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$2.5 million healthcare education boost for Gippsland

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan and Minister for Skills and Higher Education Peter Hall today announced a new program that will see local Gippsland students gain healthcare qualifications while contributing to the long-term healthcare needs of their local community.

The innovative project, which will be led by Monash University, is part of a $20 million Victorian Coalition Government program to increase access to higher education and training for young people in regional and rural Victoria.

Mr Ryan said the first round of the $20 million Regional Partnership Facilitation Fund (RPFF) would support the establishment of eight new programs across rural and regional Victoria, estimated to deliver an extra 10,000 places in higher education and higher education pathway programs for young Victorians over the next 10 years.

"This exciting partnership we are launching today between Monash University, GippsTAFE and AdvanceTAFE has the potential to provide 150 local students with a Diploma of Health and Community Care," Mr Ryan said.

"The partnership will not only give our young people access to a university qualification, it will go a long way to improving healthcare in the region."

By completing the new Diploma in Health and Community Care, students can progress to a Monash University degree in a range of health and community areas including nursing, community welfare and allied health.

"Projects like this have been made possible through the Coalition Government's $1 billion Regional Growth Fund. The Fund supports regional cities and country communities create new prosperity, more opportunities and a better quality of life," Mr Ryan said.

Higher Education and Skills Minister Peter Hall said the government had provided a RPFF grant of $1.5 million to the project, with Monash University, GippsTAFE and Advance TAFE contributing the remainder.

"The Coalition Government's RPFF will make it easier and more affordable for young regional and rural Victorians to locally access higher education and training and play a key role in reversing the skills and brain drain of young people moving to the city," Mr Hall said.

"Currently more than half of metropolitan students who complete year 12 go on to obtain a higher education qualification. In regional Victoria this is closer to one third."

Member for Morwell Russell Northe welcomed the funding announcement.

"This is the first step to securing a high-quality health and community care workforce that will help Gippsland address its health care challenges into the future," Mr Northe said.

"Victoria needs our regional areas to grow and thrive as it is vital for the economic wellbeing of our state. The program announced today, developed by Monash, GippsTAFE and Advance TAFE, will do just that."

It is anticipated that 150 students will be enrolled in the new diploma by the end of 2013.

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