Gordon Institute of TAFE

The Gordon has been named the Australian Large Training Provider of the Year at the 2017 Australian Training Awards.

This national honour is the most prestigious accolade in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

Gordon CEO, Lisa Line, who accepted the award on behalf of the institution, said, “We are delighted that we are Australia’s best large training provider. Our staff work tirelessly, with vigour and drive, to make the student experience as valuable and as rewarding as we can. In our commitment to meet industry’s needs, now and into the future, we make sure that our students graduate with the skills, experience and outcomes they need to thrive in their chosen career.”

The Gordon provides access and opportunity for individuals who want to forge a new life within a transformative economy and is a major partner in a number of initiatives focused on: employment increasing educational attainment industry demand new materials, technology, and manufacturing processes and emerging industries.

This award caps off a stunning year for The Gordon, after winning the Victorian Large Provider of the Year in 2017, celebrating its 130th year of operation, the commencement of the Geelong Tech School development, and The Gordon Rejuvenation Project.

Quality hands-on training that delivers

The Gordon focuses on practical training in a safe and supportive environment, which means less theory and more hands-on experience, ensuring that Gordon graduates are job-ready.

Work placements and practical training

Work placements and industry projects form a large part of the institution’s course content, giving students the practical experience they need to enter the workforce with confidence. All work placements are organised by The Gordon and are a great boost to the students’ CV.

Small classroom sizes

With an average of 15 students in each class, students will get lots of support and more contact time with their teacher. They will work on group projects with their peers so it is a great way to get to know their fellow students and make Australian and international friends.

Industry-trained teaching staff

The teachers at The Gordon are industry-trained professionals who are up-to-date with the latest industry standards and make sure the courses they teach match the needs of industry.

Connected to industry through accreditation

The Gordon is accredited and recognised by peak industry bodies including: NEAS, Australian Community Workers Association, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Design Institute of Australia.

Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural)

The Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural) prepares you for a career as a draftsperson and teaches you how to design for both residential and commercial buildings. Students will learn construction methods and techniques, design techniques, site surveying, environmentally sustainable design principles, 2D and 3D software, graphic presentation, project management and administration, scheduling and documentation management.

Certificate IV in Accounting

Get the practical skills and knowledge to enter directly into the financial services field, register with the Tax Practitioners Board or create a pathway to university. Students will learn BAS statements, operational reporting, preparing budgets, classifying and recording and reporting.

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

During the course students will learn how to prepare and cook appetisers and salads, poultry and game, seafood, meat, hot and cold desserts, pastries, cakes, and yeast goods. Students get the opportunity to get work experience in a real commercial kitchen at the Davidson Restaurant, The Gordon’s on-campus restaurant that is open to the general public.

Diploma of Engineering – Technical

This course is designed for those wanting to work as an engineering technician, carrying out tasks such as engineering design, project management and quality control/assurance monitoring. You will learn how to use state-of-the-art CNC mills and lathes in impressive, large-scale engineering facilities.

Diploma of Nursing

This course includes 400 hours (11 weeks) of guaranteed placement throughout the two year course, which The Gordon will organise for you. As a diploma student you will put your skills into practice in our modern nursing labs and gain real work experience with a range of professional industry providers.

Certificate III in Individual Support

This course prepares you to work in community and aged care settings by combining 120 hours of practical work placement experience with class theory to boost your skills and make you work ready. You will learn to follow an individualised plan to provide personalised support due to ageing or disability.

Diploma of Hospitality Management

After completing the Certificate III in Commercial Cookery & Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, or the Certificate III in Patisserie & Certificate IV in Patisserie students can choose the pathway to the Diploma of Hospitality Management, where they will learn how to become a highly skilled operational manager with a broad range of hospitality skills.

Read more about the courses on offer to international students…

All applicants must meet the English language requirements for entry into their preferred course.

For most certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses at The Gordon, students are required to show:

• An IELTS Academic overall score of 5.5 with no band score below 5.0 (or its equivalent) or
• Completion of Australian Year 12 certificate or
• A qualification undertaken in Australia at Certificate IV or higher and completed within the past 5 years or
• University studies in Australia of at least 2 years duration and completed within the past 5 years.

There are some courses that may require a higher IELTS score for entry.

Applicants from specified countries may be exempt from English language requirements for admissions purposes. These students will still need to provide evidence of meeting minimum English requirements for visa purposes. Students from these specified countries undertaking courses that require a higher IELTS score (6.0 and above) will not be exempt from the English language requirement and must provide evidence of meeting the IELTS (or equivalent) requirement at the time of admission.

Read more about the entry requirements here…

The Gordon has two main campuses in Geelong City and East Geelong, as well one campus in Werribee.

Geelong is a student-friendly, coastal city only one hour from Melbourne and 35 minutes from the Great Ocean Road. Close to the city, country and coast, Geelong offers an affordable cost of living and a wonderful sense of community.

Geelong is the second largest city in Victoria there is no shortage of fun-filled activities for students to do on weekends, from learning to surf, to seeing Australian wildlife and heading to music, food and cultural festivals.

Werribee is a suburb on the western edge of Melbourne that is easily accessible by public transport, it only takes 30 minutes by train to travel to the Melbourne city centre.

One of the great benefits of training at The Gordon is its purpose-built facilities, many of which are designed to replicate industry environments so when the students are learning hands-on, they also experience what it will be like to do the work in the real world.

These facilities are constantly being upgraded to reflect industry standards. In fact, more than AUD 18 million has been spent in the last five years on redevelopments, infrastructure and equipment upgrades across a number of areas.

The Gordon also has two training venues at its Geelong City Campus that are open to the public, providing more real-life experience for the students and a great service for the community.

The Gordon offers the following scholarships for international students:

Endeavour Scholarships

Endeavour Vocational Education and Training (VET) Scholarships offer financial support for high

achieving international students studying a Diploma and/or Advanced Diploma in Australia. Recipients will receive a travel and establishment allowance, tuition fee stipend, monthly stipend, and

insurance coverage. To apply, students must be from a participating country and/or region.

Australian Awards

The Gordon is a proud partner of the Australian Awards, an international scholarships programme funded by the Australian Government and administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). These generous scholarships can cover full tuition fees, a stipend, a pre-departure programme, English language courses, OSHC and other expenses including supplementary academic support and travel.

Payment Plans

After completing the first semester at The Gordon current international students can apply to pay their tuition fees via a payment plan, meaning that they can opt to pay their tuition fees fortnightly or monthly, rather than paying fees up front.