About half of enrolled students at South West TAFE have now returned to campuses to do practical work while adhering to COVID-safe practices.

Electrical apprentice Ethan Coates is relieved to be back in the classroom to learn skills like wiring a switchboard as part of his practical assessments.

"All tradies work with our hands," Mr Coates said. It's really good to get back in the classroom because we have picked a trade to work hands-on."

He said the restrictions stopped him from doing practical assessments for three months, but that hadn't setback getting his qualification.

"We are still on track to finish in four years which is really good," Mr Coates said.

The Camperdown resident said learning from home came with flexibility and saved him transport costs, but he missed learning with others.

"Everyone has been feeling it recently," Mr Coates said. "It was good to get that downtime when you aren't doing your classwork to muck around with your friends."

South West TAFE chief Mark Fidge said trade and VCAL students learning hospitality, automotive, engineering, carpentry and cabinet making and hair and beauty had returned to campuses.

"The idea is to try and make sure our students complete the courses in the time frame they originally expected to," he said.

"In what's been a hugely disruptive year I have to thank the teaching staff in the way they have adapted to make this happen."

Mr Fidge said some courses would extend further into the summer than planned.

"Some of them may have to complete in 2021, and it may overlap slightly with courses that start in 2021," he said.

"We are going right up to the mid or latter point of December to make this happen in some areas."

He said hands-on assessments were "critical" to the students receiving qualifications.

"It's great to be in regional TAFE to be able to do that at the moment," Mr Fidge said.

"In metropolitan areas it's still a bit more tricky to get (students) in at the moment."

He said while there was some buzz at the Warrnambool campus the site was not back to normal with students required to socially distance and cafeteria food takeaway only.

"While we are not back to 100 per cent capacity, it's great to see students back on site and wandering around the organisation," Mr Fidge said.

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