Mackay, located on the Coast of North Queensland, is renowned for its spectacular coastal city lifestyle, right on the edge of Queensland’s famed coral reefs. This seaside town is a tourist hotspot, as well as being known for attracting copious amounts of students due to the fantastic student lifestyle it has on offer as well as its quality education providers. let’s take a look at what options are available for TAFE in Mackay.
Popular TAFE courses in Mackay
- Diploma of Counselling
- Certificate in MYOB 19
- Certificate III in Education Support (Teacher’s Aide)
- Certificate III in Aged Care
- Certificate IV in Bookkeeping
- Diploma of Share Trading and Investment
- Certificate II in Nail Technology
- Certificate IV in Small Business Management
- Diploma of Events
- Certificate III in Disability
What TAFE study options are available to me in Mackay?
TAFE in Mackay is provided by the CQUniversity Mackay City (formally CQ TAFE), which is a dual sector University, offering both higher educational studies (Diploma to doctorate levels) as well as vocational training and TAFE courses. No matter what type of TAFE course you’re after, CQUniversity has you covered, from apprenticeships and traineeships to university articulation courses. Partner universities include Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Southern Queensland, University of Queensland, and Bond University, among others.
Courses are available full-time, part-time, on-campus, online, and in blended learning formats. CQUniversity caters to local and international students, mature students, indigenous students, school leavers, those still in school, and businesses that need training programs tailored to their needs.
Semester courses
Semester courses are available on a full-time, part-time, online, or on-campus basis. They cover the TAFE certificate and diploma courses available at the Mackay campus and also include some short courses that follow the semester timetable.
Some of the most popular semester courses at Mackay include:
- Certificate II in Engineering Pre-Apprenticeship (Fitting)
- Certificate III in Education Support
- Certificate III in Aged Care
- Certificate III in Business Administration
- Certificate IV in Leisure & Health
- Certificate IV in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Care
- Diploma of Enrolled Nursing
- Diploma of Children’s Services
Short courses
Mackay offers a variety of TAFE short courses for recreational and professional purposes. Courses range from one-day booster sessions (upgrading from one version of Microsoft Excel to another) to six-week courses in French cooking. Some of the most popular short courses at Mackay include:
- Intermediate Welding
- Bar Attendant
- Responsible Management of Licensed Venues
- Jelly Roll Glass Quilt Course (glass-working techniques)
Online courses
Students in Mackay availing themselves of QLD TAFE courses have the option to take a variety of external (correspondence) certificate and diploma courses. Most of the correspondence courses are business-related, for example:
- Certificate IV in Small Business Management
- Certificate IV in Bookkeeping
- Diploma of Human Resource Management
- Diploma of Project Management
Mackay TAFE Institutions
The Mackay Campus of CQUniversity handles the city’s TAFE needs. It’s located right in the city centre and includes a specialist training centre for sugar chemists (sugar is the primary industry, after all), as well as specialist training resources for those in construction, engineering, IT, and cooking, catering and hospitality.
Study areas include:
- Administration & Virtual Enterprise
- Arts & Creative Industries
- Beauty
- Business & Management
- Energy & Mines
- Finance & Human Resources
- General Education & Training
- General Trade Skills
- Hairdressing
- Health, Community & Fitness
- Horticulture
- Hospitality
- Information Technology
- Justice Administration & Occupational Health & Safety
- Management & Project Management
- Retail
The Mackay campus also has beauty and hairdressing salons and a restaurant where students can practice their skills in real-life work situations.
Mackay for Students
Students can get around Mackay cheaply and easily using Mackay Transit Coaches which operate six days a week. Students benefit from government subsidies, so it’s definitely worth taking your student card when you buy your Smart Card.
The weather in Mackay is great all year round, with delicious subtropical warmth. It can get a bit humid in summer though, so be prepared when you step outdoors to do any one of the number exciting activities around the city. Some of these activities include:
- Surfing, swimming, and sundry water sports on the 31 beaches
- Exploring the Great Barrier Reef
- Partying at the clubs and pubs along the Pioneer River
- Shopping up a storm at the eclectic shopping centres and markets
- Marvelling at art and cultural artefacts at Artspace Mackay
- Strolling and picnicking at the Mackay Regional Botanical Gardens
- Learning all about the sugar industry at Farleigh Sugar Mill and Polstone Sugar Cane Farm
- Exploring the tropical rainforest at Eungella National Park
- Walking and swimming at Finch Hatton Gorge
- Communing with nature at Cape Hillsborough National Park
