Driving automotive industry training into the future
1 April 2004
Digital representation of the Automotive Centre of Excellence
The automotive industry will soon have a new state-of-the-art training centre in the Melbourne Docklands.
Kangan Batman TAFE, Victoria’s largest automotive training provider, is building an Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) with funding from the State Government.
Kangan Batman TAFE provides training for all sectors of the industry, from retail, service and repair (RS&R) to vehicle and component manufacturing, and motorsport.
This training is currently delivered at the Institute’s Coburg and Richmond campuses, but will be progressively moved into the new Docklands centre as each stage of the building is completed.
The Automotive Centre of Excellence will be built on the north and south sides of the Collins Street extension and Batman Drive in the Docklands, sharing the site of the existing Fox Classic Car Collection.
The multi-storey Automotive Centre of Excellence will be the first and largest facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It will be a focal point for the Victorian automotive industry, bringing together automotive training and R&D under one roof. Negotiations are currently taking place with universities, key automotive employers and industry bodies interested in being represented on the site alongside Kangan Batman TAFE and the Fox Classic Car Collection.
What will it mean to the automotive industry?
Meeting industry needs
The Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) is intended to be an important piece of the infrastructure to support the development of the automotive industry and to strengthen its capacity to compete successfully in the 21st century.
The ACE concept has been developed through consultation with the automotive industry at all stages. The centre aims to meet the following needs identified by the industry:
- The need for a better and more integrated approach to education and training, and research and development, to enable the Victorian and Australian automotive industries to meet global challenges and prosper in the future.
- The need for highly-skilled staff trained in the latest technology. In the retail, service and repair industry, there is an increasing sophistication and computer integration of diagnostic and maintenance tools. Likewise, in the component and vehicle manufacturing sectors, there is a need for ongoing staff training in the new design, engineering and production technologies. Currently much of this training is conducted by individual companies, however, centralising this training would allow for sharing of resources and the ability to constantly update technology.
- The need for increased innovation capabilities within the industry.
- In addition to training for those entering the industry, there is a need for ongoing professional development for existing staff, in particular in leadership training for management staff. The ACE will provide training for those both entering and already working in the industry, bringing together the TAFE, university and corporate education and training systems.
Other features of the ACE
- The centre will be modern and technologically advanced, using the latest technology and equipment, reflecting the cutting-edge workplace.
- The automotive training facilities of the ACE will be around half the size of the floor space of those at Kangan Batman TAFE’s existing Coburg and Richmond campuses. This reflects the trend towards training in the workplace, and training delivery using flexible delivery techniques (i.e. online learning reducing the need to attend formal classes), upon which the ACE will have a strong focus.
- The centre will offer greater flexibility for employers and apprentices/trainees. The ACE will operate two teaching shifts, covering 12 to 14 hours a day. This will allow greater flexibility for apprentice/trainee employers in the times they release them for training.
- The new Docklands centre will provide a central and easily accessible location for metropolitan and country students.
- It will be much more than ‘just a TAFE’ – see the ‘TAFE-Plus’ section below.
About the components of the centre
The Automotive Centre of Excellence will be constructed in stages.
Stage One
Completion of Stage One is expected in October 2005, with staff and operations being moved into the centre before the 2006 academic year. The first area to move into the centre will be the Body Trades training area which is currently located at Kangan Batman TAFE’s Richmond campus. Other training areas will be moved to Docklands once further stages of the ACE are completed.
ACE ‘TAFE-Plus’
It has always been the intention for the ACE to both serve and showcase the automotive industry in other ways than just the provision of training.
Throughout the ACE development process, the Interim ACE Board has been consulting with the automotive industry and other stakeholders regarding possible uses for the ‘TAFE-Plus’ (or the non-Kangan Batman TAFE-Fox Classic Car Collection) component. The following possible uses have been proposed: an automotive industry showcase; an automotive management education centre; an automotive design centre; or an automotive industry centre which would house key industry associations and host conferences and seminars.
Discussions are continuing to be held with various industry groups, individual companies and universities interested in being located in the Automotive Centre of Excellence.
Community facilities/non-automotive TAFE programs
A significant portion of the ACE Docklands site will be separated from the main site by the proposed Collins Street extension.
Agreement has been reached between VicUrban, the Fox Family Trust, and the Office of Training and Tertiary Education (OTTE) to jointly develop the south land to provide both TAFE and community facilities. This will also incorporate some community and TAFE programs that reflect the business activities of the Docklands precinct.
What is the current status of the project?
Soil decontamination
The soil on many sites in the Docklands precinct is contaminated due to some of the previous industries that operated in the area. The ACE site is no different. Soil decontamination works to meet EPA requirements are currently in progress and are due for completion by late April.
Design development
The design and building of the ACE will be done in stages. Details of the overall ACE development, Stage One and all future stages need to be approved by a sub-committee representing the Minister for Planning. The design presented by the appointed architects, Lyons, has been well received and approval to proceed with Stage One of the ACE is expected in the next few weeks.
Commencement of full design development (which is the next stage required prior to calling for construction tenders) is expected to commence with the next month and will take around four months.
Who are the Interim ACE Board members?
The members of the Interim ACE Board are as follows: Ivan Deveson, David Charles (Allen Consulting and author of the ACE feasibility report), Bill Kelty (Fox Family Trust), John Parish (Director of Kangan Batman TAFE), Phillip Murphy (General Manager, Automotive, Kangan Batman TAFE), John Modra (Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) and Dom Valeri (Department of Education).
How do I get further information?
Regarding Kangan Batman TAFE training (automotive and general)
Telephone (03) 9279 2555 or visit the Automotive Centre of Excellence section of the website.
