Demand for workers in the agricultural sector is predicted to keep climbing in coming years so it’s hoped that an almost $2 million boost for GOTAFE agriculture and horticulture courses will help meet the demand.
GOTAFE has received $1.99 million under the Victorian Government Agriculture TAFE and Training Funding.
The Victorian Skills Plan 2022-2023 identified that the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries would need an additional 3000 workers over the next three years.
GOTAFE co-ordinator land and animals Rob Hall said the funding would assist attempts to overcome skills shortages in the Goulburn and Ovens regions.
“There’s a skill shortage within industry and we’ve struggled with this, which is why I think a multi-layered approach, including secondary school connections and community-based elements, is so important,” he said.
Fantastic four
Garry Singh arrived in Australia from India in just 2016, initially working as a chef in Echuca, before opening the first of his hospitality ventures in 2020.
That was the Echuca Curry Club and in the three years since, Mr Singh has expanded into another three establishments, including The Indian Bar in Shepparton.
Now 27 years old, his most recent venture has been opening another Indian Bar, this time in Melbourne.
His other enterprise is the La Vista restaurant in Geelong.
Mr Singh said his passion was offering “fine dining” experiences at affordable prices, but also supporting his local communities, including when the October 2022 floods hit Shepparton, when he provided meals for the affected community.
Exploring new housing models
The Committee for Greater Shepparton says data from the Community Connector program has shown that at least eight out of 10 relocating professionals are seeking apartments and housing options close to work and in the CBD, and it is playing out as a factor in whether they move to the city or not.
It also said the latest census data had revealed that sole-person households were the most common household type in Shepparton, with the next most common being couples without children.
That information has contributed to the C4GS working with not-for-profit Nightingale Housing on the potential of developing housing proposals for Shepparton.
A C4GS delegation recently toured Nightingale developments in Brunswick to explore aspects such as construction and design to financing models.
Nightingale Housing has delivered more than a dozen higher-density mixed-use developments in capital cities and Ballarat.