Above L-R: Cr Carolyn Crossley, Wellington Shire Council, Trudi Brown, Sale Branch Manager, Beyond Bank, Howard Williams, Chair, Gippsland East Local Learning and Education Network (GELLEN), Pam Waters, Executive Officer, Gippsland East Local Learning and Education Network (GELLEN), Linda Austin, Interim CEO, TAFE Gippsland and Darren McCubbin, TAFE Gippsland Board Member.
Gippsland East’s Higher Education Study Hub will be opening a satellite hub for higher education students in Wellington Shire at the start of Term 3.
TAFE Gippsland will host the Study Hub – Sale at its Flexible Learning Centre (FLC) campus in Desailly Street. The Study Hub - Sale will be open to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The FLC has undergone recent significant refurbishments allowing additional learning spaces for TAFE students as well as the incorporation of Gippsland’s newest Study Hub facility.
In 2018, the Gippsland East Local Learning and Employment Network (GELLEN), Federation University, East Gippsland Shire and TAFE Gippsland joined together to apply for Commonwealth funding under the Regional University Centres program.
The aim was to establish a university hub for the use of students across our region. The first Gippsland East Higher Education Study Hub, Study Hub – Bairnsdale, supported students throughout the pandemic and bushfires, eventually gaining one hundred students by its formal opening ceremony on 6 November 2020.
The Study Hub - Sale is a collaboration between educational partners and community/government stakeholders including Beyond Bank, Wellington Shire Council, Federation University, TAFE Gippsland and GELLEN.
Gippsland East Higher Education Study Hub spokesperson and executive officer of GELLEN, Ms Pam Waters, said the availability of local learning spaces for students studying higher education was “critically important for their learning journey.”
“Having a place to study away from home and work contributes to successful course completion outcomes. Being able to access facilities and technology 24 hours a day is fabulous for students living in the Wellington Shire, many of whom are working and managing family commitments,” Ms Waters said.
“The Study Hub - Sale is a positive collaboration between organisations and should be commended. Thank you
to TAFE Gippsland for hosting the Study Hub – Sale.”
Ms Waters said the Study Hub - Sale, “will meet the needs of the local students allowing them to reduce travel time and costs while enjoying excellent educational facilities.”
“We are committed to delivering the best facilities possible for Gippsland East students here in Sale and in Bairnsdale. We will continue to work with all our stakeholders to ensure study pathways are delivering great outcomes for everyone concerned.”
The Study Hub is open to students enrolled at any Australian university or TAFE. It offers quiet or group study spaces, high-speed internet, video conferencing and podcasting. Students can sit external exams and access course and career guidance as well as disability, financial and scholarship information.
Site-specific appointments with Learning Skills Advisors are also available to improve students’ research skills and essay writing. Students can meet fellow students by participating in social events.
To enrol at any Study Hub, go to: https://www.gestudyhub.org
A small opening ceremony was held today at TAFE Gippsland’s FLC to officially launch the Study Hub - Sale.
Media Contact - TAFE Gippsland
David McNamara
Relationships Manager - Royce Communications
0455 144 464 or email david@royce.com.au
Media Contact - GELLEN
Pam Waters
Executive Officer
0429 701 296 or email pam@gellen.org.au