Vol. 19 No. 38
FREE PUBLICATION
Australian Editorial Award 2016
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
ALL SORTS OF FUN: Horsham’s Holy Trinity Lutheran School student Gemma Freijah wears a plate of tasty treats atop her head for the school’s annual Crazy Hair Day. Students – and parents – used bright colours and props to present a wide array of creative looks. The day, along with providing fun for students, raised money for the Leukaemia Foundation. For more photos, visit The Weekly Advertiser website at www. theweeklyadvertiser. com.au. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Nervous wait
E
BY DEAN LAWSON
ducation officials are likely to know within the next week if Longerenong College will be able to open its doors to international students.
College leaders are waiting ‘with bated breath’ for news of an application for Commonwealth approval to provide education services to overseas applicants keen to study agriculture in the region. The college has been working to win a place on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students, CRICOS, as a
IN THIS ISSUE
result of growing international student inquiries. College campus head and former student John Goldsmith said he expected to get notification about the application this week. “We really are waiting with bated breath and we’re hoping that the saying ‘good things come to those who wait’ is true in this case,” he said. “We’re confident we’ve ticked all the boxes involving what’s needed and required and I was hoping we might have heard last week.” Longerenong College, operated by Skillinvest, provides vocational training through Advanced Diploma
of Agriculture and Certificate IV in Agriculture as well as many other agricultural-based courses. Its student numbers is growing steadily and this year it has more than 100 full-time students, the biggest cohort in in more than 15 years. The students are studying for diploma or certificate qualifications and most this year are pursuing Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management qualifications. College business development officer Donna Winfield said international student inquiries had steadily increased during the past five to seven years.
might react if the application failed, said ‘he was not entertaining any thoughts about a negative response’. “I haven’t really entered any thoughts about that, because this is the right move,” he said. The Longerenong developments come at the same time the Victorian Chamber of Commerce has called for greater investment in regional Victorian agribusiness and infrastructure and an increase in agricultural students. The chamber made the declaration in response to its Agribusiness Taskforce Harvesting Growth for Victoria report. Continued page 3
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“We are getting more and more every year from places such as India, Africa, right across Asia and even Europe and the United Kingdom,” she said. “If we get the go-ahead, we can start accepting international students from February next year. We’re confident it’s going to happen.” If the college’s application is successful the move is likely to significantly bolster student numbers, dramatically expand the college’s direction and dynamics and open the door for greater tertiary-based investment in the region. Mr Goldsmith, when asked how he
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free birthday photo booth
1987 HORSHAM
PLAZA CELEBRATING 30 YEARS
Celebrate our 30th birthday with a photo of you and your friends to take home 11am to 3pm Mon to Fri, April 3-7 Enjoy our props to animate your photos - or bring your own 1980’s props
school holiday entertainment
Painted Mask Craft Workshops, only $3 11am to 3pm Mon to Fri, April 3-7