The Allan Labor Government is shining a light on the adult and community education sector, with learners, trainers and community training providers celebrated in the annual 2024 Victorian Learn Local Awards.

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney today visited Kensington Neighborhood House to announce that nominations for this year’s awards are now open.

Victorians are encouraged to nominate individuals and organisations that showcase innovation and the transformative role of Learn Locals, delivering vital foundation and workplace skills that support students to secure jobs and pathways into TAFE and further study.

Over 200 Learn Local providers operate across Victoria, offering a range of courses from digital skills to maths, English language, literacy and employability. More than 30,000 Victorians each year are supported by Learn Locals to break educational barriers and learn essential skills for life and work, right in their very own communities.

2023 winners include Ayan Daher, who received the Ro Allen Pre-accredited Learner (skills for study and life) Award for her commitment to her own training and leadership supporting the development of Kensington Neighborhood House’s Sew & Grow Program.

The Sew & Grow program also took home last year’s Pre-Accredited Program Award for Small Providers, co-designed with local community to deliver fundamental language, literacy, and numeracy education, while supporting students to develop industry knowledge, networks, and employment pathways.

Other winners include Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services, whose ‘starting work as a cleaner’ collaboration with Spotless took home the 2023 Learn Local Pre-Accredited Program Award for Large Providers.

Targeting jobseekers from multicultural communities, Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services utilised full bilingual support to teach contextualised foundation and employability skills for a health setting, with graduates supported to progress into employment as cleaners at Bendigo Hospital.

These are just some of the many innovative Learn Local programs being run across Victoria, ensuring every Victorian has access to the foundation and workplace skills they need, right in their own community, to achieve their study and employment goals.

Presented by the Adult, Community and Further Education Board (ACFE), the Learn Local Awards are a unique opportunity to recognise and reward this excellence and innovation in the sector. Winners in the organisations categories will win $10,000 while individual winners take home $5,000 and finalists win $1,000.

Contact the TAFE and Training line at 13 18 23, visit your nearest Skills and Jobs Centre, or visit learnlocal.org.au to find your nearest Learn Local courses to kickstart your journey to a new job, TAFE, or further study.

To learn more about the awards visit vic.gov.au/learn-local-awards

A free professional editing service is available to help with nominations. To access the service, send a draft of your application in a Word document to: learnlocal@djsir.vic.gov.au