All seven TAFE Gippsland campuses closed as a result of the East Gippsland bushfires, will reopen as from Monday 13 January.
TAFE Gippsland Chief Executive, Mr Grant Radford, advised today that the Institute’s Bairnsdale, Bairnsdale Trade Training Centre, Forestec (Kalimna West), Seamec (Lakes Entrance) campuses and the Wellington Shire campuses at Sale Gtec, Sale Flexible Learning Centre and Sale Fulham, would reopen to staff and the general public from Monday 13 January 2020.
“The decision to reopen our East Gippsland and Wellington campuses has been considered carefully with respect to the current state of these East Gippsland fires and in consultation with the Victorian state government and state government agencies,” Mr Radford said.
“With some teaching staff and students due to return after the holiday period, it is timely to reopen our facilities for the 2020 academic year.”
Mr Radford said TAFE Gippsland staff have been working on enrolment processes for student cohorts and dealing with staff and students experiencing difficult circumstances as a result of fires.
“We understand these fires are profoundly affecting our community, including valued staff and students living in our Gippsland communities, and our hearts go out to them all,” Mr Radford said.
“We are reaching out to staff and students affected by the fires and we commend the work of all emergency response personnel in dealing with an emergency on this scale.”
The initial campus closures were prompted in response to fires threatening the Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance communities and the declaration of a State of Disaster over much of Eastern Victoria.
For any students concerned about their TAFE training or study related enquiries, please call 1300 133 717 for a discussion with Recruitment team members.
For all media-related enquiries, call;
Neil Lawson - Communications Coordinator, TAFE Gippsland
Phone - 0419 425 804
Email - nlawson@tafegippsland.edu.au or news@tafegippsland.edu.au