New ECEC service will support families to access care, and TAFE students to learn

A new early childhood education and care (ECEC) service will support local families to access care, whilst also supporting emerging ECEC professionals to have access to hands-on learning opportunities. 

Victorian Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney officially opened the $1.7 million Wodonga TAFE facility on Friday, which has been designed to foster collaboration between the TAFE and local industry. 

The site features three student learning areas and spaces for professional development training and guest workshops, and will host local childcare provider Kids on Campus, which will provide high quality professional services on site while also contributing to student outcomes through real-life learning experiences. 

Thanks in part to the Free TAFE initiative, enrolments in ECEC at Wodonga TAFE increased by 300 per cent between 2019 and 2020, and the new facility will accommodate continued growth in the area. In 2020, every graduate of the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care gained employment, as did 80 per cent of graduates of the Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care. 

“There’s never been a better time to think about a career in early childhood education as we ready ourselves for the statewide roll out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten in 2022 with more exciting job opportunities,” said Victorian Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt. 

The new facility was designed and built by Wodonga-based Premier Building Construction and created about 60 jobs during construction. 

“The new Early Learning Centre is a game-changer for Wodonga TAFE and the Border community, ” Ms Tierney said in closing.

More information about the service is available here.