Two mobile TAFE units will bring vocational training to at least 17 regional and remote communities across Gippsland and north-west Victoria, with the project expected to support 600 learners each year.
The On-Country Skills Connect project will provide access to practical training and qualifications without requiring students to travel to larger regional centres, the federal government said in a statement.
The units are expected to be operational by 2028 and will be equipped with training simulators, computers, audiovisual technology, satellite connectivity and off-grid power systems.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said the project had been developed in partnership with local First Nations organisations — Gunaikaurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and Mallee District Aboriginal Services.
"These mobile training units will help build future workforces for communities in Gippsland and across north-west Victoria," she said.
Training in Gippsland will focus on skills linked to renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and civil construction, while the north-west Victoria units will offer training in construction, land management and agriculture.
Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said the units would make practical training more accessible to First Nations communities.
"They will create opportunities for First Nations learners in skills like construction, agriculture, energy and land management, without the need for them to travel to regional and city centres," he said.
Learners will be able to access accredited training, industry-aligned skill sets, Certificates I to IV and pathways into apprenticeships.
The units will also deliver foundation and digital skills training to help participants prepare for employment.
Victorian Minister for Skills and Training and First Peoples Gabrielle Williams said the units "will bring high-quality training directly to First Nations communities, creating pathways into apprenticeships, further study and secure jobs closer to home".
