APPRENTICES and trainees at Bendigo TAFE are set to benefit from a $2 million package from the state government.
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Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards announced the funding for Bendigo Kangan Institute – of which Bendigo TAFE is a part – on Friday as part of a statewide $50 million TAFE training package.
The funding is designed to help TAFEs provide better programs for trainees and apprentices.
It is also designed to, in turn, better serve the needs of local industries and the community.
“We’ve got a changing economy,” Ms Edwards said.
“That means new skills and a changing approach.
“This funding . . . will strengthen ties with our local community.”
It is not clear how much of the $2 million will be spent in Bendigo – the institute also has campuses in Melbourne.
But Bendigo Kangan Institute interim chief executive officer Amanda Brook expected significant investment in local campuses.
“The courses that we are extending are going to be across our institute.
“So Bendigo campus will certainly get a significant benefit from it, because we’re looking at raising the quality of standards right across the portfolio,” she said.
The money will go into existing and new programs that will bring “Bendigo resources up to a broader standard”, Ms Brook said.
“For example, with our automotive facilities, we’ll be putting in new engines, new tools, new learning resources so that they can be at the same standards as our centre of excellence in Docklands.”
Ms Edwards said the funding would play an important role in addressing skills shortages.
“That’s the importance of the TAFE sector engaging with industry – because we know where the skills shortages are and the industry knows where the skills shortages,” she said.
“So it’s about working together to ensure those skills shortages are addressed and for the young people coming through to do apprenticeships and traineeships in skills areas that we know there are shortages in.”
Since coming to power last year, Ms Edwards said, the state government had established a $320 million “TAFE rescue fund”.
“Bendigo Kangan Institute has so far received $2.2 million from the TAFE rescue fund,” she said, adding it had received some $7 million for other programs.
Ms Brook said the funding came at a time when Bendigo TAFE was recovering financially after a “really tough” five years.
“We experienced a combined loss for our organisation of more than $10 million last year,” she said.
“This year … we are really confident of achieving a sustainable performance for our institute going forward.
“We can direct this support into initiatives that can drive growth.”