Bendigo TAFE CEO Trevor Schwenke said the funding would help revitalise the campus located in Bendigo’s CBD.

“The State Government funding will enable Bendigo TAFE to provide students with state-of-the-art facilities, while ensuring the preservation of some of Bendigo’s most historic landmark buildings,” Mr Schwenke said.

The funding will allow work to begin on a planned stage redevelopment for the creation of three separate TAFE precincts for education, community and commercial.

“These facilities are fulfilling the old adage ‘if you build it they will come’ with significant increases in enrolments at the Health and Community Centre for Excellence,” Mr Schwenke said.

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There will also be $172 million to make over 30 priority TAFE and pre-apprenticeships courses free, with the aim of filling skill gaps to get Victorians into employment.

A further $304 million has been allocated for TAFEs to establish new classes and create more than 30,000 new training places at campuses across regional Victoria.

“We are very keen to keep the momentum going and we very much welcome funding in the budget so we can continue activating this important part of the city, not only for our students, teachers and support staff, but for the whole Bendigo Community,” Mr Schwenke said.

Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards welcomed the announcement as it would improve education throughout the region.

“Whether it’s building the next stage of Castlemaine Secondary or delivering a local GovHub, we’re ensuring that our area is home to great schools, new jobs and a TAFE system rebuilt after being smashed by the Liberals,” Ms Edwards said.