CCA is monitoring relevant announcements by all political parties in New South Wales In the run-up to the election on 23 March 2019.
Yesterday, the NSW Premier and NSW Treasurer announced plans for the “creation of an integrated Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct around a revitalised Gosford CBD with increased education and job opportunities.”
The Central Coast Precinct is to join other employment precincts:
- Sydney’s Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct located at Central-Eveleigh in Redfern;
- Liverpool Health and Innovation Precinct based around Liverpool Hospital, with three universities;
- a Nuclear Medicine and Technology Hub in Lucas Heights in Sydney’s southern suburbs;
- Western Sydney Airport Aerospace and Defence Industries Precinct;
- Westmead Health and Education Precinct;
- Randwick Health and Education Precinct;
- Williamtown Defence Aerospace and Aviation Precinct;
- Parkes Special Activation Precinct; and
- Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct.
Community Colleges Australia comment
A number of not-for-profit community education providers service many of the areas of the announced education and employment precincts. Both Central Coast Community College – located at the Ourimbah education campus – and TLK (Tuggerah Lakes) Community College – active in the northern part of the Central Coast – are both well-suited to assist employment and education innovations on the Central Coast.
In addition, NSW community education providers are well-positioned to assist with post-secondary education and training in the other precincts:
- Central-Eveleigh is easily serviced by Sydney Community College, City East College and WEA Sydney;
- Liverpool Health is proximate to Macarthur Community College, as well as 12 other community education providers serving Western Sydney – which are all capable of helping to the develop the Western Sydney Airport Precinct;
- Both Parramatta College and Macquarie Community College are active in the Westmead area;
- WEA Hunter and Tomaree Community College are proximate to the Williamtown Precinct; and
- Riverina Community College is one of the largest training and education providers in the Wagga area.
CCA’s research on economic development in New South Wales – both in regional and rural NSW, as well as Western Sydney – has shown a high degree of capability and capacity of the not-for-profit community education sector to assist in the state’s economic development.
