Growing skills: Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE will soon be delivering education from a new hothouse in Shepparton.
Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE will soon be delivering education from a new hothouse at the William Orr campus on Wanganui Rd, Shepparton.
The hothouse will feature a hydroponic fit-out, irrigation systems, computer controls, solar and thermal screens, guttering, benches and a fogging system that helps maintain an optimal growing temperature – and can be controlled by a smartphone.
Fit out: Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE will soon be delivering education from a new hothouse.
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GOTAFE land co-ordinator Rob Hall said the new hothouse provides a facility for students to gain experience before heading into the industry.
“The new facilities will assist GOTAFE to educate both students and industry,” he said.
“The hothouse reflects trends in the protective cropping industries, which means we can better cater education to industry needs.”
There are thousands of hectares of crops under glass across the region and Mr Hall is excited by the opportunities the new hothouse provides GOTAFE students and industry.
“We have a huge opportunity to look at bush foods and to provide First Nations people with access to technology and growing methods to help maintain their cultural practices,” he said.
Space to learn: Inside Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE’s new hothouse.
GOTAFE chief executive Travis Heeney said that with an increased appetite for courses in horticulture, it was important the facility kept up with the demand and provided essential experience.
“We know that our region’s horticulture production is a driving force in the Victorian industry — this is why up-to-date facilities are so important to provide critical skills and training to our next generation of farmers,” he said.
This project was funded through the Victorian Government’s Regional and Specialist Training Fund.
“We’re ensuring TAFE students have all the tools they need while they train, like this new hothouse at GOTAFE, so they’re ready to hit the ground running in jobs in their local communities and right across Victoria,” Victorian Higher Education, Training and Skills Minister Gayle Tierney said.
