The federal and New South Wales state governments have announced an AU$11 million joint investment to build a new Construction TAFE Centre of Excellence in Sydney’s west, designed to fast-track training and boost Australia’s housing supply.
The existing Institute of Applied Technology – Construction at the TAFE NSW Kingswood campus will undergo a major upgrade.
The new facility will pioneer a first-of-its-kind Higher Apprenticeship in construction, bridging the gap between hands-on trade training and tertiary-level qualifications.
The funding also introduces two new fee-free microskills – short, flexible online courses focused on leadership and workplace culture.
Over the next two years, the centre aims to deliver more than 20,000 enrolments across its suite of micro-credentials, which cover critical sectors like project management, digital capability, sustainability, and Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Designed to meet the immediate demands of small and medium-sized builders, the hub will focus on compliance, quality control, and modern methods of construction (MMC) to align with net-zero building targets.
The project will also support the National Housing Accord by working directly alongside the NSW Building Commission to skill and upskill workers.
The announcement marks the establishment of the 20th and final nationally networked TAFE Centre of Excellence under the federal government’s five-year National Skills Agreement.
Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said: “We can’t build more homes without more construction workers.
“This TAFE Centre of Excellence will offer students and apprentices cutting-edge skills and align with industry needs for workers to more easily access opportunities to upskill.”
NSW Minister for Skills and TAFE Steve Whan said the flexible training options ensure workers can learn on the go.
“The construction industry is changing rapidly, and training needs to keep pace with new technology, new building methods, and the workforce needed to help deliver more homes and infrastructure across Western Sydney and beyond,” he said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car added that the investment ensures local workers can access high-quality, industry-led training right in the heart of Western Sydney to build homes for local families.
