The Victorian Government is empowering grassroots multicultural and Aboriginal organisations to support children and young people to connect with their community, family, friends and culture

The Youth Engagement Grants provide up to $50,000 over two years for projects that use cultural connection, sport, arts, music or other creative activities to engage children and young people from multicultural and Aboriginal communities.

Labor Member for Western Victoria, Jaala Pulford, today encouraged eligible organisations to apply for a grant by submitting a project proposal before applications close on 17 August 2022.

The government recognises that each community has the expertise, knowledge and ideas to design solutions that are right for them.

The Youth Engagement Grants provide an opportunity for small, community organisations to make a difference for children and young people in their area.

The Youth Engagement Grants are part of the Building Safer Communities Program, a key initiative under the Crime Prevention Strategy which helps promote community safety and prevent crime in Victoria.

Since 2015, the government has invested more than $90 million in crime prevention programs and supported over 910 projects to increase safety and community confidence in public places across Victoria – including $1.7 million in the 2021-22 Victorian Budget for the Youth Engagement Grants Program.

For more information about how to apply visit www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au/youthengagementgrants

Minister for Crime Prevention Anthony Carbines said:

“Youth Engagement Grants help build the capability of small, grassroots organisations so they can reach more children and young people and connect them with their communities, culture, friends and families.”

“We’re investing in grassroots organisations because we know that helping children and young people to feel engaged and connected is an important part of supporting them towards positive life pathways.” 

Member for Western Victoria, Jaala Pulford said:

“We know local communities have the expertise, knowledge and ideas to design solutions that are right for them. The Youth Engagement Grants provide an opportunity for small, community organisations to make a difference for children and young people in their area.”

“I strongly encourage eligible organisations to apply and be part of a solution that helps build better communities for everyone.”

The State Government is upskilling Victoria’s electrical workers, improving community safety and equipping the workforce to be part of the state’s growing renewable and new energy sectors.

The Labor Government will invest $7.2 million into Victoria’s first Continuing Professional Development program for electrical workers across the state.
The support ensures more than 7,500 electrical workers will be able to complete the course before the end of next year.
The training will continue the industry’s high standards of innovation and professionalism by upskilling electrical workers so they can deliver the highest standards of electrical work and keep our community safe.
Workers in the electrotechnology, renewable, and new energy sectors are required to undertake CPD every five years. The program includes the eight-hour Skills Maintenance course, with additional skills development courses available next year.
Skills Maintenance covers safe isolation, mandatory testing, industry changes, and the responsibilities of licensed workers – with training available at a range of metro and regional locations by carefully selected professional trainers.
Energy Safe Victoria has developed the program alongside Future Energy Skills with coursework approved by acommittee including members from ESV, the Electrical Trades Union, the National Electrical and Communications Association and the Institute of Electrical Inspectors.
The announcement follows a successful CPD pilot run earlier this year involving 66 electricians across regional and metro areas.
Further information is available on the ESV website at esv.vic.gov.au.
Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio said:
“We’re supporting Victoria’s electrical workers to upskill, protecting their own safety and the safety of the
community.”
“Thanks to this course, Victoria’s electrical workers will continue to have the skills to help deliver our nationleading renewable energy targets while continuing to keep the community safe.”
Minister for Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney said:
“This is a great example of how our TAFE and training sector is providing opportunities for workers to retrain and upskill – while also preparing us for the workforce we need for our clean, green future.”
Energy Safe Victoria CEO Leanne Hughson said:
“While electrical apprenticeships are important, we need to make sure that electrical workers continue to learn and build their respective skillsets as their careers continue to progress.”

Village Connect is a new service for older residents and carers in the shire provided by Council. Free coffee cup events will be held at cafes across the shire for people aged over 55.

Residents are invited to come along to hear how Village Connect can help them stay socially connected, have an opportunity to chat with others in the local community, and also enjoy a free coffee and cake at one of our local cafes.
Council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss said programs like Village Connect play a pivotal role in helping our older population remain connected with their community, a key factor in maintaining positive health and wellbeing.
“We encourage older residents to come for a free coffee and to find out how Village Connect can help them stay socially connected and at the same time find out what other services they may be able to access to help support themselves and those they are caring for,” she said.
The events will be held from 11 am to 12 noon at the following locations:
 3 Little Pigs, Gisborne, 18 August and 13 September
 Verdure Bistro, Romsey, 23 August and 15 September
 MaisonMaloa, Woodend, 25 August and 13 October
 Vics@Seasons, Riddells Creek, 30 August and 11 October
 Aspy, Lancefield, 1 September and 27 October
 Social Foundry, Kyneton, 6 September and 25 October
 Malmsbury Bakery, Malmsbury, 8 September and 3 November.
Registration is essential, contact Abbey on 5422 0262 or villageconnect@mrsc.vic.gov.au
For more information about the program visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/village-connect

The State Government is supporting community and history organisations to capture Macedon’s diverse history, making it available for more people to discover and enjoy.

The latest round of the Local History Grants saw 40 projects share in $350,000 as part of the program run by Public Record Office Victoria to support community and history organisations to preserve, record and share Victoria’s local history.
This year’s successful grant recipients include Kate Lawrence from the Macedon Ranges Shire:
•Central Highlands Broadcasting Inc has been awarded $8,400 for the Victorian Women’s Football League Oral History Project
Other successful projects across the state will help Victoria’s history reach everyone in the community through interactive online exhibitions, podcasts, e-books, history apps and oral histories.
The Local History Grants program is supported by the State Government through the Community Support Fund.
The full list of recipients is available at prov.vic.gov.au.
Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“Passionate volunteers play a vital role in preserving our local history and we’re proud to back groups like Central Highlands Broadcasting in continuing this important work.”
Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson said:
“Our history shows where we’ve come from and helps us see where we are going, which is why we are so proud to support these innovative projects capturing our past for future generations.”
Public Record Office Victoria Director and Keeper of Public Records Justine Heazlewood said:
“Public Record Office Victoria is delighted to support these projects and the fantastic work of local historians through our Local History Grants.”

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) provided funding of $337,000 to the Committee of Management for the first stage of the works identified in the museum’s conservation management plan.

The conservation management plan recorded the history and different uses of the building and established its significant heritage value.

The funding was part of a $2 million volunteer committees of management COVID-19 support fund to help committees of management keep operating in the COVID-19 environment, including to undertake essential building maintenance works.

The museum plays an important role in the local community, housing two much loved cultural institutions, the Daylesford and District Historical Society and Daylesford Community Brass Band.

The large heritage collection managed by the historical society is open to the public on weekends and during school holidays, while members of the community brass band regularly use the building to rehearse.

The Daylesford Museum dates back to the early 1890s when it was used by the School of Mines to teach classes on science and art. The building retains many of its original features including one of the earliest and most intact School of Mines laboratories and metallurgical laboratory interiors in Victoria.

The roof was in poor condition with leaks in several locations across the building, causing it to deteriorate and risk damaging the historical community collection.

DELWP Regional Manager of Land and Built Environment Daniel McMahon said:

“We congratulate the Daylesford Museum Committee of Management for their commitment to preserving this valuable community asset which has a long history in the Daylesford community.

“It is important the building is maintained so local groups such as the brass band and historical society can continue to use and enjoy the space.”

Daylesford Museum Reserve Committee of Management Chair Gary Carter said:

“The committee really appreciates the grant provided by DELWP to complete the first stage of the restoration work which will help protect the building and the valuable historical items inside from water damage.”

Forthe first time in three decadesthe endangered Broad-toothed Rat has been rediscovered at Wilson Promontory.

Minister for Environment and Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio today announced the landmark discovery, which provides renewed hope for the tiny endangered native rodent known for its chubby cheeks.
Historically found throughout south-eastern Australia, populations of Broad-toothed Rats have been declining in Victoria over the past few decades due to predation by cats and foxes and habitat loss from an overabundance of grass-grazing animals, bushfires and climate change.
A team of researchers, led by Zoos Victoria’s Native Rodent Biologist Dr Phoebe Burns and Parks Victoria’s
Restoration Ecologist Brooke Love, identified isolated grassland patches at Wilsons Promontory where Broadtoothed Rats might inhabit.
After conducting a survey of the area and finding the rodent’s distinctive bright green scat, the team was able to successfully trap, identify and release one of the rodents – making it the first time it has been seen at Wilsons Promontory in 32 years.
Along with its chubby cheeks, the Broad-toothed Rat is distinguished by its flat face and short tail. It feeds almost exclusively on grasses and sedges in cool, wet habitats.
Rediscovery of the unique little rodent at Wilsons Promontory underscores the importance of the State Government’s Prom Sanctuary project, which willsee the area become a 50,000-hectare climate change safe haven for Victoria’s rich wildlife and habitats.
The sanctuary will be the largest, best protected in the country already serves to protect precious habitat for other tiny, threatened and often overlooked native species such as the Pookila, Swamp Antechinus and White-footed Dunnart.
The State Government has invested more than $560 million into protecting biodiversity – more than any other in Victorian history. It halts the decline of Victoria’s plants and animals through its landmark plan Biodiversity 2037.
Lily D’Ambrosio said:
“The discovery of the Broad-toothed rat at Wilsons Prom is a testament to our record investment in biodiversity and
the work we’re doing to create the largest, best protected sanctuary in the country.”
Zoos Victoria Native Rodent Biologist Dr Phoebe Burns said:
“Rediscovering the Broad-toothed Rat at Wilsons Prom is really exciting news for this species. It hopefully means there is extra genetic diversity here that we thought had been lost.”
Parks Victoria Biodiversity Science Manager Dr Mark Antos said:
“This is great news for the Prom Sanctuary project. It provides a further reason to control introduced predators and grazing animals to help protect this unique species and give it the best chance of survival.”

Children in regional Victoria will be able to access dental care closer to home as the State Government continues to invest in specialised dental hubs and satellite clinics.

The State Government is establishing three regional hubs in the Bendigo, Geelong and Latrobe Valley regions, to expand the metro Melbourne service – saving Victorian parents time, money and hassle when it comes to their child’s health.
The hubs will offer a range of specialised dental care that not all general dentists are able to provide, including in areas such as paediatric dentistry, oral surgical care and treatment for children with special needs.
This means children in regional areas will no longer have to travel long distancesto Melbourne to receive treatment through the public health system. The new hubs are expected to open later this year and will ultimately save families hours of travel time and will see more kids getting the specialist dental care they need closer to home.
The new hubs will also expand the state’s dental workforce, creating more jobs and support the ongoing demand for Victoria’s public dental service both now and into the future.
Additionally, the hubs will free up appointments for adults in the public health system and shorten wait times for those who need specialised dental care.
Children can be referred to these new services through the Smile Squad program, which gives free dental care to government school students throughout Victoria. Smile Squad offers free dental examinations and treatment to children in Victorian government schools.
The Smile Squad program’s clinic vans first hit the road in 2019 and have since helped thousands of children receive free and high-quality dental care at school. The program offers specialised care beyond annual checkups such as fillings, root canals and crowns.
The Victorian Budget 2022/23 provides $327.7 million in funding to public dental services, which provides care to more than 330,000 eligible Victorians.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“Maintaining good dental health in children establishes lifelong healthy habits, which is why it’s so important we provide specialised dental care in the regions.”
“These new hubs will expand the overall capacity of our public dental system, meaning more Victorians can get the care they need sooner, and closer to home.”
“These new hubs will also provide great career opportunities for those interested in dentistry and in a way that benefits regional communities.”

More jobs will be created in the Parwan Employment Precinct with the Parwan City Gate Gas connection ready to attract new industrial businesses thanks to support from the State Government.

Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing today visited the precinct to announce the completion of the Parwan City Gate Gas Connection Project made possible by a $2.7 million investment from the Building Works package along with additional support from Moorabool Shire Council and local business L & G Meats. The Parwan City Gate Gas Project will provide gasto the Parwan Employment Precinct and the wider Bacchus Marsh area. The project will attract more private agribusiness investment to the precinct due to readily available access to gas.
The City Gas Gate Connection is enabling businesses like asset management company Parwan&Co to get involved in the establishment of the precinct, aiming to create a new agriculture and agribusiness hub in Parwan.
The Parwan Employment Precinct is a major initiative that is set to boost economic and employment growth potential for Bacchus Marsh.
Located between the Bacchus Marsh Aerodrome and Western Water Treatment Plant, the precinct is expected to generate up to 1,500 full-time jobs within six years. The precinct has companies that will produce petfood, animal feed and tallow for biofuel.
Parwan already facilitates local businesses like mushroom producer Parwan Valley Mushrooms and freight
company Graeme Spargo Transport.
The Building Works package is designed to provide immediate benefit to communities across the state, with more than half the projects in rural and regional Victoria – from our smallest town to our most famous natural wonders.
These shovel-ready projects are creating jobs now and will provide lasting economic benefits. This program forms a part of the Government’s more than $36 billion investment in rural and regional Victoria since 2015.
For more information, visit rdv.vic.gov.au/building-works
Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing said:
“This new gas connection will enable more businessesto be established in the Parwan Employment Precinct, helping create more jobs and stimulate regional Victoria’s agriculture industry.”
Member for Melton Steve McGhie said:
“By transforming this part of Parwan into an agribusiness hub, we expect there to be more opportunities for locals to work closer to home at the precinct.”
Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle said:
“It’s great to have more employment opportunities for our local community and continue to stimulate our
agriculture industry.”

The latest release of quarterly performance data confirms Victoria’s health system is under unprecedented
pressure – like every health system across the country – from a busy flu season and the continued pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across Australia and the world, health services continue to feel the effects of the pandemic, including COVID-19 cases and workforce shortages from sickness. Hospitals are also managing record demand, while treating far sicker patients who are staying longer after delaying care during the pandemic.
This demand is reflected in the latest data, with hospital emergency department presentations pushing up to 486,701 – an increase of 5.1 per cent from the previous quarter.
Importantly, the number of patients who received their surgery in this quarter was 41,468, which is an increase of 48 per cent compared to the previous quarter.
Elective surgery waiting lists across the country have also been stretched throughout the pandemic, but Victoria’s list has stabilised since the previous quarter and is now sitting at 87,275.
The Andrews Labor Government’s $1.5 billion Covid Catch-Up Plan is not only helping the health system catch up on surgery but delivering sustainable long-term changes to support Victoria’s surgery capacity into the future.
The plan is also delivering the workforce needed to support an increase in surgery volumes, with funding for 400 nurses to complete postgraduate training in perioperative nursing, a further 1,000 nurses to upskill in general surgery and recovery and the upskilling of 30 theatre and sterilisation technicians.
This past quarter wasthe busiest in Ambulance Victoria’s history and the third consecutive quarterto break demand records. Code 1 case call outs rose from the previous quarter to 97,928 – an increase of 16 per cent from the same period last year. 64 per cent of Code 1 cases were responded to within 15 minutes.
The Government’s $12 billion Pandemic Repair Plan is providing the state’s health services with the support and reinforcements they need to get through this period of record demand and come out stronger on the other side.
The Plan is delivering the training and recruitment of up to 7,000 healthcare workers, getting a record number of paramedics on the road, more Triple Zero call takers, doubling the Virtual ED and deploying patient flow specialists across 12 major hospitals – all of which will help Victorians get the care they need sooner.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“We’re in the midst of a record-breaking period of demand on our health system, but this latest data shows that we are weathering the storm and building a system that will be stronger than ever moving forward.”
“All our healthcare workers are doing an incredible job under challenging circumstances – and this Government is
ensuring they have all the support they need, to give Victorians the care they deserve faster.

The State Government has recruited hundreds of new paramedics this year – delivering another boost to
our health system and helping our ambulance services meet the record levels of demand being seen Australia-wide.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today visited Wendouree Station to announce that more than 150
paramedics have already joined crews in regional Victoria this year – with more on the way.
A current batch of 64 recruitsstarted their training this week 18 off to regional Victoria once completed. These new recruits will hit the road on 22 August, bringing the total number of new paramedics recruited so far this year to 404 – with 157 joining crews in regional Victoria including,
• 26 in the Barwon South-West Region
• 23 in the Gippsland Region
• 24 in the Grampians/Ballarat Region
• 50 in the Hume/Central/Northern Region
• 34 in the Loddon/Bendigo/Mallee Region
Wendouree Station has already received an additional three paramedics as part of this recruitment while nearby Ballarat Station has received nine.
Beginning with a four-week induction program which gives them the vital skills they need before they hit the road, recruits learn how to safely move and load patients to prevent injuries, aggression and assault prevention training,
and driving ambulance vehicles to ‘lights and sirens’ cases.
Graduate paramedics become fully credentialed after one year, after which they continue professional
development and education for their entire careers to help them provide the best care and stay safe while they’re doing so.
The Labor Government’s $35 million boost earlier this year fast-tracked the recruitment of 120 paramedics, who started in May. As part of the Victorian Budget 2022/23, a further $124 million has been invested to put even more paramedics on the road and build on record recruitment levels.
Ambulance Victoria recruited 700 paramedics in 2021 – its single largest annual recruitment ever – and is on track to recruit the same number this year. This will be critical in responding to increasing demand, with the organisation recently experiencing its busiest two quarters on record.
The Government hasincreased paramedic ranks by more than 66 per centsince 2014 – an increase of almost 2,200.
Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“These more than 150 new paramedics are a huge win for regional Victoria with every part of the state from Portland to Bairnsdale to Mildura set to benefit and more to come.”
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said: “It’s great to see so many new paramedics joining crews across Ballarat – ensuring locals get the care they need.”
Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle said: “We’re delivering Ballarat and the region a new hospital, new early parenting centre, more nurses and paramedics.”

Jude Holt has been appointed as the municipal monitor to help guide good governance at Horsham Rural City Council.

Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne today announced the appointment of Ms Holt, who will support the council for a six months up until 31 January 2023.
Ms Holt is a finance and governance professional with 30 years of experience, holding senior management and executive positions for 20 years at the Loddon Shire Council, three years at Mount Alexander Shire Council, and two years at Coliban Water.
The appointment has been made at the request of the Council’s Mayor and CEO following concerns about the Council’s ability to serve the local community effectively.
Ms Holt will support the Council to improve governance practices and ensure councillors perform their roles in accordance with the Local Government Act 2020.
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting and improving council culture throughout the state through initiatives such as the Local Government Culture Project and the Women Leading Locally program.
For more information visit: localgovernment.vic.gov.au.
Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne said:
“Municipal monitors have a track record of proven success in assisting councils and we look forward to seeing Horsham Rural City Council shift its focus to the priorities and challenges facing the local community.”
“Jude Holt brings experience, skills and knowledge that will be valuable in supporting good governance, enabling the Council to effectively serve the community it represents.”

The State Government is supporting community organisations in small towns to deliver projects with a
positive social impact.

Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing today announced the 16 successful recipients of the Small Towns Big Difference Fund, backed with $60,000 from the Labor Government’s Mallee Regional Partnership.
Community groups across seven towns will deliver a diverse range of projects covering the arts, the environment, youth engagement and education.
Tyrrell College is among the recipients, and in partnership with localsporting clubs, will host The Resilience Project.
The project will support mental health initatives in the Sea Lake community for people who are dealing with the impacts of the pandemic and from the sudden loss of key community members.
In Wycheproof, a local youth group will fit out the scout hall for young people and the broader community to have a space for regular catch-ups, while the Nandaly Progress Association will install raised garden beds at its communiuty garden for better accessibility.
Funding will also boost visitor and community interaction in Birchip, with QR codes to be installed across historic sites and tourist attractions, to encourage a deeper appreciation of the town and its nearby attractions like Tchum Lake.
While the towns of the Buloke Shire may be small in population, with an average of 665 people, they’re big on community, with high rates of volunteer organisations and activities.
The $120,000 fund is a Government partnership with Buloke Shire Council, Bendigo Bank and Charlton and Donald Community Banks, and made possible through the Government’s Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund.
The Government has made a record investment of almost $36 billion in rural and regional Victoria since 2015. To find out more visit rdv.vic.gov.au/rjif.
Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing said:
“These projects will contribute so much to communities in the Buloke Shire, while encouraging more people to enjoy and celebrate local history and culture.”

Local producers are benefiting from the completion of early works on the Ouyen to Murrayville line, as part of the Murray Basin Rail Project.

Works included the removal of heat and speed restrictions along the 109-kilometre Ouyen to Murrayville Line – to boost safety and improve reliability.
More than 57,000 sleepers were also replaced as part of the works, along with the addition of 30,000 tonnes of ballast and adjusting track, enabling the line to remain open when temperatures reach 33 degrees.
Track upgrades have been underway on the Ararat to Maryborough Line since May, as part of the next stage of works on the project and followed significant planning, design and industry consultation.
Deliveries for the 160 kilometres of 47-kilogram rail that will be installed between Ararat and Maryborough also began in late April and will continue through to September. More than 40 workers have already upgraded 20 kilometres of track, with these works targeted to be completed by the end of the year.
The upgrades to a higher standard of track will enable all types of freight trains to operate with heavier loads, increasing load capacity for all wagons by 15 per cent – to 21 tonne axle loading.
Works will enable 49 weekly return train paths on the Murray Basin network, up from the current 28 paths – an increase that will remove around 20,000 truck trips off regional roads each year.
Construction is continuing a 300-metre siding in the Donald Yard to provide improved operations for freight trains and wagons to be stored when not in use. In a sustainability boost for the project, the sleepers used for the siding will be recycled plastic composite sleepers, supplied by Mildura-based business Integrated Recycling.
Trackside drainage at Donald will also be improved, including underneath the Borung Highway level crossing. The Merbein siding extension works will begin in the coming months, allowing for the stabling of a 1200-metre train off the mainline to help increase capacity for rail freight users in the region.
Design work and procurement is also underway on further upgrades, including new crossing loops and sidings, improvements to Maryborough junction and signalling upgrades.
The Murray Basin Rail Project will support 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during delivery, and provide a major boost to the transport industry, agricultural sector and regional communities. More information about the project can be found online at regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said:
“It’s great to see early works complete on the Ouyen to Murrayville line – which will improve safety, capacity and reliability of services and better connect local producers to our major ports.”
Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said:
“These works and our investments across the freight network mean heavier and faster trains, bringing costs down for our primary producers and exporters and making it easier to get products to market.”

Medical students and doctors seeking rural and regional study and work are now supported to see how they can live, work and train rurally to achieve their dream career.

A website that maps the major specialty pathways and shows training places locally across regional NSW, VIC, TAS and South East SA has launched additional fact sheets. The site acts as a one-stop shop, showing users their future training requirements and to identify the local health services offering them.

The Regional Medical Training (RMT) website regionalmedicaltraining.com.au is the result of a collaboration of 11 Universities with Rural Clinical Schools and Regional Training Hubs in the regions. It is a shared initiative to support local graduates to stay rural, funded by the Federal Department of Health’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program. 

Chair of the RMT Working Group, and Director of Monash University’s North West Victorian Regional Training Hub,  Associate Professor Janelle Brennan says, “With 24 medical specialty pathways and accredited placements mapped, the website increases its capacity as a one-stop shop for medical students and trainees investigating career and training study options in south east regional Australia.”

“The new additions to the website are updated General Practice and Rural Generalist fact sheets, with Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine and Nephrology newly joining 21 other medical training pathways found across regional Tasmania, Victoria and NSW, as well as the limestone coast region of South Australia. This complements the extensive resources already included on the site,” Associate Professor Brennan continued.

Regional Medical Training’s unique search portal maps out regional training futures that can be searched by either location or specialty. If you’re particularly keen to live in a specific regional location you can search by region or, alternatively, if you are focused on pursuing a particular medical specialty you can enter it into the map engine and all of the regional towns and cities where you can train are documented. 

This is a big boost for visibility of rural training opportunities and works to attract doctors to the regions. 

Here in North West Victoria there are multiple specialty pathways that graduating medical students and local trainees can pursue at a local level.  

Associate Professor Hieu Pham, Deputy Director of North West Victorian Regional Training Hub and Consultant Psychiatrist at Mildura Base Public Hospital is excited by the increasing training opportunities that Regional Medical Training showcases to students and trainees in wishing to work and live within the North West Victoria region.

“Here in Mildura, students and trainees are able to access positions in pathways as diverse as emergency medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry and surgery. The fact that medical students and trainees anywhere in the world can search a map and see what we offer here in town is amazing. And to see the Cardiology pathway information now go live is a bonus,” said Associate Professor Pham.

Dr Nate Dalton who is interning at Bendigo Health said he appreciates how valuable this website is for his colleagues and fellow medical peers. The visual map of the specialty pathways is a big plus, as is the trove of stories showcasing current regional medical trainees and students pursuing their careers in the regions. 

“I’m still considering my options in terms of which discipline I’d like to specialise in. It’s so good to be able to search the website and have a line of sight when it comes to the potential pathways forward. It’s a really concise overview of the diverse range of speciality placements we have access to here in Bendigo and in regional areas. I think this resource is great for anyone looking to broaden their consideration of training pathways and locations, because everything is in one place,” said Dr Dalton.

On top of the current 24 specialty training pathways currently showcased on the website, more will be added over the coming months, including Urology and Addiction Medicine. 

The State Government is boosting the number of women working in solar, making the state’s rapidly
growing renewables sector more diverse and helping meet skilled worker demand.

The first women have graduated from solar apprenticeships as part of the Labor Government’s suite of measures to address gender inequality in the sector – where women currently make up less than one per cent of the clean energy work force.
The subsidised apprenticeships are part of the Government’s $11 million Growing Our Clean Energy Workforce Training and Workforce Development package, which is working to meet future industry demand through diversification and maintain Victoria’s reputation as the national leader in solar safety standards. Victorian solar installers have just six more months to receive the Government’s subsidy to pay half the salary of a female apprentice for two years, in addition to providing apprentices a tool allowance and six-monthly incentive payments.
Businesses like Total Solar Solutions are already benefiting from the program, employing two female apprentices who received subsidised training.
The Government’s flagship $1.3 billion Solar Homes Program, launched in 2018, will support 5,500 clean energy jobs.
In addition to targeted support to increase the participation of women, the Growing Our Clean Energy Workforce package offer fully or partially subsidised programs to upskill women and men already working in clean energy.
The Solar Homes Program has helped more than 205,000 Victorian households install solar panels, solar batteries and solar hot water since 2018. A further 25,000 Victorians have reduced their carbon footprint through rebates for heating and cooling upgrades, zero emissions vehicles and solar for business.
For further information on training opportunities visit: solar.vic.gov.au/training-workforce-development
Minister for Solar Homes Lily D’Ambrosio said:
“We’re supporting women to take advantage of the thousands of jobs created in our transition to net-zero emissions by 2050.”
“Congratulations to the first female apprentices to take-up our subsidised apprenticeship – paving the way for the diverse renewable industry we want here in Victoria.”
Solar electrical apprentice Madeline Ward, 18 said:
“I didn’t think I would be able to get a (solar) apprenticeship, because I’m a woman but everyone has made it easy and enjoyable. I would say to other women to give it a go. You might be surprised how much you really like it.”
Christine Kennedy, Owner, Total Solar Solutions, employer of two women apprentices said: “I see great value in diversity within our industry and by adding more women, it creates better teams, and it creates better collaboration.”