Students at SuniTAFE and members of the surrounding community of Mildura have a new place to connect on campus, thanks to the Allan Labor Government.
Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney today opened the new Nexus student engagement space in SuniTAFE’s Undercroft. The $1.6 million investment by the Labor Government is about acknowledging the SuniTAFE’s important role in the region.
The main entrance has been repurposed into an activation space to showcase training materials, student achievements and connections with businesses. The renovation includes links to the customer service area and Skills and Jobs Centre, creating better connections to these services.
The student engagement space will host exhibitions, training sessions and technology demonstrations. SuniTAFE aims to use the space to put training on display, making it more visible to students and the community.
The Labor Government has also invested $2.8 million to upgrade SuniTAFE’s road access and carpark to accommodate growing traffic. The recently completed project has provided more parking bays for staff, students and visitors as well as more lighting to improve safety and security.
The SuniTAFE projects were funded through the Labor Government’s $55 million TAFE Asset Maintenance Fund, which supports every TAFE in Victoria to carry out essential upgrades to learning facilities and re-fit and modernise learning spaces to deliver more courses.
The fund is part of a $1.8 billion commitment in 2020 to fund critical education infrastructure in Victoria to help drive the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Victorian Budget 2023/34 provides a further $545.5 million for Training and Skills, including $170 million for the Building Better TAFEs Fund to make sure students have the best facilities to learn in, close to home.
As stated by Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney
“The Allan Labor Government is proud to have invested in this beautiful space, which will not only deliver better facilities for students and staff but also provide a space where SuniTAFE and the community can connect.”
“Giving Victorians the skills and training they need is critical to our state’s thriving economy and prosperous future, which is why we have invested in rebuilding TAFE to make it even better.”
As stated by Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes
“We are excited to have this space in our wonderful region. These upgrades will be a great addition to the community and we look forward to seeing more Victorians students enjoying the facilities they deserve.”
As stated by SuniTAFE rep Brett Millington
“The students and staff at SuniTAFE are delighted to have this great new engagement space as a welcoming point to our Mildura Campus. Not only does it help serve a functional purpose of displaying the training opportunities that exist here, but it also draws people to the Skills and Jobs Centre and the potential careers that could be on offer from studying at TAFE.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Minister and the State Government in delivering this space, which enables us to showcase our students’ efforts and celebrate their successes.”
