$60 million injection delivers new training opportunities for students

A $60m injection that will deliver the stage one redevelopment of Kangan Institute’s Broadmeadows campus will deliver a range of new training opportunities in Melbourne’s north and importantly, critical post-COVID economic stimulation.

The funding, announced by the Minister for Training and Skills and Minister for Higher Education today has been allocated as part of the 2021/22 Victorian State Budget and will see the construction of a Health and Community Centre of Excellence. The new facility will begin construction at the end of next year and is estimated to be operating by 2024.

Kangan Institute’s Chief Executive Officer Sally Curtain said the funding would enable the TAFE’s flagship campus to deliver modern, digitally focussed teaching and training.

“The Health and Community Centre of Excellence will see Kangan Institute expand our course offering in Melbourne’s growing northern corridor and in partnership with our industry partners, deliver new courses in areas such as nursing, dental assisting, pathology collection, disability and early childhood,” Mrs Curtain said.

“The Centre of Excellence will be a state-of-the-art training facility providing training in essential health services whilst embedding the skills for now and into the future with a focus on virtual healthcare, eHealth and assistive technologies.

Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest employment sector in Victoria (13 per cent of total employment) and the fastest growing sector of any industry (an increase of 21.4 per cent since 2013). The sector is projected to grow by 14.9 per cent by May 2023, according to a 2019 Australian Jobs report.

“The benefits that will be derived from this announcement will be immense for our students and teachers who will enjoy fit-for-purpose facilities. It will ensure students in Melbourne’s north can train closer to home and remain and the centre of everything that we do.

“We are thrilled that the Government has recognised the range of benefits we believe this funding will deliver, and we look forward to being able to cement our plans for a new and improved Broadmeadows campus experience.”

Kangan’s Broadmeadows campus is one of the largest in Victoria, with 10,700 students accessing its 126 courses in 2020.