‘Deadly Days’ as these TAFE days are called are part of an Australian government initiative to increase education, employment and training opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and promote positive and healthy lifestyles.

The festival kicked-off with a ‘Deadly Skills Day’ that saw the TAFE carpark transform into a group of marquee pavilions each holding a workshop highlighting a different vocational trade.

Indigenous students from Bowraville Central, Macksville High and Nambucca Heads High schools attended the workshops and had fun attaining some hands-on skills.

The workshops on offer included Boomerang making, cooking, children’s craft, jewellery making and weaving.

Macksville TAFE Manager Phyllis Mann said that she was pleased with the number of students who attended the day.

“The Deadly Skills Days provide an excellent lead-up to the big festival event that takes place at three of the north coast’s bigger TAFE campuses,” Ms Mann said.