General News
13 March, 2024
Keert to lead new tech school
PLANS for the new Warrnambool Tech School continue to take shape, with a director to lead the school announced this week.
After more than a decade as Cobden Technical School’s principal, Rohan Keert has announced he would be taking on the role.
He said he would take up the new position from mid Term 2.
As part of the new role, Mr Keert will be tasked with establishing and leading a new Tech School in Warrnambool.
He said it would be a hi-tech STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) centre of excellence.
“Warrnambool Tech School will be housed within the South West TAFE campus site and engage secondary students from government and non-government schools across the three local government areas of Corangamite, Moyne and Warrnambool in single or multi-day programs linked to the curriculum at their home school,” Mr Keert said.
“All programs and bus transport will be provided entirely free of charge for schools and students.
“The new centre will connect schools and industry in contemporary learning programs that challenge students to solve problems in a real-world context – bridging the gap between emerging industries and future innovators.”
He said the Warrnambool Tech School would be designed to “elicit an immediate positive reaction from students and visitors”.
“Learning spaces will be designed to support the learning programs on offer, providing a variety of spaces for different activities, including the regular use of hi-tech equipment chosen to support the learning programs including 3D printing, robotics, coding and other emerging trends,” Mr Keert said.
“It is anticipated that the Warrnambool Tech School will be opened and operating by Term 3, 2026.”
Mr Keert said there had been a number of highlights over the past 10 years which made him proud to belong to the Cobden Tech community.
“These include the establish-ment of the Corangamite Trade Training Cluster, the 50th Anniversary celebrations, and the way our school adapted to the relocation to Camperdown College during the St Patrick’s Day fires,” he said.
“However, it is the small, everyday interactions with students that I will miss the most.”
