TAFE Queensland Robina Campus
IN-49: Innovation C

Robina Campus runs 5 different live training venues which are open to the public - a restaurant, a cafe, an event centre, hairdressing, barbering and beauty salons, and a fitness centre. The live training environments provide immersive learning, particularly with an ecofriendly lens and ensure students graduate with not only the technical skill requirements of the job but a broader understanding of how to apply SDGs within a profitable business. These commercial services are operated by TAFE Queensland for profit, with staff employed to run the facilities and manage training in the live environment. This model ensures 100% commitment to the SDGs and the ability to positively influence training outcomes for students.

The services listed below are available to the public, staff and students. The services and facilities are based on sustainability features in build, operations, and service. By operating these services for the public, the students operate in a 'live training' environment:
• Green Fields Bar + Restaurant - offers contemporary dining with amazing views for lunch and dinner. Menus are seasonal with vegan options and products are sourced from local suppliers where possible. Herbs are sourced from the garden beds on the deck area. Students completing commercial cookery to become chefs are trained in how to minimise waste and use all parts of the produce. Students are taught how to put the organic waste into the 27/7 Composta onsite and go out to our partner Raba Urban Community Farm to understand sustainable growing practices.
• Seedpod Café - ground floor café offers a place for students and locals to connect with healthier menu options. The cafe also serves as a distribution point for long table community lunches held in the outside area. Leftover food, sauces and marinades from the restaurant service are sold at the cafe. Staff, students and community members are encouraged to bring their 'keep items' to minimise waste. Incentives apply to these customers. i.e. discount on food and coffee.
• Robina Events Centre (Conference and banquet centre) - can host events for up to 300 people for seminars and 200 people for banquet meals. Sustainability is practised in all operations by the commercial staff, event, hospitality and cookery students at these events. Linen, cutlery and crockery are all reusable with recycled napkins used as required.
• TQ Fitness (Fitness centre) - offers a full-service gymnasium, affordable personal training, and group classes at competitive membership prices. In addition, the gym hosts a free yoga session every Friday to promote wellness. A number of other events i.e. handstand workshop have helped to promote the message of community engagement. Sport and fitness students work with clients at very low cost and also partner with local sporting teams to run exercise training sessions.
• Nature's Escape Hairdressing and Barber Salon – is open to the public with bookings growing. The salon partners with Sustainable Salons to take our used plastics and salon metals to be sold and upcycled into products such as reading glasses and outdoor furniture. Hair is gathered and sent to Sustainable Salons for use in items such as free wigs for cancer patients.
• Nature's Escape Beauty Salon – this venue provides opportunities for students to practice their skills on clients who are offered the services at a discounted rate to cover material costs. The service works on providing a calming environment including soy candles (available for salon) and use of refillable containers for beauty products.

All of our live training venues are 100% committed to sustainability - they live and breathe being green. By following sustainability principles, our staff and students practice the commitment we have made and share this commitment with our customers. Students are exposed to a number of sustainable practices including:
* Using biodegradable wrappers
* Limited use of plastics
* Value of using 'keep items' such as coffee cups, lunchboxes, etc
* Healthy food options
* Recycling methodology
* Composting
* Waste mix practices
* Collecting containers for change.

In using these sustainable practices in their training, students also connect with our partners such as Sustainable Salons, Containers for Change, and the Raba Urban Community Farm.

Robina Campus is committed to action. The campus has partnered with local businesses and community organisations to promote sustainable practices and reduce their impact on the environment. These partnerships provide students with valuable opportunities to apply their sustainability knowledge in the real world and make a positive impact in the community. A range of specialist events i.e. Melbourne Cup event, Mock Formal, and Wedding Expos have been scheduled to identify more local businesses to form partnerships.