College team leader Sarah Wells blamed timing as a key factor. 

“It was not as busy as we hoped, people are probably in school holiday mode and Christmas shopping mode,” she said. 

The open day was designed to showcase what courses were on offer.

Ms Wells said there was not a lot available in terms of interactive displays, but there were staff on hand to answer questions and point prospective students in the right direction. 

In 2014, the Orange College will continue to specialise in accounting, animal studies, automotive, business administration, carpentry, children's services, electrical, fitting and machining, hairdressing, horticulture, hospitality, information technology, management, mining, music, plumbing, painting and decorating, project management, real estate, shop-fitting, signwriting, viticulture, welding and welfare.

Certificate III in beauty is at capacity for 2014, with a waiting list of about 11 people, and the hairdressing courses are filling fast, Ms Wells said. 

“The beauty course is always busy, as well as our welding courses and business courses,” she said.

Short courses, such as the Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate, are now offered online, making them more accessible, and about 323 Orange students undertook a course through TAFE Western Connect this year. 

TAFE is also offering a pre-apprenticeship in hairdressing, which head teacher Tracey Elliott said would make anyone looking to enter the industry more employable.

Ms Wells was unsure which courses would not be available next year, with TAFE hit by budget cuts in the last 18 months. 

nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au