Tech school is engaging young learners

One term into its operation, Wangaratta Tech School has already notched 1400 student hours and 160 hours of staff professional development. The $9.9 million school based at the Northern Victoria Institute of TAFE campus in Cusack Street, which was officially opened on Thursday by Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes, will also employ two new teachers by the end of this year. Funded by the state government, it provides 26 secondary schools across Wangaratta, Alpine, Benalla, Indigo and Wodonga council areas with access to free, innovative, hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) learning which builds on work they're doing at their own schools. However, the real proof of the tech school's success is not seen in numbers, but in the broad smiles and rapt concentration on the faces of young people utilising its resources. Students from Beechworth Secondary College were bussed to Thursday's official opening (utilising the free travel to and from the facility available to secondary schools across the region), and all were more than willing to espouse the benefits of the tech school. "I like how it has so much variety," Nicholas Shepherd said, as he explored with fellow students. Among the features of the two-storey campus are drone technology, 3D printers, a podcast room, hydroponics display, robots and multimedia rooms. Students Naomi Burgess, Sophia Lee and Heidi Ellis had a ball checking out the podcast recording equipment. "We had to make a podcast at school, but we didn't have this kind of equipment, so the sound wasn't great and you could hear all the birds and everything else in the background," Heidi said. "It would have been so much better using this." Then there was the stamp of approval from former Galen Catholic College student Lachie Carboon, who graduated from Deakin University last year with a mechatronics engineering degree, and whose new technology start-up has supplied robotics equipment to the tech school. "I wish so much that we had this when I was at school," he said. "I was lucky to have a great teacher (Maree Timms) to encourage me, but this would have been fantastic." Lachie's start-up, Aspire Robotics, has supplied six Horizon Seeker rovers to the tech school, and students like Nicholas were relishing the chance to test both them and the battle bot starter kits the Aspire Robotics team brought along to the official opening. "I tried to run a battle bot competition here when I was at school, and so many kids rolled up, but they struggled to use the technology," he said. "By making it easier to use, it's more engaging, and we now supply to schools and overseas; this was always my vision." With the tech school in operation, there will no doubt be more stories like Lachie's, involving students from Wangaratta and its surrounding region. NVITAFE chief executive officer Phil Paterson said the facility would open minds to the possibilities of STEM. "For the region's high school students, this is extraordinary, and I'm excited that NVITAFE is able to play a part in supporting those experiences," he said. "We've already had some great feedback from our initial pilot programs with local schools, and I look forward to seeing the continued growth in engagement with our partner schools." Wangaratta Tech School director Xavier Norden, who has watched the school take shape over the past two years, said programs had been designed to complement and build on the learning already taking place in the region's schools. "The key areas of clean energy, health, agriculture, artificial intelligence and digital technology will be a focus of our programs, as these are identified priority industries for Northern Victoria," he said. Wangaratta's is one of six new tech schools opened this year by the state government, with others in Frankston, Hume, Brimbank, Dandenong and Warrnambool, the latter also officially opened on Thursday. Ms Symes said the tech school would give students across the region the chance to use technology shaping the jobs of the future, close to home. "By accessing new and emerging technologies, students will build the skills and confidence they need to take on the opportunities of tomorrow," she said.

Tech school is engaging young learners

Wangaratta doctor disqualified after misconduct finding

In Georgia we trust: popular Hopper to lead A grade in 2027

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 16 October, 2026

New riverside community takes shape on the King River

Most popular stories

Wangaratta doctor disqualified after misconduct finding

In Georgia we trust: popular Hopper to lead A grade in 2027

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 16 October, 2026

New riverside community takes shape on the King River