At risk: Bass Coast Adult Learning has offered a unique blend of education and pastoral care to
some of Bass Coast’s most disadvantaged residents for over 30 years.
some of Bass Coast’s most disadvantaged residents for over 30 years.
By Catherine Watson
BASS Coast Adult Learning (BCAL) has been placed in voluntary administration after its committee concluded there was no viable path through the financial difficulties that have dogged the learning centre for more than a decade.
The BCAL committee voted on Thursday to appoint insolvency specialists Worrells to take control.
The administrator will determine whether BCAL can be salvaged, with an assessment expected in the coming weeks.
BASS Coast Adult Learning (BCAL) has been placed in voluntary administration after its committee concluded there was no viable path through the financial difficulties that have dogged the learning centre for more than a decade.
The BCAL committee voted on Thursday to appoint insolvency specialists Worrells to take control.
The administrator will determine whether BCAL can be salvaged, with an assessment expected in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, all classes will continue as usual.
The community-operated centre, in White Road, Wonthaggi, has offered a unique blend of education and pastoral care to some of Bass Coast’s most disadvantaged residents for over 30 years.
The community-operated centre, in White Road, Wonthaggi, has offered a unique blend of education and pastoral care to some of Bass Coast’s most disadvantaged residents for over 30 years.
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Though it ran hobby courses and short vocational courses, much of its funding was tied to helping disadvantaged adults, jobseekers, migrants, people with disabilities and others build foundation skills and pathways into employment.
As former BCAL president Graeme Charles said, “BCAL has become a second home to many of our students." |
The White Road site is owned by Bass Coast Shire Council. BCAL is the principal lessee and South Coast FM, Wonthaggi Woodcrafters and Wonthaggi U3A are sub-tenants. |
While BCAL was winning prestigious education awards for innovative and inclusive approaches to post-secondary education, however, it was slowly going broke.
It recorded a deficit in all but one of the past 11 years. The sole surplus came during the COVID period, supported by JobKeeper payments and an earlier $50,000 bailout from Bass Coast Shire Council.
Since then it has steadily run down its reserves, with last year’s deficit particularly severe.
Mr Charles said the tertiary funding model wasn’t built for small, rural, community-based training providers operating in “thin markets”, with low numbers of potential students for particular courses.
The final straw was a recent Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) audit that placed BCAL’s registration as a training provider at risk. The regulator later agreed to extend its registration until December but the financial difficulties were overwhelming.
“When we reviewed our budget recently, it was clear that by the end of the year we were going to be running out of cash again.
“The committee resolved to call in the administrators because of the likelihood of insolvency down the track. That effectively means the committee has no further involvement at this stage.”
Mr Charles admitted there was a measure of relief in handing over. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights looking for a way out. There are still the sleepless nights, but it’s no longer our responsibility.”
Minister’s call
BCAL’s likely closure puts pressure on Skills and TAFE Minister Colin Brooks to map out the future of trades training in Bass Coast.
In a letter to Mr Brooks in April, BCAL laid out its position in stark terms and asked for an urgent meeting to discuss the future of post-secondary education in the shire. Two months on, despite follow-up emails, they have yet to hear from the Minister.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale told the Post she had informed the Minister's office of the latest developments and expected a response.
Staff and students
Mr Charles said that at this stage he believes BCAL can pay all staff entitlements but if not they will be covered by the federally funded Fair Entitlements Guarantee.
As for students, he hopes a TAFE provider – either Gippsland TAFE or Community College Gippsland – will absorb BCAL's accredited courses in horticulture and hairdressing. While certificate students will be offered a place at another TAFE college, they will have to travel out of Bass Coast.
The students most likely to be left without options are BCAL's NDIS clients and migrant learners enrolled in the English as an Additional Language program.
The demise of BCAL would remove a welcoming and supportive place for disadvantaged residents and newly arrived migrants and refugees learning English.
Over many years BCAL has offered them opportunities to develop new skills, while at the same time discovering and expanding social and friendship networks.
Alternative providers
Chisholm Institute has a campus adjacent to BCAL, but also faces uncertainty over its future in the shire, with persistent strong rumours that it is keen to leave Bass Coast.
A spokesperson told the Post it would "continue to offer courses at our Bass Coast campus to meet the needs of our students, local employers and the Bass Coast community”.
It currently offers five courses in early childhood education, accounting and bookkeeping, school-based education support, and individual support for ageing and disability, and is taking enrolments for a new Certificate III in Pathology Collection, due to start in July.
However, the bulk of learning is online, with limited face-to-face class time.
TAFE Gippsland, which has campuses in nine locations including Leongatha, has expressed interest in establishing a Wonthaggi campus. It is seeking State Government funding for a purpose-built facility near the new Bass Coast College site so any relief would not be immediate.
With five campuses in Gippsland and south-eastern Melbourne, Community College Gippsland has also shown interest but is not immediately placed to fill the void.
Ultimately the Minister will decide which tertiary institutions operate in Bass Coast – but with BCAL’s likely closure the pressure is on to find a replacement by the end of the year.
It recorded a deficit in all but one of the past 11 years. The sole surplus came during the COVID period, supported by JobKeeper payments and an earlier $50,000 bailout from Bass Coast Shire Council.
Since then it has steadily run down its reserves, with last year’s deficit particularly severe.
Mr Charles said the tertiary funding model wasn’t built for small, rural, community-based training providers operating in “thin markets”, with low numbers of potential students for particular courses.
The final straw was a recent Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) audit that placed BCAL’s registration as a training provider at risk. The regulator later agreed to extend its registration until December but the financial difficulties were overwhelming.
“When we reviewed our budget recently, it was clear that by the end of the year we were going to be running out of cash again.
“The committee resolved to call in the administrators because of the likelihood of insolvency down the track. That effectively means the committee has no further involvement at this stage.”
Mr Charles admitted there was a measure of relief in handing over. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights looking for a way out. There are still the sleepless nights, but it’s no longer our responsibility.”
Minister’s call
BCAL’s likely closure puts pressure on Skills and TAFE Minister Colin Brooks to map out the future of trades training in Bass Coast.
In a letter to Mr Brooks in April, BCAL laid out its position in stark terms and asked for an urgent meeting to discuss the future of post-secondary education in the shire. Two months on, despite follow-up emails, they have yet to hear from the Minister.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale told the Post she had informed the Minister's office of the latest developments and expected a response.
Staff and students
Mr Charles said that at this stage he believes BCAL can pay all staff entitlements but if not they will be covered by the federally funded Fair Entitlements Guarantee.
As for students, he hopes a TAFE provider – either Gippsland TAFE or Community College Gippsland – will absorb BCAL's accredited courses in horticulture and hairdressing. While certificate students will be offered a place at another TAFE college, they will have to travel out of Bass Coast.
The students most likely to be left without options are BCAL's NDIS clients and migrant learners enrolled in the English as an Additional Language program.
The demise of BCAL would remove a welcoming and supportive place for disadvantaged residents and newly arrived migrants and refugees learning English.
Over many years BCAL has offered them opportunities to develop new skills, while at the same time discovering and expanding social and friendship networks.
Alternative providers
Chisholm Institute has a campus adjacent to BCAL, but also faces uncertainty over its future in the shire, with persistent strong rumours that it is keen to leave Bass Coast.
A spokesperson told the Post it would "continue to offer courses at our Bass Coast campus to meet the needs of our students, local employers and the Bass Coast community”.
It currently offers five courses in early childhood education, accounting and bookkeeping, school-based education support, and individual support for ageing and disability, and is taking enrolments for a new Certificate III in Pathology Collection, due to start in July.
However, the bulk of learning is online, with limited face-to-face class time.
TAFE Gippsland, which has campuses in nine locations including Leongatha, has expressed interest in establishing a Wonthaggi campus. It is seeking State Government funding for a purpose-built facility near the new Bass Coast College site so any relief would not be immediate.
With five campuses in Gippsland and south-eastern Melbourne, Community College Gippsland has also shown interest but is not immediately placed to fill the void.
Ultimately the Minister will decide which tertiary institutions operate in Bass Coast – but with BCAL’s likely closure the pressure is on to find a replacement by the end of the year.