The Andrews Labor Government will deliver a new world-class training facility for plumbing and carpentry students at The Gordon TAFE, to continue fostering a pipeline of local trades workers for Geelong and Victoria.
Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney today announced a $2 million Labor Government investment to build the new plumbing and carpentry workshops, accommodating up to 50 per cent more students across trades courses in Geelong – helping more local students get the skills they need to set them up for a great career.
The construction works will include 21 plumbing skills bays, an outdoor sandpit to replicate plumbing tasks, alongside brand-new carpentry classrooms – providing students with the latest industry-standard equipment and better spaces to interact with supervisors.
The new facility will accommodate growing demand in plumbing and carpentry, with total enrolments growing to more than 1480 students in 2022. It will also host school-based training programs with pathways to mainstream apprenticeship courses and independent assessment trials and licensing tests.
Works are being done by Nicholson Construction and will be complete in April.
The Labor Government has funded the project through Apprenticeships Victoria’s Quality Apprenticeships project and builds on the Government’s record $3.2 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support universities and higher education to ensure Victorians have access to high quality education and rewarding career pathways.
As stated by Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney
“We want to make sure our future workforce gets the skills they need in the very best environment, which is why we’re continuing to invest in great projects like The Gordon’s new plumbing and carpentry training facility.”
As stated by Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
“Trades are already among the most popular courses at The Gordon and this new facility will accommodate even more students, helping meet industry demand in Geelong and across Victoria.”
As stated by The Gordon TAFE Head of Centre for Design and Construction Wayne Ketchen
“With the introduction of a new training package, the expansion of our trade training facilities is timely and further allows for our practical spaces to be designed to deliver more efficient training programs for our apprentices.”
