Recently, Macquarie Community College had the pleasure of welcoming Monica Tudehope, MP – Member for Epping, and Justin Clancy, MP – Member for Albury, Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education to our Epping campus.
During their visit, they met with our CEO Theresa Collignon, Head of Training, Stuart Bastock, and Head of Sales & Marketing, Sandra McKinney to discuss MCC’s direction under the new 3-Year Strategic Plan to 2027.
The group discussed the opportunities for policy makers and governments to leverage the reach, capability, capacity and readiness of Macquarie Community College and the community education sector to support learning and employment pathways that change lives for the better.
The conversation reinforced Macquarie Community College’s role as a leader in community-driven education across Greater Sydney, delivering real-world outcomes that empower individuals and strengthen communities, and some of the ongoing challenges the community education sector currently faces including funding limitations and rising costs.
Our guests were delighted to hear how Macquarie Community College addresses critical workforce shortages by preparing hundreds of job-ready graduates for employment in essential industries such as aged care & disability and child care.
These sectors are experiencing an ongoing significant skills gap, and Macquarie Community College does tremendous work equipping our motivated students with the practical training and qualifications needed to enter the workforce and make an immediate impact.
As part of their visit, Monica and Justin took a tour of the campus, stopping by our Basic Computer class. Engaging with students, they listened to personal stories of learning journeys, motivations, and aspirations. Both MPs wished students success in their studies and expressed their encouragement for them to complete their courses and achieve their goals.
The visit marked an important step in strengthening connections between Macquarie Community College and our members of State Parliament.
While this was our first meeting with Monica and Justin, we regularly participate in outreach, discussions and collaborations to further champion the importance of community- based, inclusive and affordable adult education.
Our team is committed to continue creating job-ready graduates, helping communities thrive, and supporting economic participation — all of which contribute to long-term economic benefits and a stronger future for Greater Sydney.
We extend our gratitude to Monica Tudehope and Justin Clancy for taking the time to visit, showing their support for skills development, and recognising the vital role of community education. We hope to welcome them back for deeper conversations on future initiatives.