A learning hub for the Central Goldfields

Our local business community has been working together over the past 18 months on a project to create a Learning Hub in Maryborough.

The vision is to provide residents with access to higher education without having to leave our local community.

The Learning Hub would provide a safe study space and face-to-face support – essentially campus-style facilities for students who study online.

The next step is for the Learning Hub Leadership Group to prepare a grant application to the Federal Government’s Regional Universities Learning Hub program which closes in July 2024.

Learning Hub Leadership Group - who's involved?

Representatives include;

  • Maryborough District Health Service
  • Maryborough Education Centre
  • True Foods
  • Havilah
  • Sonac Australia
  • Asteria Services
  • McPhersons Printing
  • Commitee for Maryborough
  • Heighton Mezzanine
  • Vic Skills Authority
  • Central Goldfields Shire Council

How did we get here?

In November 2022 and March 2023, two workshops were held including a mix of representation from local businesses, education, Committee for Maryborough, young people and secondary school students.

The group came together to share ideas for how we can improve the opportunities for young people to access work and study in the Central Goldfields.

The workshops identified a need for a physical and virtual Learning Hub in Maryborough with diverse work experiences, career advice and mentors/coaches to build young people’s aspiration and interest in further study and local careers.

They explored components of the proposed Learning Hub, designing a pilot project to test these components and the establishment a core group to steer the future development of the Learning Hub.

The workshops also focused on how the Learning Hub could promote different educational pathways, such as university, vocational courses, and training to build employability skills.

The two Triggering Innovation Leadership Transformation workshops were run by The Australian National University, La Trobe University and Fraunhofer Institute (Germany) in partnership with Council.

The identification of pathways to ensure a skilled future workforce is a priority for Council and creating a closer relationship between the education and business sectors to achieve this outcome.

The TILT initiative delivers on a key component of Council’s Economic Development Strategy 2020-2025: Strategy to improve education and training pathways.

 

 

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