- Published:
- Thursday 12 February 2026 at 2:16 pm
Victoria is taking the lead on ensuring equitable access to training for people with disability. Construction has started on The Gordon’s TAFE Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion in Geelong.
A team of past and current students with disability helped to design the new centre, which is planned to open in 2027. It will set the benchmark for providing accessible vocational training to people with disability.
Design firm Architectus is the leading work to implement the co-creation team’s vision of an inclusive space. That includes:
- clear wayfinding and easy navigation
- places to stop and rest
- calm interiors with views to landscaped spaces outside
- colours and materials that are warm and welcoming.
Facilities in the centre will include:
- best-practice inclusive learning environments
- a student services hub
- meeting rooms
- low-stimulation spaces
- a sensory courtyard
- an industry showcase room to demonstrate inclusive design practices.
Victoria has several TAFE Centres of Excellence, which each lead on research and collaboration on specialist topics. They ensure TAFEs are delivering the skills our industries and economy need.
The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion is funded through the Victorian Government’s Building Better TAFE Fund, which delivers the best facilities for students to train in, close to home.
The Fund is also providing two new Kangan Institute campuses in Melton and Sunbury in 2028, and a Bendigo TAFE Learning Hub in Castlemaine which opened last year.
Across Victoria, every TAFE has a Disability Transition Officer to provide support to senior secondary school students who want to attend TAFE. They help prospective students apply for courses, understand requirements, and access student services or adjustments.
Learn more about disability transition support at TAFE on the TAFE Victoria website.
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