Ballarat vocational hub closes as state shifts contract to Melbourne
Highlands LLEN closes after Victoria awards its contract to Melbourne City Mission, a group with no local presence.
Highlands Local Learning and Employment Network will close after 25 years of connecting young people in Ballarat and the Central Highlands to vocational training, work experience and jobs. Five staff will lose their jobs.
The organisation bid to run its School to Work program through 2029 but lost the contract to Melbourne City Mission instead. Ben Taylor called the decision confusing because the tender stressed local connections.
The closure follows another blow: the Department of Education is taking over VET clusters from 2027, removing another major income stream. Taylor said the organisation has reserve funds but cannot keep running without core government funding.
- 25 years
- Years operating
- 5 staff
- Jobs lost
- 296 work experience
- Placements this year
- Melbourne City Mission
- Winning contractor
Why it mattersYoung people in the region lose a dedicated local link to work experience placements, trades training and employer relationships built over 25 years.
AustraliaBallarat and Central Highlands students will rely on Melbourne-based services for vocational training support, losing local knowledge and regional industry connections.
