DEAR News Of The Area,
WITH the Brisbane 2032 Olympics approaching, Australia is heading toward a major jobs and economic boom. Thousands of roles in events, tourism, and logistics will be created – and young people should be preparing now.
In Coffs Harbour, they can’t. Students wanting to study event management through TAFE NSW have no face-to-face option locally – only online learning. For a hands-on industry, that’s not enough.
It removes practical experience, teamwork, and the industry connections that lead to real jobs.
The closest in-person training for event management and tourism is at Wollongbar, with related courses offered in Lismore and Ballina. But without a car, accessing them is unrealistic.
A student relying on public transport faces a 3:45am departure, multiple connections, and a return home near 11:00pm – a 19-hour round trip for one day of study.
That’s not education. That’s exclusion.
At the same time, the Coffs Harbour Bypass – one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects – is nearing its official opening. It promises faster, stronger connections across the region.
But what’s the point of better roads if young people can’t access education or reliable transport to use them?
Right now, infrastructure is improving, but opportunity isn’t.
If this continues, we’ll lose talent. Those who can leave will move to cities. Those who can’t will fall behind. With the Olympics coming, that’s a risk we can’t afford.
The solution is simple: restore face-to-face TAFE courses in Coffs Harbour and improve public transport links between regional centres.
If we’re building a better bypass, let’s make sure it leads somewhere.
Because opportunity shouldn’t depend on your postcode.
Regards,
David Wilson,
Coffs Harbour.
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