Cairns is considered the gateway to Far North Queensland. While it’s not a major city by Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne standards, it’s very popular with international tourists and plays an important role in Queensland’s economy. As far as vocational education is concerned, TAFE Queensland North takes care of Cairns’ needs.
This cruisy, multicultural city is home to around 170,000 people and offers a vibrant lifestyle. The local government has made significant investments in projects to keep the employment healthy, so students can be confident in their chances of finding a job once they’ve graduated.
TAFE Queensland North offers the full range of TAFE courses in Cairns. This means that you can study everything from short courses and pre-apprenticeship programs to university pathway certificates and diplomas. Online courses are also available for those who can’t access the study on campus. Full-time and part-time courses are also an option.
Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE offers a range of courses for domestic and international students, as well as semester-based apprenticeships, short courses, and online courses. TAFE certificate (I-IV) and diploma courses are available in the following study areas:
Cairns TAFE short courses include those for recreational and professional purposes. Courses are available in just about any field, so it doesn’t matter what skill you want to learn or what subject piques your interest. Some of the short courses available include:
The short courses available change with each semester, so you’ll have to keep an eye on the website to see what’s on. Some are accredited, while others are merely to develop your skills, so make sure you are aware of what you actually get from the short course in the end.
Not everyone can study full time on campus; not everyone wants to. TAFE Queensland North gives students in Cairns’ options with online and flexible learning. Online courses available can allow students to access course material, communicate with lecturers, tutors and other students, participate in forums and live chats, and submit assignments.
Flexible learning programs are like correspondence or online programs, but they allow student to enroll and start their studies at any time during the year, in other words, they are not semester-based.
Cairns is the only place in the world where two World Heritage areas meet; the two in question being the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. It’s one of the fastest growing towns in the country and offers students a diverse range of activities, from shopping and movie watching to trawling museums, dancing in nightclubs, and swimming in Esplanade Lagoon.
It’s one of the country’s most affordable student towns, with a lower average cost of living than capital cities.
There’s a wealth of student accommodation available, from short-term temporary accommodation in backpackers’ hostels to homestays and private apartments and rooms to rent.
Finally, Cairns is full of fun and, above all, cheap things to do. For example, it’s full of art galleries, which is perfect for culture hounds. You can get in some great bargain food shopping at Rusty’s Markets every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The beaches are free, which is great for beach babes and bums. You can stroll in Cairns Botanic Gardens, which contain a tropical rainforest. You can explore Mt Whitfield and many of the other mountains in the region. And, you can play beach volleyball or go skateboarding at Cairns Esplanade, which boasts several other facilities and activities.
