TAFE NSW Sydney Institute Celebrates its 120th Anniversary

Celebrating its 120 year anniversary, TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute has long been at the forefront of vocational education and training in Australia.

In 1891 Sydney Institute opened its first permanent teaching facility which in Ultimo. Originally called Sydney Technical College (STC), the organisation has a rich history, being the first site for several of Sydney’s leading education institutions including Sydney Boys’ High School, Sydney Technical High School, UTS and UNSW. The Powerhouse Museum’s origins can also be traced back to NSW’s first Technological Museum built in 1893 at Sydney Institute.

In 2011 we are showcasing our role in all areas of NSW’s economic development. From Finance to Nursing, Mechanical Engineering to Hairdressing, Sydney Institute has offered thousands of courses in the last 120 years to meet the needs of industry. Delving into the history of study areas, a reflects of the ever changing demands of our community– 1891’s Dressmaking and Dress cutting became Women’s Handicrafts, and is now Fashion Design and Technology. The story of this place, is the story of our development as a nation.

The theme for our 120th anniversary celebrations is More than you imagine because our staff and students continue to astound us with their achievements.

Sydney Institute has had over 900,000 students pass through it’s doors and graduates include Charles Kingsford Smith (aviator), Ita Buttrose (journalist), Ted Noffs (minister and founder of The Wayward Chapel and Ted Noffs Foundation), Eva Cox (social commentator), Hamish Ta-mé (prize-winning photographer), Angelo Loukakis (author and Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors), Alex Perry (fashion designer), Bill Mansell (Managing Director, Chadwick Technology), Jennene Plummer (Food Director, Woman’s Day), Alan Asher (Commonwealth Ombudsman), Mark Best (leading chef) and Margot Wilson (costume designer). Some of these will be our Sydney Institute Ambassadors for 2011 as we have invited 120 graduates and staff to tell their stories and be our official representatives for the 120th anniversary celebrations.

In 2011 we will be showcasing our achievements with our staff, students, business and the community through a series of events and exhibitions.

We are passionate about skilling people of all ages, from all backgrounds and want to celebrate this fact.

From meeting the needs of its original 3,500 students to today’s 76,000 annual enrollments, Sydney Institute has been fundamentally involved in changing hundreds of thousands of lives.

VJ Thomas Greader