The amalgamation of GOTAFE with its nearby rival for students Wodonga TAFE appears a positive step.
Apart from the usually gains that should be made from pooling resources and sharing knowledge, staff skills and experience, it also enables the new institution to focus on tailoring the courses on offer to suit more students.
In theory.
The increasing focus of courses to produce job-ready graduates is also a massive positive in these days where people with in-demand skills and knowledge appear to be in short supply.
While some self-interest groups, political opportunists, and straight out anarchists continue to argue for major immigration cuts, the reality is the vast majority of immigrants are connected to helping fill our skill shortage including the workers themselves and in some cases, their families.
This across all industries, from hospitality, building trades, and aged care to agriculture, medicine and manufacturing, which are often the local TAFE's specialty.
By offering more courses locally across a wider range of occupations, it can only encourage local students to stay local and, hopefully attract those graduates to stay and live in the North East.
The new institution could also attract more students here.
The new CEO if Northern Victoria Institute of TAFE Phil Paterson said the education provider was not looking at voluntary redundancies, at least at this stage which is good news for the 1000 or so staff members.
With the right implementation, this amalgamation could be a massive boost to the entire North East and beyond, and hopefully the state and federal governments will throw their support behind it when required.
