Adelaide College of Technical and Further Education, later Adelaide Institute of TAFE (GA573)

The Adelaide Institute of Technical and Further Education was established on January 1 1984 as an educational institution for the development and creation of educational and vocational training opportunities. Courses were offered in attendance and/or external study modes. Areas of training include business studies, computing, music, performing arts, hairdressing, languages, multi-media and, prisoner, migrant and aboriginal education.

The Adelaide Insitute of TAFE, whose main campus is at 120 Currie Street, was known as the Adelaide College of TAFE from its inception in 1983 when a nominal Principal was appointed, until mid-1993 when it and 19 other TAFE colleges and their campuses across the State were amalgamated into 10 institutes. College Principals became Institute Directors with the amalgamation.

Adelaide College of TAFE building was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on 10 March 1986. The purpose built main campus had been built in stages, with the first classes being taught on site in 1985. A new multi-story East wing was opened in 1996.

The Adelaide College of TAFE was created for the purpose of providing a single administrative unit for ten schools, including some which were new, others which were transferred from other TAFE campuses, eg Library Studies and Educational Publications from Kilkenny, and a number of pre-existing individual Department of Further Education (DFE) schools which had been housed in what were mainly non-purpose built, rented premises scattered throughout the CBD.

These included the Open College of Further Education, located on the site of the current Remand Centre in Currie Street, the Schools of Business and Hairdressing at the former "Centrepoint" building on the corner of Rundle and Pulteney Streets, The School of Commercial Studies at 221 Wakefield Street, The Small Business Training Centre on Pirie Street and the Waymouth Business Centre.

The Languages and Migrant Education Centre which had been located at 135 Waymouth Street from 1974 to 1978, and at "The Village Offices" in Currie Street west until 1983, had its teaching programs divided up with the large Commonwealth-funded Adult Migrant Education Service (now English Language Services) going to rented premises on the 4th and 5th floors at the Renaissance Centre in Rundle Mall. The much smaller International Languages and Adult Literacy units went to the new Adelaide College.

Other schools to come under the new College's administrative umbrella but which stayed at their campuses were: The Flinders Street School of Music; The Centre for Performing Arts in Grote Street and Aboriginal Education at 211 Wakefield Street. The School of Music was amalgamated with the Adelaide University's Elder Conservatorium at the end of 2001 and is now part of the University's Elder School of Music. The Centre for Performing Arts and the North Adelaide School of Art moved into Adelaide Institute's new Dame Roma Mitchell Building in Light Square 2001 as "AIT Arts". A small annex in Beulah Road, Norwood remained open until 1994.

The Adelaide College of TAFE originally had 10 schools. In 1993, it adopted a "flattened" management structure with 18 different teaching departments. These were further rearranged as 3 teaching faculties in 2003.

Adelaide College/Institute's Principals/Directors have been Brian Stanford (1983-mid 1990 + mid 1991-1994), Colin Read (acting Director mid 1990-mid 1991), Madeleine Woolley (1995-2002) and Maureen Morton (2003+).

The College/Institute has had an Institute Council since 1983. Mrs Alison Raggatt was its founding President. There had been a previous Adelaide College of TAFE before the amalgamation with the Open College of TAFE formed the new Adelaide College. Some members of the Council of the earlier College continued on the new Council.

In January 2005 all eight Institutes were amalgamated into three new bodies: TAFE SA Adelaide North, TAFE SA Adelaide South, and TAFE SA Regional.

Sources:

TAFE Bulletins
TAFE Legal and Delegations Unit
Staff