BARRY Evans and Bruce Kingston started at the Alexandra Hills TAFE when it opened 30 years ago as teachers and they were there again today when it celebrated its 30th birthday.
Mr Evans, who started teaching mechanical skills and manual arts and has since moved into management, said the low point for the institution was when it was almost closed down in 2014-15 and saw trade student numbers reduced to just 84.
“This year we have 1600 and next year it will be about 2000,” he said.
The college had since been rejuvenated and enrollments were such that TAFE would be opening up buildings to make room for classes next year.
Mr Evans said the institution had an extraordinary record, with Nissan’s Cleveland and Wynnum outlets putting 66 apprentices through the facility.
Oldmac Toyota and Oldmac Mazda at Cleveland were similarly using the facility.
In August Capalaba MP Don Brown announced that the number of students studying at the college had grown 96 per cent since the 2014-15 financial years.
Since mid-2015 numbers increased to 1299, with about 726 taking part in trades-related courses.
He said said enrolments had surged after a wind-back at the facility under the Newman government.
“I remember visiting the Alex Hills campus soon after the 2015 election,” Mr Brown said. “Windows were boarded up, tools were unused in locked classrooms and the three remaining TAFE SkillsTech staff were preparing to be made redundant.
“The number of competencies (skills standard) undertaken on site has increased around 175 per cent to more than 6900.”
Mayor Karen Williams said it was a wonderful thing for the Redlands that the college was again booming.
She said it was disappointing that in years gone by Redlands parents had to send children virtually from one side of Brisbane to the other for them to do trade courses.
The college was now established as a major Redlands educational institution.
Mr Evans said the TAFE now operated as two entities, one handling trades and the other more traditional academic courses.
Cleveland MP Mark Robinson said it was a wonderful institution and one that his own children had attended.
”My positive experience of TAFE has been as a TAFE teacher in Townsville, as a parent of a graduate of the senior studies program at the Alex Hills campus and as the member for Cleveland (now Oodgeroo).
TAFE Queensland created a Facebook page for ex-students and the local community for the college that is deeply embedded in the Redlands community.
