Apprentices training to become electricians in Alexandra Hills will soon spend less time waiting and travelling to finish their qualifications, thanks to a new $5 million testing facility built at their local TAFE campus.
The $5 million Electrotechnology Centre was developed to help clear a backlog of apprentices waiting to complete their capstone test, the last practical assessment before they’re signed off as qualified electricians. Construction on the facility was confirmed as underway in December 2025, with TAFE Queensland pointing to rising demand for electrical training across the region as the reason the wait had grown.
A Local Fix for a Long-Standing Wait
Why should apprentices have to leave their own region just to finish their training? That question sat behind much of the thinking for this project. Some students training in the Redlands had been forced to travel to other campuses simply to complete their final assessment. Now that step happens at home.
Russell Field, state member for Capalaba, said the change would let more local apprentices finish their training and get signed off without leaving the area. He called it a meaningful shift for tradies still working toward full qualification.
Built for Growing Demand
The government said the new centre can support up to 84 students on any given day, giving it room to serve apprentices from across the wider Alexandra Hills campus. Older, underused buildings on the site have been replaced with teaching spaces designed around current industry practice.
There’s a scheduling upgrade too. TAFE Queensland plans to offer classes outside standard daytime hours, so apprentices already working a job can study around it. Chief executive Tim Rawlings said the facility gives students access to modern equipment and hands-on training that reflects how the electrical trade actually operates today.
Part of a Wider Push to Train more Tradies
Alexandra Hills isn’t getting this upgrade in isolation. It’s one of several TAFE Queensland projects rolling out statewide as part of a broader push to grow the number of skilled workers entering construction. The government said apprenticeship completions reached a record level in 2025-26, and that the number of Queenslanders starting electrical apprenticeships climbed 15.7 per cent over the same period, though these figures have not been independently verified.
State Training Minister Ros Bates linked the investment to Queensland’s ongoing infrastructure and construction activity, which she said continues to drive demand for qualified electricians. Two other local MPs, Amanda Stoker and Rebecca Young, both said the upgrade would support the fast-growing Redlands Coast, where housing and infrastructure projects show no sign of slowing.
What it Means for the Region
Shorter waits. Fewer trips to other campuses. A facility built with room to grow alongside the population it serves. That’s the practical outcome the government is promising apprentices in the Redlands. TAFE Queensland describes it as one piece of a larger expansion of its training footprint, with more centres planned or already underway elsewhere in the state.
Published Date 27-September-2026
