Labor is making it easier for regional Victorians to train for rewarding careers, close to home.
Registrations are now open for the Diploma of Nursing at Bendigo TAFE’s new Health and Learning Hub in Castlemaine.
Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards today announced the course is available through Victoria’s nation-leading Free TAFE program.
“It’s fantastic to see this opportunity delivered in Castlemaine, giving locals the chance to train for in-demand nursing careers without having to leave their community.” Said Ms Edwards
\“Our investment to bring TAFE back to Castlemaine has made this possible.”
Free TAFE is helping more Victorians gain the skills they need without the burden of tuition fees.
The Learning Hub features state-of-the-art ward simulation labs and clinical training environments, supporting up to 60 students at a time. It opened last year thanks to a $4 million investment from the Allan Labor Government.
The hub is a partnership between Bendigo TAFE and local health service Dhelkaya Health, giving students access to hands-on training, placements and pathways into local jobs.
Across Victoria, demand for workers in health care and social assistance continues to grow, with around 90,300 additional workers needed over the next three years.
Victoria is leading the way in building the workforce needed to support the care economy, ensuring communities have access to the skilled nurses and health professionals they rely on.
Since 2019, more than 229,200 students have benefited from Free TAFE, saving a total of $777 million in tuition fees – about $3,000 per person.
A quarter of participants have come from regional Victoria, with the Diploma of Nursing consistently one of the most popular courses.
Labor is protecting Free TAFE, by introducing the Free TAFE Guarantee into Parliament – ensuring a minimum of 70 per cent of all vocational education and training funding will be allocated to TAFE.
But that’s all at risk under Jess Wilson’s Liberals.
Victorians remember the carnage caused when the Liberals were last in power. They sacked more than 2,000 TAFE teachers, shut 22 TAFE campuses and savagely ripped $1 billion from TAFEs
