Category: News

Recently, Learn Local Industry Practice Networks (IPN) members attended an aged care expo in South Eastern Melbourne. It was a fantastic chance to connect with local employers, swap ideas, and celebrate how Learn Locals are supporting the care workforce. 

Aged care is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing sectors. Over the next few years, the state will need more than 13,000 new aged and disability carers to meet demand. That’s where Learn Locals come in—helping learners build the foundation skills they need to step into meaningful work.

The IPNs are helping shape Victoria’s future workforce—including aged care. Launched by the Adult Community Further Education (ACFE) Board in 2023, these networks bring together Learn Local providers to share ideas, resources, and real-world industry knowledge. BCAL is proud to be the coordinator of the Care and Support Industry Practice Network which includes Aged Care, Allied Health, Disability Support, Early Childhood Education and Care as well as Health
Support Services. By working together and staying connected to industry needs, Learn Locals are making a big difference—one learner at a time.

Find out more about IPNs at vic.gov.au/learn-local-industry-practice-networks or email Olivia Hurrell: [email protected]

We’re excited to share that BCAL has launched a brand-new website!

The updated site is designed to make it easier for you to explore our courses, find out what’s happening at BCAL, and access key information about our programs, services and community. With a cleaner look, more user-friendly layout and improved navigation, it’s now simpler than ever to stay connected with your local learning hub.

While the website is now live and fully functional, it’s still a work in progress. We’re continuing to add features — including online enrolments, updated resources and new ways to engage with us digitally — so keep checking back as we continue to build and improve.

We’d also love to hear from you! If you have any feedback, suggestions or spot something that needs attention, please don’t hesitate to email us and let us know. Your input will help us shape the website into a truly useful tool for all members of our community.

Thank you for your patience and support as we continue to grow and improve.

The South Gippsland Bass Coast Careers Day was a vibrant and engaging event, with more than 750 secondary students, 80 primary students, and 45 school staff coming together to explore career options and connect with a wide range of local organisations.

The BCAL stall attracted enthusiastic students who asked thoughtful questions and showed a genuine interest in career options — with the usual favourites like pens and lollies disappearing quickly! It was inspiring to see so many young people thinking ahead and engaging with the information on offer.

The majority of students were from Years 9 and 10, making the event especially timely for those preparing subject selections and considering future study or career pathways. Feedback collected on the day was highly positive — students gave the event an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Grade 5 and 6 students also joined in, many discovering industries and roles they had never encountered before.

Beyond student engagement, the event provided a great opportunity for networking among stallholders. Representatives from WestVic, TAFE Gippsland Skills and Job Centre, Bass Coast Shire Council, APM, Head Start, and Community College Gippsland attended, and many valuable conversations sparked potential collaborations.

BCAL extends thanks to the organisers and all who took part. Events like this highlight the power of community in guiding and supporting young people to make confident, informed decisions about their futures.

The Wonthaggi Winter Fantasy Festival lit up the Bass Coast with vibrant colour, creativity, and a true sense of community spirit. This year’s theme — Whimsy, Sealife and Circus — came to life through joyful music, imaginative costumes, and warm connections shared across cultures and generations.

Costumes were a standout feature, all handmade by participants in BCAL’s Art program using recycled and found materials under the guidance of artist Camille Monet. Adding to the festive atmosphere, students from the Migrant English program and Interchange Gippsland proudly took part, dressing up and joining in the celebration.

The event was hosted by Jess Rigby, with live music from local talents Bill Street, Ian Burke, and Miguel Ovejero. Striking hairstyles by BCAL Hair & Beauty students turned heads and added a creative flair to the day.

A community artwork, also created by the Art program, gave attendees the chance to reflect on what the festival meant to them — expressing their thoughts and emotions through colour and words.

Food was another highlight, with participants from BCAL’s Cooking Program serving up delicious curries, roti, and rice, generously supported by volunteer Tim.

With laughter, creativity, and connection at its heart, the Winter Fantasy Festival was a joyful celebration of what makes the Bass Coast community so unique.

Enrol in the NDIS program.

Looking for a practical, outdoor career that connects you to nature? BCAL is now taking enrolments for the Certificate III in Horticulture — a nationally recognised qualification that offers much more than just gardening skills. As a qualified horticulturist, you can pursue landscape design, run your own business, work in maintenance or consultancy, or manage gardens — all while growing your passion for plants.

You’ll gain practical experience in plant selection and care, pruning, propagation, landscape design, soil improvement, and sustainable gardening practices — all while working in BCAL’s purpose-built outdoor classroom, complete with raised beds and a greenhouse.

The program is led by experienced horticulturist Mark Sheargold, who brings over 15 years of industry knowledge. “Horticulture is more than just a trade,” Mark explains. “It’s a meaningful way to work outdoors, stay active, and contribute to healthier, greener communities.”

BCAL students also enjoy valuable excursions to leading industry sites like Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery, Plantmark, and GardenWorld — gaining insight into both wholesale and retail environments, and learning about everything from large-scale growing operations to exotic plant care.

Recently, students have been busy tackling real-life challenges, such as improving heavy clay soil using sustainable techniques like composting, cover cropping, and recycling food waste and wood shavings into nutrient-rich soil. They’ve used cardboard as a natural weed suppressant while preparing seasonal crops like cauliflower and carrots.

Enquire or enrol in Cert III Horticulture today and watch your future grow.

Are you interested in connecting with Horticulture industry experts? Enrol now for Cert III Horticulture July intake. Last week students toured several nurseries, starting with Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery, a major supplier for Bunnings and independent retailers. As the students have been studying the Manage Nursery Plants unit, this visit provided a valuable opportunity to see the inner workings of a professional nursery.

Lauren, a dedicated Mansfield’s employee, led the group though the intricates of the plant propagation process. Students observed workers taking cuttings, applying rooting hormone, and placing them in soil-filled fabric containers. These were then moved to a temperature-controlled greenhouse to develop roots before being transitioned outdoors under shade cloth for repotting and further growth.

Brey from the tissue culture lab discussed plant propagation and the importance of biosecurity, while Lauren explained Mansfield’s water filtration and recycling system. After the nursery tour, the group visited Plantmark, a wholesale nursery in Langwarrin, where they explored a vast selection of plants and learned about wholesale operations. Their final stop was GardenWorld in Keysborough, known for its unique and exotic plants, including bonsai, succulents, orchids, and carnivorous species.

By day’s end, the students returned to BCAL, having gained valuable industry insights and an enjoyable learning experience.