Community
31 July, 2026
TAFE listed as award finalist
SOUTH West TAFE is again vying for a major Victorian training award, continuing a successful streak dating back almost a decade.
South West TAFE has been named as one of three finalists alongside Chisholm Institute and NECA Education & Careers for the title of Victoria’s Large Training Provider in the 2026 Victorian Training Awards.
This follows South West TAFE winning the Australian Large Training Provider of the Year title in 2020 and being a Victorian finalist in the same category in 2024.
CEO Mark Fidge said being shortlisted as a finalist was great recognition for the team and the community.
“It’s nice that the work being done by the team has been recognised again,” Mr Fidge said.
“We’ve had a good run over recent years and that shows the commitment of the team and their understanding of the important role we have in the community and the achievements of our students,” he said.
Mr Fidge said South West TAFE remained committed to being a quality organisation and having positive student and employer outcomes.
“We know that what we do changes the lives of students in our region and we want to make sure our graduates are job ready and add value to any employer,” he said.
Over the past five years, annual independent surveys have ranked South West TAFE as number one or two in the state for student and employer outcomes and satisfaction.
Mr Fidge said the shortlisting also recognised South West TAFE’s commitment to innovation.
“We’re not afraid to get involved in innovative education projects and we do them really well. We have about 12 local education initiatives at the moment that are really exciting for our region, ranging from clean energy to working with First Nations communities.
“We also have a $25 million capital works program developing a new tech school and an automotive student facility at Sherwood Park.”
The shortlisting is based on South West TAFE’s 2025 performance where 430 staff supported more than 7,000 students, resulting in about 4,600 job outcomes that deliver on the region’s skills needs.
South West TAFE is the number one VET provider in the region, with 67 per cent market share.
The winners of the Victorian Training Awards will be announced at a gala event in Melbourne on Friday, September 18.
The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards that showcase best practice in vocational education and training (VET).
The awards recognise and celebrate excellence and are an important mechanism for promoting the benefits of VET and respect for skill-cased careers and skills excellence.
