History
In 1958, following a long history of vocational
education – traceable back to the Mechanics
Institute movement in 1853 - the Warrnambool
Technical College was established on the
Timor-Kepler Street site. In 1969, it was
reconstituted to form the Warrnambool Institute
of Advanced Education offering both TAFE and
tertiary courses. The tertiary courses eventually
moved out to the current site of Deakin
University, leaving the TAFE operation on the
original site. In 1984, TAFE officially became a
separate entity – Warrnambool College of
Technical and Further Education. The
Warrnambool College of TAFE Council was
incorporated under Section 23 of the Post
Secondary Education Act 1978 under an Order
in Council approved by the Governor in Council
and published on 3 July 1984.
The South West College of Technical and
Further Education was established by the
revision of the Constitution and extension of its
sphere of responsibility to take in all of South
West Victoria and particularly the TAFE
operations at Hamilton and Portland.
The Vocational Education and Training Act 1990
led to a revised Constitution for the South West
College of TAFE, which was gazetted on
23 December 1991. The reformed Council
assumed responsibility for the College on 1 July
1992. A further revision of the College’s
Constitution was made in line with the 1994
Amendments to the Vocational Education and
Training Act 1990, and came into force on
1 February 1995. The Constitution established
the College Council as a corporate body, and
conferred on the Council the powers necessary
for the management and control of the College.
On 1 August 1995, under the direction of the
Minister, South West College of TAFE once
again had a name change to become known as
the South West Institute of TAFE. The Institute
operates under the marketing banner of ‘South
West TAFE’.
The Institute is the major TAFE provider
throughout the south-west of the State, serving
an area of 23 365 square kilometres and an
approximate population of 100 000.
In support of this area of responsibility, the TAFE
Institute operates from campuses at Hamilton,
Portland and Warrnambool, and offers courses
from a range of other centres. Programs are also
provided for a number of industry clients at a
range of locations both within and outside the
Institute’s immediate region.
The facilities of the Institute have received a
significant boost in recent years with upgraded
campus facilities at Portland, opened in 1999,
and Hamilton, opened in 2000. A new Computer
Numerical Control (CNC) Technology Centre
was launched at Portland in August 2004.
The Institute now provides an extensive range of
skill evaluation, skill development and curriculum
services. It operates State-wide, nationally and
on occasions, internationally, in fields for which it
has recognised specialist expertise. These
activities complement and strengthen the
Institute’s regional capacity.
A major rebuilding program is currently under
way at the Warrnambool campus, with stage one
having been completed in September 2002 and
stage two completed in May 2004. These
facilities were officially opened by the Minister for
Vocational and Technical Education, The
Honourable Gary Hardgrave MP, on 3 March
2005.
Design and tender documentation for the final
stage (stage three) has been prepared and the
Institute awaits receipt of funding for building
construction.
In 2005, the Institute celebrated its '21st
birthday'. Celebrations included a special
Council dinner. Since its establishment as a
TAFE institute in 1984, South West Institute of
TAFE has more than quadrupled in size. The
Warrnambool-based operation has expanded to
become a multi-campus organisation, playing a
leading role in education and training throughout
the South West region of Victoria with significant
interstate and international activity.
More history
Warrnambool Library (The Orderly Room)
Other Historic buidings
Contact:
Telephone: (03) 5564 8911
Email: warrnambool@swtafe.vic.edu.au
