Dream comes true

By Bridget Cook
A DREAM has come true for many students at Greater Dandenong secondary schools.
A new $9.5m trade training centre has been announced for Chisholm Dandenong, which will give local students a vocational fast track into a wide range of careers.
The training centre will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment for pupils from five secondary schools in the region.
Due to launch in early 2012, the two-storey centre will offer a variety of training programs including building and construction, plumbing, engineering studies and hairdressing.
Conceived several years ago, the DREAM project grew out of a Federal Government initiative that made funds available to secondary schools to build trade training centres on their grounds.
Chisholm formed a consortium with five schools in the Dandenong area, based around the perception that students would be better served by a single, large-scale facility rather than five smaller, separate centres.
By pooling their funds and allowing Chisholm to draw on this money to build the centre, the schools will give their students access to a single, centrally-located, facility with state-of-the-art equipment.
Chisholm Youth and Regional Partnerships director Nigel Hill said the students would also benefit from Chisholm’s experience, its well-established links with industry and access to existing facilities.
“The aim of the DREAM is to ensure that young people in the Dandenong region have the broadest possible range of education and training options to choose from,” he said.
“By working closely with the schools involved, Chisholm will continue to be a catalyst for dynamic career pathways in this region.”
The five schools involved are Dandenong High School, Carwatha College, Lyndale Secondary College, Nazareth College and Minaret College.
Dandenong High School principal Martin Culkin said he was thrilled with the concept.
“I’m delighted to be working with Chisholm in a constructive partnership that will bring significant benefits for my school and the schools in the consortium,” Mr Culkin said.
Under the terms of the agreement, Dandenong High School will operate as the legal entity and, on behalf of the other four schools, has entered into a service agreement with Chisholm as an registered training organisation.
Chisholm will oversee management of the centre and contribute to ongoing running costs.