The campus will offer courses in businesses, health, social sciences and agribusiness from early next year.

Mrs Ballard said businesses were surveyed by the campus board to determine what areas of study needed to be covered.

"We hope we can provide the education to get those skills so people stay here and we build up our workforce, employment opportunities and economic growth," Mrs Ballard said.

Mrs Ballard, from Wingham, recently started work in her new role.

She was selected from a strong field of candidates from across Australia. The board felt Mrs Ballard had the best attributes for the position.

With a bachelor of business with a double major in marketing and management, an associate diploma in accounting at the Taree TAFE campus and jobs as an accountant, finance manager, marketing manager and business manager, she is more than qualified for the position.

"I feel very connected to this area and that's going to help me immensely in trying to deliver what this wonderful board has in mind," Mrs Ballard said.

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More recently, Mrs Ballard is recognised as Wingham Akoostik Festival founder and coordinator alongside her husband Kevin.

She said the campus slogan, Go further closer to home, is the perfect summary for what the campus will deliver.

"I'm thrilled for what we can do for the community and filling the need that has been there for so long for school students and people like me who were working in the area and wanted to study a degree," Mrs Ballard said.

"I'm hoping to create that for more people so they don't have to leave the area to study."

In her eyes, TUC will be "a vibrant and energetic space full of colour and people, full of exciting things and a place people want to come to."

"I want to make it accessible and inspiring," she added.

She had firsthand experience with the financial burden of tertiary education.

"Years ago, my own children had to leave the area to study and I know how costly that was," Mrs Ballard said.

"They both took a gap year to get their funds together ready to study. It just delays the process and makes it so much more complicated for regional kids.

"We want to bridge that gap and provide local education."

Arrangements with several universities in relation to courses are in the advanced stages.

She said local tutors will ensure all students feel supported throughout their studies.

The 18 per cent completion rate of online studies was a concern she hoped TUC will address.

"We've got to stop that," Mrs Ballard vowed.

The campus will not be a competitor to other learning centres and programs in the Manning.

"We want to work collaboratively with other campuses already here in Taree," Mrs Ballard said.

"We're in for collaborating and developing and putting another layer on things, not competing against anything already existing in the market."

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