Don’t be scared to clog up your drains, because Lismore’s apprentice plumbers may not be an endangered species anymore.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has welcomed TAFE NSW’s decision to offer a Certificate IV course in Plumbing and Services (Operations Stream) at Wollongbar TAFE Campus from April 27.

Read earlier story: Where are the apprentices? New TAFE review brings criticism

Ms Saffin described the announcement as a win for up to 20 local tradesmen plumbers who needed to further their education closer to home rather than take the far more costly option of doing the course in Coffs Harbour.

Ms Saffin said confirmation of the Wollongbar course and opening up of applications came late last Friday following strong representations she had made to NSW Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Dr Geoff Lee on January 21 this year.

“I also thank TAFE NSW Regional General Manager North Region Susie George for acknowledging that there is a demand for this course, and a need to run it in Wollongbar, putting up an offering for it (to start after Easter) and asking potential students to enrol,” Ms Saffin said.

“For the local tradies who contacted me, travelling to and staying at Coffs Harbour was not an option due to the associated travel, accommodation and other costs.

“Further to this, I was advised that to complete this course, a student must do 14 blocks, with each block of three days’ duration. Not every employer would be able to accommodate and afford this arrangement.

“I asked Minister Lee to investigate the matter and to use his good offices to reconsider offering the course at the Wollongbar campus, and I welcome the positive outcome for local tradies and their employers.”

Tradesman plumber Jamie Swinton, 23, of Goonellabah, who has worked for Sidney & Hacking Plumbing for the past three years, said he would definitely be enrolling in the Wollongbar course and thanked Ms Saffin for her advocacy.

“I recently finished my apprenticeship and have been trying to further my study to become a licensed contractor for over 12 months,” Mr Swinton said.

“The Coffs option just wasn’t viable and my life would have been put on hold for another year waiting to find out if the course would be offered at Wollongbar.

“Now I can get on with it. It’s an 18-month course and I’m eligible for the $2850 subsidised course fee, which I can just afford.

“Down the track, I would like to do a Diploma in Hydraulic Services, which goes more into design and engineering.”