TAFE Courses in Northern Territory

Northern Territory (or the Territory) is a bit of a multicultural utopia. People from all over the world come to enjoy its scenery, its quality of life, and the high quality of its education. The local economy is stable and provides plenty of opportunities for bright students with the proper qualifications. You can take advantage of those opportunities with TAFE and VET qualifications from registered and accredited TAFE providers in Northern Territory.

With that in mind, let’s look at what the Northern Territory has to offer TAFE students.

What TAFE study options are available to me in Northern Territory?

All of the usual TAFE opportunities, specifically those in Darwin, are available for students in the Northern Territory (NT), including certificate and diploma courses, apprenticeships and traineeships, and short courses. They’re also available in the standard formats, which means you can study on-campus or online, full-time or part-time, and can even get workplace training.

TAFE courses cater to all kinds of students, from those who are fresh out of school to those who need a career change after 15 years of doing the same thing. The study areas are diverse enough to cover every industry imaginable, from cookery to plumbing, and from international finance to agriculture.

Semester courses

Most students will register for semester courses, whether they study on-campus or online. These are the courses that make you hustle to meet deadlines – application deadlines, registration deadlines, and assignment deadlines. The courses are fairly rigidly structured, for example, you may only take certain units in each semester. This means that if you miss any of the deadlines for that semester, or if you fail your exams, you have to wait a full six months before you can give it another go. If you don’t apply yourself diligently, you could add years to your studies.

Short courses

NT TAFE short courses are available for recreational and professional purposes. Courses for professional development are nationally accredited and can be used to meet continuing professional development requirements. They can also be used as building blocks for lengthier TAFE certificate courses.

Recreational short courses aren’t necessarily nationally accredited, but if all you want to do is learn how to arrange flowers for your lounge, or improve your photographic skills so you can impress your photography club then it doesn’t really matter, does it?

Correspondence courses

Online learning is becoming increasingly popular, especially as people feel the financial pressure to start working as soon as they leave school, and as more adults feel the need to return to the classroom. Adults choose to study TAFE online for several reasons, for example, they would want to change careers, or they could want to build on their current qualifications to improve their employment prospects.

As technology improves, a more varied range of courses are available online. The interactive nature of modern online study and the sophisticated support services available mean that even practical trades can be taught online – to a degree. Some online courses still have practical requirements that can only be met by attending lecture weekends.

Northern Territory TAFE Institutes

There are two primary TAFE course providers in NT: Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

Charles Darwin University

Charles Darwin University has a Vocational Education and Training (VET) program that includes TAFE certificate and diploma courses, VET in Schools (VETiS), short courses, and apprenticeships and traineeships. The courses cater to all study areas and industries, including:

• Agricultural & Rural Operation
• Conservation & Land Management
• Horticulture & Aquaculture
• Community Services & Health
• Children’s Services & Education Support
• Business, IT & Library Studies
• Commercial Cookery & Bakery
• Sales & Personal Services
• Tourism, Hospitality & Recreation
• Automotive & Civil
• Construction, Drafting & Industry Skills Training
• Electrotechnology
• Plumbing Services
• Metal Trades & Maritime
• National Transport & Logistics
• English as a Second Language
• AMEP
• Adult Literacy & Numeracy
• Art & Design
• Graphic Design, Interactive & Multimedia
• Music
• Screen & Media

Online courses are available through Learnline, which enables students to download resources, interact with lecturers, tutors and other students, upload assignments, view podcasts, and use collaborative tools. There is also a mobile application for really dedicated students.

Charles Darwin University has eight campuses and learning centres offering TAFE courses and vocational training opportunities in NT. These include:

1) Alice Springs Campus, which offers the full range of TAFE courses that are available from Charles Darwin University.

2) Casuarina Campus

3) Katherine Campus, which specialises in agricultural training and education courses that are relevant to the region’s primary industry. Business, IT, Community Services, and Childcare courses are also available.

4) Nhulunbuy Campus, which offers TAFE courses in Business & Office Administration, IT, Children’s Services, Engineering & Numeracy & Literacy, as well as an Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

5) Palmerston Campus, which offers courses in Tourism, Hospitality & Recreation, Conservation & Land Management, Sales & Personal Services, Commercial, Cookery & Bakery, Business, IT, and Library Studies.

6) Jabiru Centre, which is in Kakadu National Park and offers courses in Conservation & Land Management, IT, Community Services, Business, Horticulture, Education, and Tourism & Hospitality.

7) Tennant Creek Centre, which offers its range of courses in conjunction with the Alice Springs Campus.

8) Yulara Centre, which offers its range of courses in conjunction with the Alice Springs Campus.

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education was designed to cater to the unique tertiary education and training needs of the indigenous people in Northern Territory. The idea is to engage students and communities to develop the skills needed to address the key issues facing indigenous people in the country; issues such as cultural preservation, maintenance, renewal and transformation. One of the reasons Batchelor Institute is so important is that it works within the indigenous communities’ specific social, political and economic contexts.

Its approach is based on seven core values: Integrity, Respect, Quality, Relevance, Leadership, Sustainability, and Indigenous Knowledge and Culture. It strives to promote and maintain cross-cultural interaction and learning.

To encourage more people to study, the courses are offered on a blended-learning basis. There are intense study periods on campus, followed by study at home. Study areas include Education & Humanities, Health & Sciences, Business & Community Studies, and Community Education & Training.

Campuses include:

1) Alice Springs: Central Australian Campus

2) Barkly Annexe

3) Darwin Annexe

4) Nhulunbuy Annexe

5) Katherine Annexe

6) Tennant Creek Annexe

7) East Arhnhem Annexe

Northern Territory for students

Northern Territory may not be as vibrant and exciting as places like Sydney or Melbourne, but it still has a great cosmopolitan atmosphere. The people pride themselves on their forward-thinking and tolerance, as well as their laid-back attitude. That doesn’t mean that they are lax, however, as they have a dedicated approach to study and work.

There is no getting around it, NT is hot. The summers are sweltering no matter where you go. The central region is where you want to go if you don’t like humidity. The cool nights will also give you some respite from the summer heat. However, you’ll also get cold winters, with temperatures dropping below freezing. If you go up north you won’t have to worry about winter at all; it simply doesn’t exist. In fact, ‘winter’ can be considered the best time of the year because even the humidity takes a break. In summer, however, humidity levels are high. It also has a cyclone season between November and April.

The cost of living is variable. On the one hand, store-bought goods are quite expensive because it costs so much to transport them. On the other hand, the close-knit nature of the communities means that travelling costs come down.

The public transport system is reliable, with buses and shuttle buses taking you pretty much anywhere you want to go in and around Darwin. Cycling is very popular, not to mention affordable.

There are plenty of accommodation options. Charles Darwin University has on-campus accommodation, but if you prefer a sense of independence then you can always rent your own student apartment or find a sharehouse where you rent a room.

Northern Territory is one of the most visually stunning regions in the country. It is home to the very famous Uluru Rock, for example. As it’s so close to Asia, it’s only fitting that it showcases the influence that Asian cultures have had on the region, and the country at large. You can see examples of this at the Chinese Museum and Chung Wah Temple in Darwin. NT is particularly rich in Aboriginal culture, so it’s the perfect place to soak up the ancient (and contemporary) art and wisdom. Darwin also boasts tranquil botanical gardens and a lovely waterfront where you can swim and relax near the gently lapping water. The region has crocodiles galore, so you might want to get yourself to a crocodile park to see these majestic creatures from a safe distance, of course.

Government funding

Various government funding options are available for students taking TAFE courses at Charles Darwin University, and at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. At Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, for example, you can apply for ABSTUDY assistance, which includes a living allowance for eligible students.

Charles Darwin University assists students through FEE-HELP and SA-HELP funding schemes.

Other funding programs available in Northern Territory include:

• Pre-employment Training Program
• Labour marketing Training Program
• International Women’s Day Study Grants
• Indigenous Responsive Program
• Vocational Education & Training Scholarships