GOTAFE will develop state-of-the-art training and assessment materials for their new Certificate III in Casting and Pattern making areas, with students set to train with the emerging technologies of virtual and augmented reality.
In response to course closures by Victorian tertiary providers, GOTAFE was approached by the Australian Foundry Institute (AFI) and leading employers across the state to consider becoming the provider of this specialist program.
President of the Australia Foundry Institute (Victoria Division) Amber Maxwell recently spoke of the need for training to be reinstated in Victoria.
‘‘It has taken many years without training for the Foundry Industry to feel the effects of the skills shortage, and the employers are now driving the search for a training provider,’’ Ms Maxwell said.
‘‘The current Australian foundry workers represent an ageing population; in Victoria alone, many foundry employees are more than 50 years old and without training of apprentices our industry will suffer permanently.’’
GOTAFE Trades will provide training and assessment Victoria wide, feeding much-needed apprentices into the vocation.
This course is an exciting inclusion to the Engineering department at GOTAFE, which had back-to-back finalists in 2017 and last year for Apprentice of the Year at the Victorian Training Awards.
GOTAFE commercial manager Brett Ambrosio is excited to introduce the new course.
‘‘GOTAFE are very excited about this program and see this as a great opportunity for students to undertake apprenticeships in the casting and pattern-making areas,’’ Mr Ambrosio said.
‘‘We are keen to put our new technologies to work, with the first intake of apprentices ready to start in March this year.’’
In recent years, students interested in this career would need to travel to Queensland for training.
This lack of opportunity in training led to no Victorian apprentices taking on the vocation in recent years.
It is hoped the technology advances in the delivery of study will encourage an influx of interest to the Engineering Foundry qualification.
●Applications are now open to study a Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication at GOTAFE this year. For a full list of available courses, visit gotafe.vic.edu.au or phone 1300GOTAFE (468233).
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