efficiency investment in the last few years have led to significant savings in water use at the larger GCIT campuses. The institute will now install water saving systems at the Coolangatta campus. GCIT will model the way in best practice environmental practices for students and local community, and reduce water taken from South East Queensland water grid.
Coolangatta campus has been upgraded substantially in recent years and is in very good condition. The entire roof of the building was replaced during the 2006-07 financial year, and this has proven a valuable investment resulting in a better insulated and protected campus. As a direct result, training programs have increased from that campus and now include training for the electrical trades. The students at Coolangatta will benefit from the new equipment, and the improved IT services delivered to all campuses resulting from the grant.
$1,754,753 will be allocated for the purchase of state-of-the art training equipment focusing on nursing and aged care, barista, automotive and marine mechanical training delivery, improved ICT services and replacement of equipment that has surpassed its useful life. This program will substantially improve teaching equipment and bringing the latest technologies to the classrooms and workshops at all campuses. The ICT upgrades will assist GCIT to provide state-of-the art ICT support for staff and students and enhance communications. It will provide student intranet services and internet capability that will better meet the needs of a modern technological environment. More effective ICT will increase flexibility improving student access, resource sharing between trainers, better intellectual property management, flexible training delivery, and improve administrative processes.
The remaining $502,000 of the funds will be allocated to the construction of car parking and internal roads that will provide up to 230 additional car spaces at Ashmore campus, where, because of growth in student numbers every year, parking has reached a critical situation, causing parking to spill over into the nearby residential suburbs. Public transport to the campus is limited and unreliable and does not suit the operating times of an adult educational facility.
Project Updates as at 6 November2009
