Building local skills for in-demand industries

Healthcare is one of the fastest growing industries in Western Sydney, and The Quarter is ready to meet the demand for more skilled workers.

The Health and Social Assistance sector is the biggest source of jobs in the Penrith LGA, accounting for over 10,000 jobs in 2019 (REMPLAN). Another 6,000 jobs are expected to be created in the next 10 years.

Just over half of those current jobs are filled by Penrith locals. Rebecca Higgins is one such local, who describes her work in the Healthcare industry as her dream career.

Now a Registered Nurse at Nepean Hospital, Rebecca took full advantage of the high-quality education available at The Quarter. First studying a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (Assisting in nursing work in Acute Care) at TAFE NSW Kingswood, she then went on to complete a Diploma of Nursing at TAFE NSW Kingswood and a Bachelor of Nursing at Western Sydney University.

Rebecca credits her success to the support she received from TAFE NSW in providing a pathway into the industry. “My studies at TAFE NSW Kingswood were a great stepping stone. I never completed my HSC and hadn’t studied in a while. I was proud that I was able to progress from a Certificate III, Diploma and then onto University.”

TAFE NSW Kingswood caters for students of nursing, health services assistance, health administration, aged care, sport and fitness, dental assisting, audiometry, optical dispensing and sterilisation.

TAFE’s state-of-the-art facility at Kingswood reflects contemporary hospital and allied health environments and includes three hospital wards, a fully functional dental wing and optical dispensing unit. There are also soundproof audiometry facilities and a sterilisation services laboratory. The building includes an integrated e-learning centre which provides a user-focused, service-rich environment that supports social patterns of learning, teaching and research.

The world-class facilities and health training delivered by TAFE NSW supports the aims of The Quarter to create local jobs, grow the skills base of the region and attract new investment to the region.

Visit The Quarter website and download the prospectus to learn more.

Image: Rebecca Higgins, a Registered Nurse at Nepean Hospital, trained at The Quarter.