The next generation of heavy vehicle mechanics and service staff in Tasmania may well come from Cambridge, near Hobart.
A partnership between TasTAFE and the Tasmanian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (TACC) is expected to deliver a $2.35 million automotive training centre for learners at the TAFE with the first courses starting in Semester 1, 2026.
The training centre will be housed at the Cambridge Industrial Park and include an automotive workshop, flexible classrooms, all gender amenities, dedicated office spaces and storage, and ample parking for TasTAFE staff and learners.
Announcing the centre on October 20 TasTAFE interim CEO Will McShane said it was good news for the industry in the region.
“Today’s announcement represents a positive step forward for TasTAFE’s automotive training in Tasmania,” McShane said.
“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.”
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,” Jones says.
“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.”
The building’s internal fit-out is expected to be completed in the coming months, in readiness to welcome learners studying Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology in Semester 1 of 2026.
Additional vocational education and training courses will be offered from the Automotive Training Centre at Cambridge during 2026. Courses may include motorcycle, mobile plant machinery, heavy vehicle, outdoor power equipment, automotive electrical and electric and hybrid vehicle technology.
The new facility is a welcome boost for TasTAFE which had its previous centre rendered unusable by major flooding around its Campbell Street campus in late 2024.