MASTERS AT MOVING WITH THE TIMES
THE Gordon has been at the forefront of training and education of the Greater Geelong community for more than 130 years. It’s success is attributable to an ability to remain agile and deliver an evolving education and skills mix that moves with the changing face of our region’s economic landscape.
The industrial age of the 1800s drove the establishment of the institute as the demand for a technically trained workforce grew. As our region moved from a world-renowned wool industry to a thriving manufacturing sector, to the closure and relocation of large multinationals and major employers that saw thousands of workers displaced, a more diverse economy dominated by small to medium enterprises emerged. Through it all The Gordon pivoted to meet the changing needs of industry.
Yet while our region has undergone significant structural and economic adjustments in the midst of a rapidly changing global economy, we now face a new education and skills challenge – Industry 4.0 – the automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practises using smart technologies.
“It is not surprising that an economy in transition requires a new education and skills mix. Yet what type of education and skills mix do we require?”, asked Joe Ormeno, CEO of The Gordon.
With The Gordon leading the conversation to develop a sustainable workforce of the future, upskilling and reskilling are increasingly part of the workplace conversation, assisting organisations to advance employees’ skills for greater organisational growth, efficiency and increased productivity.
Mr Ormeno said, “The solution we offer is for employers to meet their workforce where they are, no matter their qualifications, skill level, or experience, and offer resources that can help them move over the threshold and into meaningful jobs.
“We offer employees personalised training, co-developed and co-designed with industry, that is delivered at their pace with the support and resources for each person to become proficient.”
By modelling a ‘no one size fits all’ approach, The Gordon has shown flexibility, agility and innovation to deliver real value to industry, ascertaining needs and designing contemporary and relevant solutions to ensure measurement of training moves into real performance in organisations.
Growing from a single campus to five, and now servicing the Greater Geelong and Wyndham areas, The Gordon offers more than 200 accredited courses and is well placed to deliver the unprecedented flexibility that businesses require.
The three to five year view shows the skills gaps identified due to technical integration and increased adoption of automation, creates a disruption to the workforce that will see half of our workforce needing to reskill or upskill as their job roles evolve.
“As a new era of innovation greets us, our future industries will be about people creating the products that shape our lives. So we are also seeing an increased demand for critical thinking and analysis, problem solving and active learning”, Mr Ormeno said.
Working in partnership with local employers, key stakeholder groups and peak industry bodies, all agree that
The Gordon is their partner of choice to respond to these global and economic forces in the face of structural transformation. A philosophy that has rung true for more than a century and has seen the education and skills lens of The Gordon shape an economy.
“We’re excited about what the future holds for our region. Working in tandem with local industry and community leaders, we are continuously seeking more flexible and streamlined education and training solutions that meet the needs of industry, both today and tomorrow,” Mr Ormeno said.
The community transition, structural adjustment and economic transformation that has ensued over the 134 years since The Gordon’s establishment, is a journey that has seen much change across the Greater Geelong region. From industry evolutions to planning for industries of the future, The Gordon has shifted with these times to cement itself as a leading training and education provider.