Work starts on NT’s $21 million VET training hub

Construction is underway on the $21 million state-of-the-art VET trade training facility at Charles Darwin University’s Casuarina campus.

CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover said the training facility would house plumbing, electro-technology, instrumentation, refrigeration, oil and gas industry operations, and, in the future, environmental trades. 

“The facility will allow CDU’s delivery capacity to further develop new and existing programs for identified trade areas into the future for students across the Territory,” Professor Glover said.

“With student numbers continuing to grow, the new facility is expected to produce an additional 750 VET graduates a year at Certificate III level and above.”

The complex is being built by Lahey Constructions. Sunbuild Pty Ltd is also on site erecting a tower to be used for training that is related to crane operations, dogging and working at heights.

The trade training facility will comprise open and flexible learning spaces using mobile equipment, classrooms, a computer laboratory, a student common room, and staff offices. It will also include specially designed safe, open areas for dangerous and elevated skills training.

The facility will support remote delivery into more than 100 Indigenous communities.

Building work is expected to be completed in late 2014.

The Federal Government announced $21.3 million funding for the VET facility earlier this year under the Regional Priorities Round of the Education Investment Fund.