Page 2446 - Week 08 - Thursday, 6 June 2013
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opportunities for many people in Canberra. It was a merger that needed to be defeated, and I think the result has left both institutions better placed to meet the challenges facing the tertiary education sector.
We now have CIT located across six campuses, each unique in their speciality and training, offering around 23,000 students an opportunity to achieve a qualification irrespective of how far they have advanced in their secondary schooling. For many, CIT offers a second chance at education that otherwise would not be there, and that is very important if we are to address economic disadvantage in this city.
In recent weeks, the versatility and quality of CIT students has come to the fore with the hugely successful Fashfest, Canberra’s first-ever fashion week event, which highlighted the very impressive talent among CIT design students. Last year I was impressed to see work by final-year cabinet-making apprentices on display in the Canberra Centre. The CIT advanced diploma of international and hotel resort management, I am told, is a unique course that provides opportunities for hotel internships around the world. I know that clubs and hotels in Canberra and their patrons, including me, are the beneficiaries of trainees from the hospitality school. And of course, Canberra’s love of gardening is aided by opportunities provided through access to horticultural studies.
I salute the students of CIT and also the dedicated staff that deliver this wide range of courses and inspire young men and women to be the best they can be. Yes, we need TAFEs in Australia, and here in Canberra we certainly need our CIT.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.13 pm until Tuesday, 6 August, at 10 am.
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