Tasmania will gain a dedicated, $2.35mil automotive training centre just outside of Hobart to help shape the future of skilled trainees.
The partnership between TasTAFE and the Tasmanian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (TACC) will locate the purpose-built training centre in Cambridge, near the Hobart airport at the Cambridge Industrial Park.
The facility’s interior fit-out will comprise an automotive workshop, flexible classrooms, all-gender amenities, dedicated office spaces and storage.
Its focus will be on the mechanical streams of training, with it expected to be ready for studying Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology in Semester 1 of 2026.
While the focus will be largely mechanical, it is expected to offer further training in the future including EV technology.
Industry shaped
TasTAFE Interim CEO, Will McShane says it was a positive step forward for automotive training in Tasmania.
“It reflects a commitment to innovation, and industry collaboration, ensuring we equip our learners with the best possible skills and opportunities to build successful careers,” says McShane.
TACC CEO, Peter Jones says the new training centre has been designed in collaboration with the TACC and with industry demands in mind.
“Apprentices need certainty, employers need confidence, and Tasmania needs skilled technicians to keep the state moving. Securing Cherokee Drive is a major step forward, and a strong outcome for industry and training in the south of the state.
“Automotive is not just another sector, it is essential to Tasmania’s economy. Nothing moves without skilled automotive technicians, and this facility will keep the skills pipeline alive.
“TACC has always believed that skills are built, not borrowed. That is why investing in training matters. Apprentices are not just learning today’s technology, they are the people who will own the workshops of tomorrow,” Jones say.
The building’s internal fit-out is expected to be completed in the coming months. Additional vocational education and training courses will be offered from the Automotive Training Centre at Cambridge during 2026 that may include motorcycle, mobile plant machinery, heavy vehicle, outdoor power equipment, automotive electrical and electric and hybrid vehicle technology.