Career pathways into the forestry industry are among the specialties on offer for the first students enrolled in the new Limestone Coast Technical College.
Opening today, the $38.5 million facility prepares school students for careers in primary industries, trades, health and education in the Limestone Coast region.
Each of the specialty training areas at the Limestone Coast Technical College has been co-designed with industry to directly meet demand within the local region for employable skills, now and into the future, with graduates going into apprenticeships, employment or further study.
The college’s Agri-Tech stream, for example, will focus on emerging technology, including artificial intelligence and automation, and how to apply it in the agriculture, horticulture and viticulture industries. Students can also obtain a drone pilot’s license and entry-level skills to work in forestry or on farms.
Limestone Coast is one of five purpose-built technical colleges established that was promised at the 2022 state election, to offer students from Year 10 through to Year 12 an alternative way to still achieve their SACE, in a much more career-focused way.
Each technical college has its own employer partners, depending on local need for job-ready graduates. At Limestone Coast, employer partners include:
- Group Training Employment
- Timberlink
- OneFortyOne
- Treasury Wine Estates
- Beyond Early Learning
- Boneham Aged Care Services
- Boandik Lodge
- Guardian Early Childhood
- Bunge
- DMK Engineering
- SA Power Networks
- Limestone Coast Local Health Network – with fast-tracked pathways to university to train as a nurse, allied health professional or educator.
The Limestone Coast Technical College also offers supervised short-stay accommodation. This means students who live more than an hour’s drive from Mount Gambier can access the programs and stay overnight. These students might otherwise have had to relocate to Adelaide or another larger centre to access pathways training.
There are more than 230 students in Years 10 and 11 enrolled in the college for Term 1, 2026. It is expected enrolments will grow to 400 students in 2027.
Quotes
Attributable to Blair Boyer
The Limestone Coast Technical College is all about creating opportunities for young people where they live, giving them the opportunity to establish an exciting career within their own community.
This college will strengthen the skill-base in the Limestone Coast for the success of local industry, while connecting its graduates with well-paid jobs now and into the future.
Attributable to Clare Scriven
As a Limestone Coast resident and the Minister for forest industries, agriculture and viticulture, I am thrilled to see our local technical college completed.
It will make a huge difference for young people in our region, and the businesses that want to employ them in the future.
The specialisations here are designed to prepare students for successful careers in the industries that are integral to our region.
Attributable to Limestone Coast Technical College Principal Lynette Corletto
It’s important to find every young person the career pathway for them, and that is not always with an ATAR.
To be able to offer these opportunities through the technical college to get students job-ready and connected with employers, is not just of huge benefit to them.
To be able to meet the skills demands locally, is a huge bonus for our entire regional community.
Attributable to South Australian Forestry Products Association CEO Nathan Paine
These technical colleges are a critical pathway to providing skills the industry needs into the future.
We’re engaging with the technical college in Mount Gambier about what we can do, how can we support what they’re doing, and how we can ensure that the courses that they’re providing really do lead to kids coming out with careers in the future and hopefully careers in the forest industries.
