Despite having a Chisholm Institute campus in Wonthaggi, Bass Coast Shire currently has no in-person TAFE courses. Their website is out of date stating:”There are also many options for school leavers and mature age students to get the qualifications they need, in the career they want.”

This is NOT TRUE!

Bass Coast College, the largest school in Gippsland provides some timetabled Vocational classes for secondary students and Bass Coast Adult Education centre provides very limited vocational courses.

There are no more!

This lack of local training options is severely limiting opportunities for residents to upskill and pursue vocational education without the need to travel long distances, which is often impractical and costly.

Bass Coast Shire has a population of 42,729, surpassing the populations of several other regions in Victoria that have more comprehensive on-campus vocational training facilities. The disparity in access to training resources is stark when comparing Bass Coast Shire to regions such as Colac Otway Shire, Mount Alexander Shire, and South Gippsland Shire.

We urge the Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor, to address this pressing issue and allocate the necessary resources to introduce in-person vocational training courses in Wonthaggi. This will support our local economy and provide residents with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market.

Join us in calling for immediate action to bring equitable vocational training opportunities to Bass Coast Shire. Sign and share this petition today!