MEDIA RELEASE

OCTOER 2009

APPLAUSE FOR NEW LIVE MUSIC EVENT
The success of ECG’s first live music night held at the McMillan campus at Warragul recently has sealed it as a monthly event.Seventeen local musicians and singers performed before an audience of 70 people with a highlight of the night an open jam session where performers played together unrehearsed adding a surprise element to the show.
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NEW PLATFORM FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS
Local musicians and singers wanting to jam together, extend their skills, or perform before a live audience have a new opportunity in Warragul with ECG McMillan set to launch a live music night to be held at the campus each month.  
“The night called, ‘Live Music in the White Room’ is also open to the community to attend.
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September 2009

Live Music at ECG Starting Oct 16
The idea behind this is to support local and near by musicians to be able to meet other musicians and play together and sometimes jam together. Would be and want to be musicians will know that ECG will support them and we have some enrollments for our upcoming guitar lessons and keyboard tuition. This will be run by ECG music teacher Kaye Dawson. At the end we will put on the show for anyone to come along and listen in a comfortable atmosphere at the white room at McMillan campus as per the poster. See here:

We have a full book of variety music on our first night and enough interest  by musicians for the next 3 months, so come along all and support the local community of the talent that is abundant in the area. Further info here:

ECG OFFERS FREE INTERNET SERVICE FOR DISADVANTAGED
Latrobe Valley residents have increased opportunity to get online free with ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) offering a Public Internet Access Program (PIAP) from its Morwell service centre. The PIAP is a Victorian Government initiative to help people who have difficulty accessing technologies such as the Internet. Continue reading:

ECG ARTISTS INSPIRE
‘Inspirations’ captures the creative passion and imagination of 17aspiring local artists whose works are on exhibition at the West Gippsland Arts Centre from the 12th – 26th October. ECG Tutor Heather Woolcock said the exhibition featured a diversity of subject matter, styles, and techniques in traditional and contemporary paintings, drawings, pastel, photography and digital works. The group, aged from 13 to 70 years of age, are from this year’s ECG Art Class and for many this represents their first group exhibition. Continue reading:

ECG TO DELIVER BUSHFIRE RECOVERY PROJECT
ECG – Education Centre Gippsland has been awarded a Commonwealth Government contract to deliver the Bunyip Ridge Bushfire Recovery project to replace farm and community infrastructure destroyed during last Summer’s devastating bushfires.The project will provide paid employment for 30 people for a six month period with preference given to job seekers whose jobs or livelihood has been impacted by the fires. Continue reading:

STUDENTS ENJOY NEW ‘JOBS AROUND US’
Year 10 students at Neerim District Secondary College have been getting a close up look at the range of industries and jobs available right on their doorstep.‘Jobs Around Us‘ is a new initiative launched by Education Centre Gippsland Local Community Partnership (ECG LCP) which involves taking students on tours of local businesses and industries across West Gippsland and Latrobe.
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ADULT LEARNING BOOM !
Education Centre Gippsland (ECG) is enjoying increased numbers of adult learners across Southern Gippsland as it continues to grow course programs in response to community need.
ECG has extended its range of accredited courses in Child Care, Aged Care, Retail Services, Business Administration, and Training and Assessment to meet demand, while its horticulture and agriculture programs continue to attract strong student numbers.
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MEETING NEW FARMING CHALLENGES
A team of agriculture specialists from ECG McMillan will be on hand at this year’s Dairy Expo at
Poowong to help farmers take a fresh look at ways to improve their productivity, sustainability and profit. Specialists in rural business management, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, farm mapping, and traineeships and apprenticeships will provide demonstrations and discussion. Head of Rural Studies Babis Lagos said challenges including changes in milk prices were clearly impacting on farm managers and how they operate their businesses.
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August 2009

NEW CAREER START FOR GRADUATES WITH A DISABILITY
Graduates with a disability who are experiencing difficulty obtaining work have a new helping hand! ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) is offering a new free support program called ‘Career Start’ funded by the Victorian Government’s Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development.

ECG Career Start Coordinator Aivars Liepaskalns said people with a disability or mental illness who have graduated from a certificate 3 level course or higher may be eligible to receive Career Start assistance. Continue reading:

HISTORIC FUNDING BOOST FOR ECG MCMILLAN
ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) has received its biggest capital funding boost ever with a $1.1 million Australian Government grant to upgrade and build new training infrastructure at its Warragul McMillan campus.

The grant will fund building extensions to accommodate five new teaching rooms, construction of disability access ramps, electric doors and lift, as well as new cutting edge technology to increase teaching and learning opportunities

ECG Chief Executive Officer Bernadette O’Connor described the funding as a milestone win for ECG and local communities.
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ECG’S KOORI ART PROGRAM TOPS THE STATE AGAIN
Brayakoloong – an innovative Koorie Art program in West Gippsland has earned ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) the state’s top ACE provider of the year for outstanding Koorie Achievement.
The awards announced by Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation, Jacinta Allen recognise outstanding achievement in the Adult Community Education (ACE) sector across Victoria.
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July 2009

SPUD GROWERS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL
Potato growers are utilising the winter crop break to head back to school to hone their management skills. ECG McMillan campus at Warragul is hosting seven students undertaking the Australia-first Diploma in Horticulture specialising in potato production.
The students attended campus for a five-dayintense training period where they were given access to industry experts, undertook field trips and workshops. Continue reading:

THOUSANDS ATTEND JOBSKILLS EXPO!
More than 2,700 young people from across the Baw Baw, Latrobe, South Gippsland and Bass
Coast areas gained a taste of their future careers when they attended Warragul’s Lardner
Park for the biggest Jobskills Expo to be staged in Gippsland.
More than 110 exhibitors provided a showcase of careers and training with hands-on activities
in areas such as aviation, bricklaying, construction, hospitality, health, horticulture, agriculture,
children’s services, millinery, hair, beauty, food, retail, automotive, mining, engineering, and
more. Continue reading:

June 2009

NEW WOMEN’S KOORI ART GROUP
Local Koori women interested in exploring their artistic side have a new opportunity with Education Centre Gippsland (ECG) launching a new Koori Women’s Art group for West Gippsland. Fifteen women, aged from sixteen to sixty-five years, joined the first session at the
Drouin Baw Baw Shire offices where they explored creating stories through drawings.
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CAREERS IN FOCUS
Students at Drouin Secondary College are reaping the benefits of a new Careers and Pathways program introduced at the school for the first time this year. The program is providing an opportunity for all students from Year 7 to Year 12 to identify and explore careers as part of the weekly curriculum with classroom activities, guest speakers and industry tours providing additional learning opportunities. Continue reading:

YOUNG INDUSTRY AMBASSADORS FOR GIPPSLAND
Gippsland has a new group of Young Industry Ambassadors to promote careers in the manufacturing and engineering sectors.
Eight young people representing Gippsland businesses involved in the aviation, food and production manufacturing industries met in Traralgon to train for their new roles which will involve school visits, industry tours and presentations. Continue reading:

TRAINING A NEW GENERATION OF HORTICULTURE SPECIALISTS
ECG McMillan is providing a new model of training for the horticulture sector where businesses
can, for the first time, access specialised training developed just for them. Operating campuses at Warragul and Leongatha, ECG offers certificate to diploma level training in horticulture, arboriculture, rural business management, and conservation and land management.
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HAIR STUDENTS ON SHOW
Students studying Hair at year’s Education Centre Gippsland (ECG) put their creativity to the test competing at the annual ECG Hair Competition held at the McMillan campus.
 
Creations from the zany to the modern and chic were paraded by students studying Certificate 3 at ECG’s Warragul and Traralgon campuses with students competing in five categories.
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DAVID RECOGNISED FOR LEADERSHIP IN ADULT EDUCATION
David Lane, Manager of ECG’s Southern Gippsland campus, has received statewide recognition for outstanding leadership by the Victorian Government Adult Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board. David Lane was selected as one of the State’s top three ‘Outstanding Adult Community Education (ACE) Practitioners’ from nominations across Victoria in the 2009 ACE Awards.
Click here for the full story.

ECG 2008 ANNUAL REPORT
2008 was a year of celebration and growth with the announcement of ECG’s success in the tender for McMillan Campus, the establishment of a campus in Traralgon, and 15% growth in student numbers. 262 people completed full credentials with ECG in 2008, with 1450 people enrolling in over 9,500 modules.
Click here to download the Annual Report.

WORLD LEADING SOIL EXPERT PROVIDES HELPING HAND
World leading soil microbiologist Dr Elaine Ingham will be visiting Gippsland to assist local people improve their soil, save water, reduce fertiliser and chemical use and better their bottom line. Dr Ingham will be conducting an intensive two day seminar at Education Centre Gippsland’s (ECG) McMillan campus at Warragul. AgriSolutions has partnered with ECG to host Dr Elaine Ingham’s visit to West Gippsland – one of only two seminars to be held in Victoria.
Click here for the full story.

ECG CELEBRATES YEAR OF EXPANSION
Education Centre Gippsland (ECG) has delivered its Annual Report increasing turn over by more than $447,000 to $5,962 million during 2008. The not-for-profit adult education and training provider delivered an after-tax surplus of $62,485 and its Total Equity rose by 6.3% from $1,103.780 for the period ending December 31, 2008.
Click here for the full story.

SUCCESS FOR ECG WARRAGUL GRADUATES
ECG – (Education Centre Gippsland) has staged its biggest graduation ceremony in Warragul with more than 230 local people celebrating success. The ceremony recognised graduates of ECG’s nationally accredited courses including aged care, community, children’s and disability services, as well as business, education, retail, hair, harness racing, horticulture, agriculture and arboriculture.
Click here for the full story.

AWARD CELEBRATES INNOVATOR IN RURAL EDUCATION - BRIAN CLARKE
The contribution of the late Brian Clarke to rural education in Gippsland has been honoured with ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) establishing an annual award to honour his memory.
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FORUM TO INJECT LOCAL HORT AND AG BUSINESSES
Local horticulture and agriculture businesses are being invited to attend one of the biggest industry forums to be held in Gippsland to address skills shortages and training needs.
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HELPING HAND FOR INDIGENOUS NURSERY
The Cardinia Environment Coalition’s (CEC) Indigenous Nursery has been keeping up with demand for native seedlings for Landcare projects across the region despite being without a home for its nursery now for several months. ECG’s McMillan campus at Warragul has stepped in to provide greenhouse and nursery facilities to ensure the group’s continued operations in supporting land care groups across the region.
Click here for the full story.

NEW HAIR TRAINING SALON OFFERS DIPLOMA FIRST
Salon managers or those wanting to start a hair or beauty salon have a helping hand with ECG (Education Centre Gippsland) offering a first at its new Warragul Hair training centre - Diploma in Salon Management. The training salon, which opened at the McMillan campus this month, is a fully equipped salon established to address skill shortages in the hair industry by increasing opportunities for local people to gain accredited training and qualifications.
Click here for the full story.

AGED CARE JOBS BECKON
The first graduates of ECG’s (Education Centre Gippsland) new Certificate in Aged Care course offered in the Latrobe Valley are reaping the benefits of an aged care employment boom.
Click here for the full story.

TASTE OF THE COUNTRY ON CAMPUS!
Supported employees of Mawarra’s successful Country Kitchen Catering are giving staff and students at Warragul’s ECG McMillan campus a taste of wholesome country food. A partnership between Mawarra and ECG has led to the launch of a new cafeteria and dining service on campus open to staff, students and the community. 
Click here for the full story.

ECG SETS TRAINING FIRST FOR RURAL STOCK AGENTS
 A shortage of experienced rural stock agents has prompted ECG McMillan to launch a course first in Gippsland offering the first Certificate in Agriculture for Stock Agents. It is also offering a new Certificate course in Rural Merchandise in response to a growing need for more trained staff at the trade level to serve and advise farmers on rural products and supplies. 
Click here for the full story.

May 2009

TRAINING BOOST FOR FIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
Sporting and community groups in the fire-affected Boolara area are ready to cook up a storm with 23 volunteers receiving free training in food handling to boost the community’s fundraising capability.Education Centre Gippsland (ECG) and the Boolara Pony Club joined forces to conduct a training evening which brought together volunteers from a range of community groups including the Pony Club, Football and Netball Club, Kindergarten Primary School, and Fire Brigade. Continue reading:

1ST GRADUATES FOR HYDROPONICS
A boost for Australia’s growing hydroponics industry with ECG McMillan awarding the first
graduates of its nationally accredited Production Horticulture (Hydroponics) training course in
Gippsland.
Twenty-one participants employed at Flavorite Tomatoes based at Warragul successfully
completed. Continue reading:

April 2009

ADVISORY COMMITTEE WELCOMES NEW DIRECTION FOR MCMILLAN CAMPUS
ECG has released a vision to build the McMillan campus into a major rural studies centre in Victoria developing a new model of training where specific rural industries can, for the first time, access specialised training developed just for them. Industry representatives on the McMillan Advisory Committee met at the campus at Warragul to gain an overview of ECG’s operations since winning the state government tender last year to manage McMillan Campus for the next 20 years. Continue reading:

March 2009

STUDENT NUMBERS UP AT MCMILLAN
There’s been a surge in student numbers at Gippsland’s ECG McMillan campus at Warragul with increases in horticulture and agriculture programs as well as a range of new accredited adult education programs being offered. ECG Chief Executive Officer Bernadette O’Connor said early enrolment figures indicate a rise of around 15% compared to this time last year which re-affirmed the campuses role as a key regional training provider for the Gippsland region.
Click here for full the story.

SCHOOLS IN FOR WORKING DOGS AT MCMILLAN
ECG McMillan is set to start a course first at its Leongatha campus offering a new Working Dogs course to help people train dogs for use with stock or animals or to improve the productivity of their dogs.ECG Agriculture trainer Jennifer Bonham said the accredited short course was being offered to the wider community in response to increasing demand from people on the land and students undertaking agriculture courses at McMillan to increase their dog handling skills.
Click here for the full story.

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