Mobile training kitchen truck arrives for regional Cookery training

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

Wodonga TAFE’s new mobile training kitchen has arrived and was officially launched in Tallangatta on Friday 22 March 2019, at 11am. The launch in ‘The Triangles’, Towong Street, Tallangatta, was followed by food service with delicious treats prepared and served by Wodonga TAFE’s Certificate II in Kitchen Operations students from the Tallangatta region. Invited guests included industry representatives who had provided support for the project, along with representatives from local government, schools, and regional community organisations.

The mobile training kitchen’s purpose is to give regional students a learning environment and experience equivalent to what they would have on campus. The innovative model of pre-apprenticeship training for the Cookery industry is exciting for Wodonga TAFE’s Cookery teacher, Ms Sarah Whitling, who is at the forefront of the delivery model. “This enables our regional students to practise their skills in a fully set-up cooking environment, providing them with real work opportunities. Taking the training environment to the students removes some of the barriers to training so students are not disadvantaged by distance from attending classes”, said Ms Whitling.

Students in outlying towns across our region also have the option to attend a fully-funded and fully-catered residential school at the TAFE’s McKoy Street campus. Extensive industry consultation has ensured the course will provide relevant training, preparing students with skills for employment in a cookery-focused career or entry into a commercial cookery apprenticeship. “Working in collaboration with renowned industry professionals offers many opportunities to our students. We’re excited to include a week of masterclasses with professional chefs, with chef uniform and knife kit provided, in addition to in-industry excursions to regional and city venues”, said Ms Whitling.

This specialised training model is funded by the Victorian Government’s Regional and Specialist Training Fund (RSTF), with the funding announced in 2018 at Wodonga TAFE by Labor Upper House Member for Northern Victoria, Ms Jaclyn Symes. The Regional and Specialist Training Fund helps set up training for specific skills in regional and specialist areas that are not being met by the current training market. 

Find out more about the Certificate II in Kitchen Operations.