MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (12:28:38): Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Australian Training Awards. The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards for the vocational education and training sector, and again this year Victorian TAFEs did not disappoint.
For the fourth year in a row a Victorian TAFE won the national Large Training Provider of the Year award, with SuniTAFE taking out the award this year. What an incredible achievement for Mildura and the Sunraysia region. SuniTAFE won this award because they are innovative and responsive to local needs. SuniTAFE have been recognised for their outstanding completion rate of 95 per cent and the strong job outcomes of graduates. They are responsive to local needs, having launched a certificate III in transport and logistics in response to an urgent need for freight drivers. SuniTAFE makes an incredible difference to the local community, and this award is very much deserved.
Holmesglen Institute has also been recognised for its outstanding focus on building industry collaboration, winning the industry collaboration award for its partnership with the Royal Children’s Hospital. This partnership is focused on creating pathways to employment for young people with a disability. Students undertake three nine-week rotations across different departments of the Royal Children’s Hospital, with many employed by the hospital at the end of the course.
Victoria winning this award is a testament to how our TAFEs are working closely with industry to train a pipeline of workers for the jobs in demand across the state. Well done to each of this year’s winners, and we look forward to hosting the Australian Training Awards in Melbourne next year.