Our history

More than 100 years of committed service to technical and adult education through the Bairnsdale School of Mines and the Sale and Bairnsdale Technical Schools culminated in the creation of the East Gippsland Community College (now Institute) of TAFE in 1986.

In response to rapid, continuous change in the external environment, the Institute has survived and thrived, driven by a strong collective commitment to its mission, innovative capacity and pivotal role in the economic development of its region. Conceptually, the Community College emerged in response to a reorganisation of TAFE undertaken by the Victorian Government in 1983.
Research undertaken at the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at Melbourne University identified the essential conditions for a pilot project in Community College provision and in 1984 an interim Council was charged with the responsibility of bringing the vision to reality.

A unique and appropriate model based on principles of flexibility and accessibility was developed for the effective delivery of vocational education and training in a distinct socio-economic region, which is economically important, geographically vast and sparsely populated.

The mission of the East Gippsland Institute of TAFE has remained close to its original charter. Every individual and enterprise in the community has a right to educational opportunity at a time and in aplace and of a form appropriate to their expectations, needs and capabilities.

This is reflected in the courses provided and the Institute's commitment to its outreach services.

In its first year of operation in 1987, there were 3,000 students served by a range of 40 courses.

In 1998, over 10,354 students participated in 163 courses providing a penetration rate of over 10% of the regional population and achieving, for the first time, more than 1,000,000 student contact hours for the year.

In 2006, nearly 11,000 students generated over 20,000 enrolments, totalling more than 1.7 million student contact hours.