Group Training Employment (GTE) has announced a major partnership with the new Limestone Coast Technical College, as the facility’s first employer partner.
Utilising their extensive employer base and strong local relationships, GTE will provide on- the-job training experiences and assist aspiring students in building pathways to employment.
GTE General Manager Greg Megaw said it was a positive move for the organisation, which is celebrating a major milestone in 2025 – 40 years of operation.
“Our big strength is that we are local, and we talk every day to local employers,” he said.
“Our Field Team bring four decades of experience working in the Limestone Coast region, so they bring a wide understanding of the local market and what skills are needed in what areas.
“Through our long-term employer base, we can help provide opportunities for work trial and experience that might not have been otherwise available.”
Due to open early in 2026, the college is located within the new Mount Gambier Education, Training and Research Precinct on Wireless Road.
With a strong trades focus, the college will provide specialised training programs in a number of key industries, including early childhood and education, agri-tech, health and multi-trades.
Visiting the site last week along with other steering committee members, Mr Megaw said it was nice to see local tradespeople, including first-year apprentice plumber Matthew Pearson, working on the project build.
“There’s a nice alignment in seeing our next generation work on a facility that may play a big part in their future,” he said.
Mr Megaw said the GTE team would work with the college’s new leadership team to build the workforce of the future.
“It’s important the facility is driven by local community needs, which makes us uniquely placed to utilise the stakeholder and employer relationships we have built up across the Limestone Coast,” he said.
“Both apprentices and employers benefit from that wrap-round support for on-job work placements and then, in future, matching the right people with the right work opportunities.”
