New tech centre for La Trobe campus

LA TROBE University Bendigo will begin ramping up its digital technology offerings in the first six months of next year with a new Digital Operations Centre. 

The move comes as a result of a new partnership with audit and accountancy firm Deloitte Australia which is seeking to increase the digital skills of the local workforce and provide a pathway for students to work for the company after graduating. 

Regional pro-vice-chancellor at La Trobe, Melanie Bish, said the partnership was about providing local employment opportunities for graduating students and hands-on training for existing workers in the region in tech roles. 

“The partnership really enhances our ability to create more learning opportunities for local students and make our contribution to the digital and technology workforces in Central Victoria,” she said. 

“La Trobe University and Deloitte Australia have a shared interest in the technology driven change that’s happening across not only Australia but globally. 

“We’re really interested in, from a university perspective, focussing on producing highly employable graduates that can then take those digital and technology skills into Central Victorian businesses. 

“To not only address the critical digital and technology workforce shortages, but also to increase the technology-led transformation that’s happening across key sectors in industry at the moment.” 

Students currently enrolled in several of its courses, particularly those in computer science, information technology, and business, will have access to work-integrated learning experiences at Deloitte. 

“What we’re aiming to do is make sure that the learning experiences for students, that are focussed on those digital and technological skills, are keeping pace with the change,” Ms Bish said. 

“As that technology-driven change evolves, so too will the learning opportunities that come through this partnership.”