Updated ECEC training facilities to be built at TAFE NSW Gunnedah

Freya Lucas

Jun 03, 2024

Save

Construction work on upgraded early childhood education and care (ECEC) training facilities at the TAFE NSW Gunnedah campus began earlier this month.

In the past five years employment of ECEC workers in the New England region of NSW, and more broadly across the state, has grown by 17 per cent, and remains one of the most highly advertised sectors seeking employees, driving the revamp of the space.

The $2.5 million project, supported by the Federal Government’s TAFE Technology Fund, will create simulated learning spaces including an indoor playroom and an outdoor play space with a sandpit and shade sail.

The learning space will also be outfitted with new technology, including connected learning capability to connect to other TAFE NSW campus locations across the state which will allow teachers to deliver practical skills virtually, improving learner experiences in more remote communities.

“The upgraded facilities at TAFE NSW Gunnedah will support a pipeline of job-ready childcare workers, helping to bridge skills gaps in the region and build a strong early childhood education workforce to support local community needs,” NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said.

“The upgraded facilities will provide the latest industry-standard equipment learners need to be job-ready, and also facilitate enriched social opportunities for local children.”

“We’re helping deliver a pipeline of qualified childcare educators and carers, ready to enter the workforce and meet the community's needs.”

The upgrades are expected to be completed later this year, ready for students to enrol in Certificate III in Early Childhood and Education Care for Semester 1 2025.

Don’t miss a thing

Childcare centres may have clear rules for staff numbers, but there are loopholes to get around them

There is a growing number of “serious incidents” in Australian early childhood services, including day cares.

What Can Australia Learn from Ontario’s Child Care Ratios?

As workforce pressures continue to shape early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy discussions in Australia, international comparisons provide useful perspectives. Canada’s approach, particularly in Ontario, offers a case study in how educator-to-child ratios, maximum group sizes and qualification requirements can be legislated as an integrated framework.

Burnout in early childhood education: Why leadership support is the missing lever

Early childhood educators have one of the most important jobs in Australia. We trust them to keep our kids safe, to educate them in their most formative years, and to care for them when we can’t do it ourselves. And far too often, educators are doing it all on empty.

Workforce planning in ECEC: from compliance requirement to strategic advantage

With workforce pressures continuing across early childhood education and care (ECEC), a structured approach to workforce planning is emerging as a critical leadership tool, not simply an administrative exercise.

National Early Childhood Worker Register: commencing 27 February 2026

The introduction of the National Early Childhood Worker Register from the 27 February, has signalled a significant shift in workforce oversight across early childhood education and care (ECEC).