Cire named top community training provider in Victoria

Cire Services has been named the top community training provider in Victoria, validating Cire Training’s leading reputation for excellence and its innovative programs designed to enhance the employment pathways of people of all ages throughout the Yarra Ranges and beyond.

Cire claimed the coveted title when it won the Community Training Provider category at the Victorian Department of Education and Training’s 65th Anniversary Victorian Training Awards evening at Crown Palladium on Friday 6 September.

The awards are the most prestigious event on the TAFE and training calendar, showcasing the ‘best of the best’ in the sector as well as highlighting how Vocational Education and Training (VET) is making a powerful and enduring difference to individuals and communities.

Further reinforcing its reputation, Cire was a recent finalist in three categories in the 2019 Learn Local Awards: Learn Local Legend; Victorian Learn Local Practitioner Award – Nina Bekker, Cire Training’s Business Development Manager; and the Victorian Learn Local Creating Local Solutions Award – Women’s Warehouse Essentials.

Cire’s CEO, Gus Seremetis said the string of award accolades was a thrilling acknowledgement of Cire’s work, with much to look forward to in the future. She noted the true measure of Cire’s success was the high number of participants who find employment after undertaking training at Cire and the huge increase in course enrolments.

 ‘We are proud of our quality and innovative approaches to upskilling people to enhance their employment pathways, and the positive difference this makes  at so many levels and well beyond the classroom,’ Mrs Seremetis said.

‘Our award successes are a particular tribute to the hard work of our team at Cire Training and the way all our services work in collaboration to deliver to people of all ages within our extensive reach.’

Cire Training prides itself on a try before you buy approach to its programs, and being agile in order to assist and be accessible to cohorts experiencing disadvantage.

The Try a Trade tasters, run in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology, have been extremely successful with more than 36 per cent of participants enrolling in pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships. Cire’s accredited and pre-accredited courses combine practicality and entrepreneurship with subjects such as cooking, literacy, computer skills and financial literacy. The Women’s Warehouse program empowers long-term unemployed women; 70 per cent of participants have achieved employment.  Cire’s pre-accredited enrolments have doubled in the past three years.

Executive Manager, Cire Education and Training, Anna Louise Allen commended the team at Cire Training for its strong commitment to the people of the Yarra Valley by developing programs that support re-engagement in work and learning.