$2m funding boost to take Glenormiston College to 'next level'

The new funding boost comes on top of the $2 million the Victoria government has already pumped into upgrading the site.

Those works were unveiled in February last year to much fanfare with the promise of more funding to flow.

And on Tuesday, Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney announced the extra $1.99 million for the South West Institute of TAFE-run facility.

TAFE chief executive officer Mark Fidge said the funding meant more upgrades to the onsite accommodation facilities.

"There's funding in here for a residential development, so upgrades of some of the accommodation and kitchen wings etc that's out at Glenormiston that will enable them to use the facilities more than what they have been," he said.

So while the Glenormiston College had been operating over the past few years, Mr Fidge said the funding was about "taking it to that next level".

The funding will also be used to deliver projects that support new curriculum design, equipment to embrace emerging technologies and incorporate Aboriginal agricultural knowledge and practices. The centre will feature state-of-the-art software and technologies.

Ms Tierney said the government was making sure the next generation of farmers was prepared with the tools and skills they need to respond to the ever-evolving demands of modern agriculture. "These grants will provide a major boost to our agricultural training providers and are just one way we are encouraging more Victorians to pursue a future career in agriculture," she said.

Mr Fidge said the funding would help tackle the shortfall and demand in the industry.

He said one of the biggest shifts within the agriculture industry was the move into automation and use of simulation. "I think that will excite people to get into this industry," Mr Fidge said.

He said they hoped the project would attract more than 500 participants over the next 12 to 18 months with secondary students and teachers also expected to visit the site. "We're trying to do our bit to support one of our biggest industries in our region and hopefully it will start to pay off in the next 12 to 18 months," Mr Fidge said.

The number of agriculture students coming through TAFE was on par with last year, he said.

The number of horticulture students, who also access the Glenormiston site, had also jumped. "Agriculture is holding its own and horticulture continues to grow," he said.

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