Construction has commenced on the new Brimbank Tech School at Victoria University’s (VU) Sunshine campus which, once opened, will connect local high school students to future careers.
A ceremony was held on Wednesday 8 October to mark the occasion and was attended by St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman and Laverton MP Sarah Connolly.
VU said the tech school will prepare and inspire students for future careers in science, technology, engineering and maths with free programs for students at local secondary schools.
Brimbank Tech School director Stephen Manitta said he is excited to get students into the classroom.
“I want to get the kids in there to share the technology, share the connection to Country … and then linking it in with industry,” Mr Manitta said.
“It’s about bringing young people out from behind the screens, back in front of each other and then using technology to augment practice rather than to control practice.”
Mr Manitta said the tech school aims to move away from traditional education.
“There’s a lot of disengagement within the school community. There’s a lot of kids who don’t know where they want to go and what they want to do,” Mr Manitta said.
“We want to be able to empower the students to look at education in a way that they’re not used to doing.”
According to VU, the program mix and planning are co-designed around real pathways in health, cyber, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and creative tech, with capacity for 120 students a day and reach across 14 partner schools.
The tech school is anticipated to open for term three next year.
