Woden building's top-out a fresh start for CIT, says Steel

The $325 million Woden CIT project has marked a significant milestone, and Skills Minister Chris Steel says it signals a new start for the beleaguered vocational training organisation that is still recovering from the Cover contracts scandal.

Fresh from the handing down of the Integrity Commission’s finding of corruption against former CEO Leanne Cover, Mr Steel and interim CIT CEO Christine Robertson took to the new Woden building’s rooftop for its topping out ceremony, and to focus on the future, not the sullied past.

Mr Steel said the new building and upgrades to other campuses showed the ACT Government’s continuing commitment to CIT.

“Despite what’s happened over recent years at CIT, the ACT Government strongly believes that our TAFE, the Canberra Institute of Technology, is critically important to Canberra’s future,” he said.

Mr Steel said the current board and staff remained committed to delivering high-quality education and training for students and to support the skills needs of industry.

“I’m really delighted that the new strategy that they’ve been developing will be focusing on that, which is the right focus,” he said.

While he would not comment on the Integrity Commission’s ongoing investigations, Mr Steel said the government would respond as required to its first report and present that to the Legislative Assembly before the end of the term.

Ms Robertson, who stepped into the breach when Ms Cover was stood down in 2022, said that while the scandal had dented staff morale, the organisation had moved on.

“We take what’s happened as part of our learning,” she said.

“But we move on, teachers move on. We’ve got a brand new strategy that’s going to underpin our work. We’re in a good space.”

Ms Robertson would not comment on whether she would consider staying on permanently, saying that was a matter for the board, which was now searching for a permanent CEO after Ms Cover’s resignation prior to the corruption finding against her.

Mr Steel said the topping out milestone, marked by the installation of a timber tree made from offcuts from the building’s signature timber frame, also meant the project was now more of a reality for Canberrans.

“The topping out of level five means that this project is getting to a point where we can start to really see it,” he said.

Mr Steel said the next steps included the installation of the roof and dismantling the first crane as work begins on the fit-out and campus landscaping early next year.

The project was hitting all its milestones and was on track to take its first students for Semester 2 2025.

At the same time, the new transport interchange on Callam Street will open as part of an integrated project that will transform the Town Centre.

Mr Steel said the Woden CIT would offer state-of-the-art learning for 6500 students and a new public realm for the people of Woden to enjoy.

It would also be a catalyst for further development in the Town Centre.

“The new campus will also feature smart classrooms, simulated learning environments, commercial kitchens, smart campus backbones or digitally enabled learning, new shared and collaboration spaces, which is going to be really important for us to make sure that we’ve got great opportunities to collaborate with the industries that will be employing the graduates in the future,” he said.

“This is going to also contribute to having more green space in Woden, with new green plazas across the east-west boulevard, that will make it a better place for people to walk through the Woden Town Center and out through Woden Town Park Avenue Park and through to Edison Park.”

The project also includes the Youth Foyer where some students would live. Mr Steel said the government would soon announce which community organisation would run the Youth Foyer.

Ms Robertson said the Woden CIT was not just a construction project but a promise of opportunity and transformation for its students.

“The structural timber columns, beams and floor panels that you see before you are more than just materials. They represent the foundation of CIT’s future,” she said.

“The CIT Woden campus is a significant commitment to new ways of teaching and learning, supporting enhanced collaboration and innovation for our students.”

Ms Robertson said the new campus would offer digital learning spaces and specialist facilities that simulated real-world industrial environments.

She said the adjacent Woden business district meant students would have increased opportunities for local job training and community engagement.

“This strategic positioning will enhance their learning experience and ensure they are job-ready on graduation,” she said.