The Sydney Technical College, now known as the TAFE New South Wales Sydney Institute, is a technical school established in 1878, that superseded the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. The college is one of Australia's oldest technical education institutions.
Forebears
The Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts was founded in 1833. In 1878, the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts formed the Working Men's College, which eventually became the Sydney Technical College in 1882. In 1900 Mary Ellen Roberts became a teacher of scientific dresscutting and making at the college.
In 1911, the high school operations of the college became Sydney Technical High School. In 1923 Mary Ellen Roberts managed the transfer the courses of women's handicrafts to the East Sydney Technical College.
In 1949, the New South Wales University of Technology was founded on its main site, as a separate institution. As the University of New South Wales, this is now one of the most prestigious universities in Australia.
In 1969, part of the college became the New South Wales Institute of Technology (NSWIT). This institute was reconstituted as the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), in 1988.
The college continued to operate, eventually becoming part of the New South Wales Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system. It became known as Ultimo College, due to its location. This then became part of the Sydney Institute of Technology, which was later renamed Sydney Institute. This college is the largest TAFE campus in New South Wales.
Architectural students
Many prominent Australian architects studied architecture at Sydney Technical College before there was a university architecture course available in Sydney, but also attended architecture lectures in the Engineering Faculty at the University of Sydney.