Trev Birks of Bendigo Brewing and Nicole Broe of Bendigo TAFE

In what organisers say is a first for Victoria, Bendigo TAFE and Kangan Institute have launched a vocational course in microbrewing.

Following the introduction of TAFE courses in Queensland and New South Wales, Bendigo is the latest to offer a Certificate III in Food Processing (Micro Brewing).

The course is available from February 2021, finishing in December 2021, and will offer online, on-campus and work placement learning.

In a media statement, Nicole Broe, director of the Food and Fibre Centre of Excellence at Bendigo TAFE said the course would provide a great opportunity for entrants to the brewing industry.

“Until now budding brewers in Victoria could only quench their thirst for education in brewing by studying at university, which is great if you want to be a head brewer but not so great if you’re seeking a qualification to secure an entry-level role in micro-brewing,” she said.

Brow explained that students would be able to work with industry partners including Bendigo Brewing, a new microbrewery set to launch next year on a McCrae Street site.

One of the people involved in the new brewery is Trev Birks.

“In 2021 we’re looking forward to welcoming the Bendigo TAFE students to Bendigo Brewing, where our industry professionals will play a role in teaching them their craft on the very site where brewing was pioneered in the region,” he said in the statement.

Education and the development of specialist brewing courses to ensure ongoing quality and consistency in Australian brewing has been a major focus in the industry in recent years. Organisations such as the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and the Independent Brewers Association have been developing courses or working with providers to ensure brewing education opportunities.

Richard Adamson, director at the IBA, said the organisation was working with TAFE nationally to increase the coverage of training.

Meanwhile, in South Australia, a brewing traineeship pilot scheme was launched earlier this year, and a Queensland high school took the initiative and launched its own Certificate III course in brewing for students.