Learning curve

By Bridget Cook
PAKENHAM’S newly refurbished Living and Learning Centre was officially launched on Monday to tie in with Adult Learner’s Week.
And the launch couldn’t have been more timely with the theme of Adult Learner’s Week ‘Your Learning Journey: Take The Next Step’ – that’s exactly what the Pakenham centre did.
The building has undergone a complete transformation thanks to a Federal Government grant of almost $500,000.
The refurbishment included an additional large activity room, carpeting on floors, redesign on internal space and classrooms and a renovation of the entrance to make it more attractive.
The renovations will double the vocational training delivery to the community within the next five years and increase the capacity of the building to house 260 students at one time.
Pakenham Living and Learning Centre president Jillian Ronald said the refurbishment provided an attractive, professional and functional setting for life-long learning.
“The improvements to increase capacity to deliver training to the residents of the Cardinia Shire can only benefit the community,” she said.
“We feel it is important to raise the profile of adult education in Cardinia.”
Centre manager Bronwyn Fleming said the investment has come at a great time for Living and Learning Pakenham as it would help raise its profile in a rapidly growing local community.
“It will make it possible for us to increase out own delivery of Vocational Training and it will help us attract other providers to increase the overall delivery and variety of vocational training programs in the Cardinia Shire,” she said.
On behalf of the Federal Government, Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato officially launched the new centre.