FROM bringing back an historic breed of cattle to the Macleay to building careers for youngsters not interested in university study - these are just two upshots from a new $1.5 million trades skill centre at St Paul’s College, Kempsey.
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The development incorporates the Ignatius Trade Skills Centre and Francis Farm and it was officially opened by Minister for Vocational Education and Skills and local MP Luke Hartsuyker.
The new facility consists of a construction trade skills workshop at the college and an agricultural centre in North Street.
The Federal Government funded the development, which includes the purchase of land and construction of a trades’ workshop.
The grant will also fund construction of a farm shed, an agriculture theory area and the purchase of cattle and other stock and farm equipment.
The Trades Skills Centre will offer Certificate II courses in agriculture and construction to address forecast skills shortages in agriculture and the construction trades.
St Paul’s principal Kevin Lewis said the trade skills centre represented a new way of educating its students.
The traditional patterns of learning are a thing of the past
- Kevin Lewis
“What works for students is opportunity and choice, and this centre will give our students the best opportunity to gain employment if they don’t want to go on to a university course,” Mr Lewis said.
The 70 hectare Francis Farm development offers students the chance to learn practical agricultural skills under teacher Graham Bramley.
The farm has been established with a herd of Devon cattle, free-range pigs and a variety of food and fruit bearing trees.
“The Devon cattle are a historic pioneer breed on the Macleay and we are trying to re-establish them,” Mr Bramley said.
“We also run free-range pigs and we are hoping to expand into poultry and eggs and we also have an experimental planting of candlenut trees which are an extremely rich source of oil.”
Mr Hartsuyker said economic forecasts show six jobs for every worker in the construction and agriculture industry will be created in the future.
“This facility creates multiple pathways for North Coast students to get into the workforce and establish valued careers,” the Member for Cowper said.
“St Paul’s College Trades Skills Centre is all about giving students the real skills they need to help them get the jobs that we will need in the future.”
