Donation of two vehicles will aid automotive training
3 August 2005
L to R Phill Aitken, Ivan Murray, Ray Griffiths (Director/CEO Kangan Batman TAFE) and John Nigro.
Automotive apprentices at the Richmond and Coburg campuses of Kangan Batman TAFE will greatly benefit from the donation of vehicles from major companies.
John Nigro, GM Holden Aftersales National Manager, formerly handed over an Adventra to Director and CEO of Kangan Batman TAFE, Ray Griffiths, on Wednesday 20 July at the Richmond automotive campus.
The Adventra, worth $40 000, is Holden’s first All-Wheel-Drive crossover vehicle. It will be housed in the Richmond campus’ special Holden room.
The vehicle will be used primarily for mechanical technology training in transmissions, drive systems, all wheel drive, fuel systems and ABS.
Mr Nigro, Mary Zouglakis, Craig Holdsworth, Ivan Murray and Phill Aitken from GMH were given a mini tour of the campus, and presented with a Certificate of Appreciation.
Former GMH Director and GM Corporation General Director, Ivan Deveson AO, also turned up for a surprise visit.
Kangan Batman TAFE Mechanical Technology Manager, Angelo Ciavarella, said the donation demonstrates the strength of the Institute’s relationship with the automotive industry.
‘The vehicle will be a fantastic learning resource for our students,’ said Angelo.
Last week, Honda Australia also generously donated an Odyssey to the Heavy Vehicles and Engine Technology department.
Worth approximately $40,000, the seven-seater sportswagon will be used to train automotive apprentices, and will be housed in the Electrical Workshop at the Coburg campus.
This donation has come about because of the strong partnership between Honda and the automotive department of Kangan Batman TAFE. It follows on from the company’s donation of an Insight vehicle last year.
Kangan Batman TAFE’s automotive division, the largest in Victoria, will eventually transfer to the Automotive Centre of Excellence, or ACE as it will be known.
The ACE will mean new opportunities for automotive training, research and development. Based at the Melbourne Docklands, the state-of-the-art training centre will be the first and largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The ACE is currently in its first stage of the building process. It is anticipated that the automotive vehicle body trades department of Kangan Batman TAFE will relocate to ACE in May 2006.
ACE will be a training facility designed to be responsive to industry needs, especially since it was developed through close consultation and backing from the State Government, leading automotive industry representatives, and other key players.
For more up-to-date information and photographs on this exciting project, please visit our website on www.kangan.edu.au/ace
