In a first for the Hunter, aspiring planners will soon have a TAFE pathway into the profession with a new diploma open for enrolments.
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The brand-new Diploma of Local Government (Planning) will support school leavers and future planners on their way into paraplanning, a role that manages a lot of the initial assessment, research and review to provide valuable support to planners.
Through a collaboration between the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, TAFE NSW, Local Government NSW and the Planning Institute of Australia, the Diploma has been adapted from TAFE SA's curriculum to reflect planning practices in NSW.
The Australian National Skills Commission has identified planning as a skills shortage area with a strong future demand, with strong demand for a diploma of this nature.
Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, shortages of planners contributed to a 28 per cent increase in the average number of days taken to determine local development applications in NSW.
The new TAFE Diploma compliments the NSW Government's Strong Start Cadetship Program. The $1.85 million program is providing 74 eligible councils with funding to help them pay the tuition fees for new planners.
Locally across the Hunter, two new planning cadets will be supported with $25,000 tuition grants, including one at Muswellbrook Sire Council.
Emily Suvaal MLC, Labor Spokesperson for Upper Hunter said, "I am delighted to see the NSW Government supporting skills development in the Hunter.
"Planners play a crucial role in New South Wales and the Government is committed to supporting pathways that will provide the next generation of planners equipped to tackle the ongoing housing crisis, particularly for our rural and regional areas."
The Strong Start Mentoring Program is also seeing success with 60 mentors engaged, registrations are open for up to 250 additional planning mentors and mentees.
Planning students and recent graduates working in councils across the state are invited to register to be paired with experienced planners for professional coaching and support.
For more information about the Diploma, visit TAFE, or NSW Planning for more information about Strong Start.
