By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CASEY’S new technical school will be set up at Chisholm TAFE in Berwick.
After months of speculation, Chisholm’s Berwick campus was confirmed as the host site for the new tech school at a special announcement on Tuesday 29 March, attended by Chilsholm Institute CEO Maria Peters and MPs Judith Graley, Luke Donnellan and Jude Perera.
Construction of the technical school is expected to start in November 2017, while the centre is slated to open in late 2018, according to an officer’s report discussed at a Casey Council meeting in January.
In the lead-up to the 2014 State Election, Labor promised $125 million for 10 new tech schools in Victoria.
The Casey Tech School will be focused on biomedical, health and medical technology, as well as high tech manufacturing, production and processing technologies.
“It is fantastic to see the Casey Tech School taking shape as so many from within our local community are working very hard to see it become a reality,” Ms Graley said.
“The Berwick Campus of Chisholm Institute is an outstanding location that will ensure students from our local schools have access to many further education opportunities.”
Casey Mayor Sam Aziz said the announcement was a major boost for the Casey and Cardinia regions.
“With significant input from industry, young people will be provided with all the tools necessary in a high tech environment, learning the skills that will be needed by our local employers in advanced manufacturing, agri-tech, professional services and logistics in the future,” Mayor Aziz said.
His comments come less than a month after the mayor slammed Monash University’s decision to cease teaching at its Berwick campus prior to the end of 2018.
The matter was raised in urgent business at a recent Casey Council meeting by Mayor Aziz, who described the closure as a “massive kick in the guts”.
Sharing his own opinion with the chamber, Cr Gary Rowe slammed Ms Graley’s response to the Monash announcement, saying she was “walking away from a tough decision and not saying one word”.
Ms Graley hit back at the comments, saying they were “wrong” and that she “has never lacked courage or shied away from hard work”.
“Unlike some councillors at Casey, every day I work hard to ensure that every child gets the best possible education opportunities,” she said.
“I have also wanted every student in my electorate to have the chance to go to university.
“That’s why I have always maintained that Monash should have a local presence at Berwick.”
