Achievement highlights
Delivery of adult community education by Learn Local providers has rebounded since the significant disruption of the COVID 19 pandemic. This strong growth is testament to the resilience and commitment of providers.
- The number of learners engaged each year increased by nearly 50% from 19,000 in 2020 to 28,000 in 2025.
- Student survey results showed that learner satisfaction met or exceeded key targets across learning environments, teaching quality and learner experience.
- More than 90% of learners found their training welcoming, conveniently located, well supported and responsive to their learning needs.
- More than 80% of learners achieved their main goal for study, whether increasing confidence, progressing to further training, gaining employment or securing a better job.
Our Learners
Learner story
Jessica
While managing the impacts of her partner’s car accident, Jessica enrolled in the Launch your Hospital Career course at Community College Gippsland, which she undertook alongside caring responsibilities for her children.
When that didn’t lead to a job, Jessica didn’t give up. She completed the Launch Your Aged Care Career course at CCG, secured a traineeship at a new aged care facility in Warragul and completed a Certificate III in Individual Support. Now fully qualified, she works in a casual role at the aged care facility.
As Jessica says, “At some point I felt like giving up, but the support from CCG helped me keep going and take on each new challenge.”
Achievement of priorities
We know that adult community education is best delivered in flexible, tailored and innovative ways in welcoming environments that help learners engage and build confidence. And we know that learning needs to be place-based and linked to the local community, employers and services to be truly effective in supporting social participation and cohesion.
This is why our community-based Learn Local providers are so critical to the delivery of this essential learning for Victorians.
Together, we have worked to strengthen our network of Learn Local providers through a range of investments under the 3 priority areas of the Ministerial Statement. These initiatives are shaping the future by empowering Learn Local providers to stay at the forefront of emerging trends and technological advancements. They help maintain a dynamic and future-focused approach to adult community education.
Capability building
- In partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc., new resources and professional development in First Peoples self-determination and participation built Learn Local providers’ capability to strengthen cultural safety, participation and outcomes for First Peoples learners.
- Over the past 5 years, we invested $6 million to deliver high-quality professional development, helping Learn Local educators to implement effective teaching practices for adult learners.
- Over the past 3 years, we invested $900,000 to deliver Industry Practice Networks, enabling Learn Local providers to engage and partner with local employers through peer-learning and collaboration.
Preparing learners for work, study and full participation in society
- We delivered 70 new high-quality curriculum and teaching resources to all Learn Local providers, improving the consistency and quality of teaching and learning while reducing burden on providers for curriculum development.
- Over the past 5 years, we invested $7.2 million in one-off Training Delivery Support grants to provide new equipment and resources that supported high-quality learning experiences.
- We invested $1.82 million in 2023 through one-off Local Innovation grants to support innovative approaches that improved the learner experience.
- We invested $0.5 million in 2025 in one-off Technology and Digital grants to enhance training programs for learners through technology and digital improvements.
- We invested $1.79 million over 4 years in a program of Just in Time Industry Partnerships to deliver pre-accredited training tailored to local employer needs, creating direct pathways to employment for learners.
Inclusion and engagement
- In partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc., we delivered guidance and toolkits to help Learn Local providers reach First Peoples and culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
- We invested $2.45 million over 2 years for Family Learning Partnerships to create opportunities for families to engage in positive learning experiences and build the confidence and skills to take their next steps in education or employment.
- We invested $2.2 million in 2025 through one‑off Learner and Program Sustainability grants to help Learn Local providers to attract new learners by strengthening curriculum and outreach strategies.
In addition, the Victorian Government delivered $59.5 million over 2020–22 in Business Continuity Funding to support Learn Local providers. This enabled Learn Locals to continue operation through major disruptions, including COVID‑19, bushfire and flood through one‑off grants.
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