TAFE Courses in South Australia

What TAFE Study Options are Available to Me in South Australia?

TAFE is enormous in South Australia. It is provided by TAFE SA, which seems to have no end of campuses spread throughout the major regions, including the metropolitan around Adelaide, Barossa & Riverland, Eyre & West Coast, Southern regions, Yorke & Northern regions. It also has its fair share of learning centres and Aboriginal Access Centres.

Most popular SA TAFE Courses

• Diploma of Counselling
• Certificate III in Education Support (Teacher’s Aide)
• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
• Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy

All of this means that no matter what your study requirements, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find what you’re looking for in SA. For example, there are 14 study areas which range from Government & Justice to Food & Wine. There are also eight different types of courses for school leavers and working professionals alike. These include Award Courses, Short Courses, Apprenticeships & Traineeships, Online Courses, and University Pathway Courses.

Semester Courses

Many of the award courses and university pathway courses, including TAFE Certificates, Diplomas, and Advanced Diplomas are offered on a semester basis. This means that they have a fixed schedule which students (and lecturers) need to follow. There is very little leeway for assignments, unless by special arrangement, and no flexibility when it comes to exams. If you miss any of the scheduled dates, you’re in trouble.

Classroom-based and online courses are offered on a semester basis. These days, students are given some much-needed flexibility as they are able to register for full-time or part-time semester courses.

Short Courses

TAFE SA offers a variety of national accredited short courses for personal and professional purposes. Many of the short courses are recognised as prior learning, so you can use them to knock off some time from lengthier certificate and diploma qualifications. The courses are flexible in that many are available after work hours, and some can even be provided at the workplace. If you’re going to attend classes, you can rest assured that the numbers are kept small to ensure that you get the attention you deserve.

Some of the study areas include:

• Agriculture & Biology
• Art & Design
• Building & Furnishing
• Business & Marketing
• Community & Health
• Education & Languages
• Electrical & Electronics
• Engineering & Transport
• Food & Wine
• Hair & Beauty
• Hospitality & Tourism
• IT

Online Courses

TAFE SA offers a selection of supportive and interactive online TAFE courses for students who can’t attend classes, or who simply prefer studying from home (or wherever they have an internet connection).

Online learning is made easier through Moodle, a special facility that allows students to discuss ideas and pose questions through online chats and forums. It also facilitates communication between students and their lecturers and tutors, and provides access to interactive resources such as podcasts, videos and electronic books.

Online study areas include:

• Aboriginal Education
• Building, Construction & Furnishing
• Business, Financial, Retail & Property Services
• Community Services & Health
• Design, Arts, IT & Related Industries
• Manufacturing, Engineering & Transport
• Primary & Allied Industries
• Tourism, Hospitality, Hair & Beauty, Recreation & Fitness

South Australia TAFE Institutes

TAFE SA meets all of South Australia’s TAFE requirements, offering over 1000 courses from over 48 campuses and learning centres. Thanks to partnerships with several major players across all major industries its courses provide the perfect blend of practical experience and theory. This means that students benefit from continually updated and relevant course material.

Some TAFE Certificate IV courses and many Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses provide pathways to a selection of universities in Australia; including the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Charles Sturt University, Flinders University, University of Tasmania, University of Southern Queensland and Endeavour College of Natural Health.

TAFE SA’s many campuses include:

Metropolitan Region

1) Adelaide City Campus- which offers a variety of TAFE award courses, short courses, and international courses in everything from Accounting & Finance and Event Coordination to Library & Teaching Support and Web Development & Digital Media.

2) Adelaide College of the Arts Campus-, which, as you would suppose, specialises in arts-related TAFE courses such as Film, TV & Game Art, Performing Arts, Visual Arts & Crafts, Writing, and Digital Media & Web Design.

3) Elizabeth Campus- which offers a wide variety of TAFE courses in study areas that range from Air conditioning & Refrigeration and Electrical & Renewable Energy to Justice & Legal Services and Women’s Education.

4) Gilles Plains Campus- which offers courses in areas that include Aged Care, Children’s Services, Nursing, and Plumbing, Bricklaying & Plastering.

5) Noarlunga Campus- which has an impressive array of award courses, short courses and international courses that include Beauty Therapy, Fabrication & Welding, Hospitality, Management & Administration, and Youth Work.

6) Parafield Campus- offers award courses in Aviation.

7) Port Adelaide Campus- which offers a selection of TAFE award, short, and international courses that include Complementary Health, Disability Work & Advocacy, Literacy & Numeracy, and Retail.

8) Regency Campus- offers TAFE courses as diverse as Baking, Electronics & Computer Systems, Mental Health & Drug Education, and Sport & Recreation.

9) Salisbury Campus- which specialises in health-related TAFE courses, including Aged Care, Community Services, and Nursing.

10) Tea Tree Gully Campus- offers award courses and short courses in areas that include Floristry, Graphic Design & Printing, Network & Administration, and Visual Arts & Craft.

11) Urrbrae Campus- specialises in Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation & Land Management, and Aquaculture.

Adelaide Hills

1) Mount Barker Campus– offers many courses including accounting, aged care, business administration, community services, website development and wine and viticulture

2) Victor Harbour Campus- courses range from allied health, accounting, children’s services and hospitality.

Barossa & Riverland

1) Barossa (Nuriootpa) Campus-  which offers TAFE award courses, short courses, and international courses in areas that range from Cooking and Food Technology to Laboratory Technology, Programming – Software Development, and Wine & Viticulture.

2) Berri Campus- which offers courses that include Accounting & Finance, Hospitality, Mechanical Engineering, and Web Development & Digital Media.

3) Murray Bridge Campus- which offers a selection of courses that include Aged Care, Automotive, Health & Nutrition, Retail, and Travel & Tourism.

Eyre & West Coast

1) Ceduna Campus- which offers TAFE award and short courses in study areas that include Children’s Services, Community Services, and Literacy & Numeracy.

2) Port Lincoln Campus- which offers an impressive array of courses that range from Aquaculture and Fitness & Training to Digital Media & Web Design and Library & Teaching Support.

3) Whyalla Campus- which offers a selection of award and short TAFE courses in different study areas, including Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing, Management & Administration, and Occupational Health & Safety.

4) Wudinna Campus- with courses in Children’s Services, Community Services, and Transport & Logistics. You’re advised to contact the campus for additional information on the courses that may be available.

Southern Regions

1) Bordertown Campus- with TAFE courses in Management & Administration, Agriculture, and Community Services.

2) Mount Gambier Campus- which has an impressive array of award courses and short courses that include Accounting & Finance, Aged Care, Cooking, Digital Media & Web Design, Hospitality, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing, Programming – Software Development, Travel & Tourism, and Workplace Training.

3) Naracoorte Campus- whose range of TAFE courses includes Agriculture, Food Technology, and Wine & Viticulture.

Yorke and Northern Regions

1) Kadina Campus- whose range of courses varies from Agriculture and Government to Conservation & Land Management and Network & Administration.

2) Narungga Campus- you’re advised to contact the campus for information on the courses that may be available.

3) Port Pirie Campus- which offers award courses and short courses in study areas that include Aged Care, Carpentry & Furnishing, Fabrication & Welding, Nursing, and Web Development & Digital Media.

Far North

1) Coober Pedy Campus- which offers award courses in General IT & Support, Literacy & Numeracy, and short courses in Children’s Services, Community Services, and Transport & Logistics.

2) Port Augusta Campus- whose selection of courses includes Automotive, Community Services, Electrical & Renewable Energy, Laboratory Technology, and Plumbing, Bricklaying and Plastering.

3) Roxby Downs Campus- with courses in Electrical & Renewable Energy, Library & Teaching Support, and Building, Design & Drafting.

South Australia for Students

If you like your climate on the Mediterranean side, then you should settle in the southern parts of South Australia. Be warned that the summers in the rest of the state can get very hot. On the flip side, the winters aren’t too bad.

The cost of living is lower in South Australia than most other territories. In fact, Adelaide has been voted the most affordable city in Australia, so you know that it is student budget-friendly.

South Australia has a reliable public transport system, especially in the major cities such as Adelaide. Your options include buses, trains, trams, and taxis. Cycling is highly recommended. Adelaide has a growing number of dedicated cycling paths and bicycle lanes to encourage residents to get on their bikes and leave their cars at home.

There is plenty for students to see and do, and many are affordable enough for students not to worry about breaking the bank. A small example of activities includes productions at the State Theatre Company, exhibitions at the Art Gallery of South Australia, live music at places like the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts, hiking trails, cycling trails, and relaxing trips in any of the hundreds of nature parks and reserves in the state.