Ministers statements: TAFE funding
Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Agriculture) (12:26): I am pleased to update the chamber on how the Andrews Labor government is growing TAFE to support local communities with the training and workforces they need for the future. Recently I was pleased to join Kathleen Matthews-Ward, member for Broadmeadows, and Maria Vamvakinou, member for Calwell, to turn the first sod for the construction of the $60 million Kangan Institute Health and Community Centre of Excellence. This world-class facility will have cutting-edge technology and deliver courses in high-priority areas, including aged care, mental health, disability, pathology, allied health and early childhood education and care. The new building will have flexible learning spaces, state-of-the-art laboratories for health simulation and outdoor spaces. Construction is expected to create at least 300 jobs. Importantly, this centre will enable the culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the area to gain skills and training to provide the care and support needed for their aging, ill community members and for those with children. Also in attendance at the sod turning were a variety of partners, including the Northern Health and DPV Health communities. These partnerships are crucial, particularly when we need students in great places for their placements, so I thank them for their contribution into the future.
This centre will become a benchmark for future vocational health training delivery, ensuring that graduates of this facility will become sought after by industry. This is a perfect example of greater access for all in our communities to our TAFE system and to receive the training and skills that they need by joining the dots – local people getting the local skills and local jobs and benefiting the whole community and our local economy. ‘Connected relevance’ is our motto.