On Friday 22 September Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan and Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards will be visiting our Food and Fibre Centre of Excellence construction site. Construction is due for completion in March 2018 so progress is well underway and the foundations are taking shape. Funded and supported by the State Government as part of their initiative to transform Victoria into the Education State. This recognises and supports the critical role we play in the delivery of vocational education and training.
Why are we creating a Food and Fibre Centre of Excellence?
The new Centre will be a pinnacle of our resurgent Food and Fibre sector, which underwent a radical overhaul just a few years ago to emerge from a niche market to an expansive vision of new courses that was successful in securing Government support and funding. It was this groundwork that was integral to Bendigo TAFE being able to think further afield as we sought to identify further opportunities.
This thinking culminated in what will soon be our Food and Fibre Centre of Excellence (FAFCOE)– an approach to not only delivering outstanding training but also to strengthen collaborative ties with industry. We have already secured multiple partnerships with leading agricultural, food production, environment management and many other industry practitioners as we seek to deliver unprecedentedly strong education and employment outcomes for our students.
Our Food and Fibre Centre of Excellence will deliver unique learning outcomes in the following areas; Food and fibre production, Animal care management, Plants and landscapes, Food processing (primary) Environment/National resource management and other related applied sciences. However FAFCOE will also seek to deliver in emerging areas increasingly critical to agricultural sustainability, including resource management, biosecurity, new food production and supply systems and broader technical developments and their potential impact.
With all these developments and offerings we are confident of the wide ranging positive impact FAFCOE will have on everything from education to assisting the agricultural industry as it adapts to an ever changing world. It is a testimony to how innovation is more than just a phrase; it’s foundation strength for us.
There will be a photo opportunity for Media as the MPs are toured around the site. The state-of-the-art building will feature specialist training facilities combined with flexible teaching and learning spaces, in an open and inviting environment, complemented by greenery.
The current food and fibre training facilities on campus will also be refurbished and will be linked to the new building by a multi-functional winter garden. And a new fully landscaped entrance will be established off Lansell Street.
