North Metropolitan TAFE's (NM TAFE) Leederville campus is now delivering specialist dental training courses, at its new $2.6 million state-of-the-art dental training facility.
The facility will improve access to training and on-site services for dental students, and train more work ready graduates for the industry. Skilled dental support workers are in high demand in Western Australia and continued growth is forecast in coming years. Participation in NM TAFE's dental training courses increased by 26 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019, prior to the pandemic.
The new facility has approximately triple the space for students, increasing NM TAFE's capacity to deliver more skilled workers for this essential industry. Features include custom built dental assisting practice clinics, laboratories, digital technology, radiography, sterilisation, plaster, burn out casting and storage rooms, fume cupboard and chemical storage rooms.
The State Government's $25 million investment in new equipment for WA TAFEs is supporting NM TAFE to deliver industry standard training with $295,000 invested in radiography equipment, CAD software licences, a scanner, 3D printer and imaging unit, computer and ultrasonic bath, and cure box. The 3D digital scanning and printing technology enables students to conduct a 3D scan and print of a mouth, developing skills in emerging dental industry technologies and to be competitive in the job market.
The facility was designed by architects Carvalho Design Solutions in consultation with A-dec, a leading manufacturer in dental equipment, to incorporate the latest in dental technology and design. NM TAFE delivers four dental qualifications from its Leederville campus - the Certificate III and IV in Dental Assisting, Certificate III in Dental Laboratory Assisting, and the Diploma of Dental Technology.
From 2024, NM TAFE will also be offering one day a week courses for secondary students, to obtain a Certificate III in Dental Laboratory Assisting. A range of free and low fee dental qualifications is available through the State Government's FREE IN '23 program, in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, and the "Lower fees, local skills" initiative.
For free advice about training opportunities, including free and low fee dental training courses, contact your nearest Jobs and Skills Centre on 13 64 64 or visit the Jobs and Skills WA website jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/skillsready.
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