What is the ACE?

About the ACE

What is the ACE?

The ACE is positioned to become the largest and most advanced automotive training facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

Victoria is the hub of the Australian automotive industry. It is home to three of the four vehicle manufacturers, more than half of the industry's jobs, 58 per cent of its production, and more than 54 per cent of its exports.

In recognition of the importance of the automotive industry to Victoria's economy the Victorian government provided Kangan Batman Institute of TAFE, Victoria's largest provider of automotive training, with $20.5 million to establish and develop the ACE.

The ACE will be a focal point of the Victorian automotive industry, bringing together automotive training, and research and development, in one precinct.

Strengthening links between the automotive industry and the tertiary education sector, the ACE will become a key player in the rapidly developing field of automotive technology, involved in new research and application of improved fuels, engines and automotive design technology.

Where is the ACE?

The ACE is being built at the Docklands in three stages. Stage One is located at 1 Batman's Hill Drive, just west of the Melbourne CBD, and adjacent to the Fox Classic Car Collection. This central location is easily accessible for both metropolitan and country students. Planning has commenced for the next two stages, to establish a further TAFE facility on the north side of the Collins Street extension.

Features of the ACE

  • the ACE features innovative and sustainable environmental design principles and practices, for which it has received a 5 Green Star rating for energy and sustainable design, from the Green Building Council of Australia
  • the ACE utilises the latest technology and equipment to obtain excellent training facilities in a compact space
  • the ACE offers two teaching shifts, covering 12 to 14 hours a day, allowing more employer friendly, flexible training opportunities
  • the ACE offers new learning technologies that provide a more flexible learning environment

Ownership and Funding

The ACE is an investment in state-of-the-art technology, research and training.

Stage One was funded by the Office of Training and Tertiary Education (OTTE). Kangan Batman TAFE is currently working to attract both public and private funding from appropriate organisations, to complete planning and design work for further stages of the ACE.

The ACE is built on Crown land, on a site leased to the Fox Trust by the Federal Government, and sub-leased to Kangan Batman TAFE in 2004. Both leases are for 99 years, at a token rental.

What will it mean to the Automotive Industry?

The ACE will support the progress of the automotive industry into the 21st century.

The ACE concept has been developed in consultation with the automotive industry which has identified the need for:

  • increased innovation capabilities within the industry
  • a better, more integrated approach to education and training, and research and development
  • highly-skilled staff trained in the latest technology
  • centralising of training to allow resource sharing and the ability to constantly update technology
  • on-going professional development for existing staff, in particular in leadership training for management staff, bringing together the TAFE, university and corporate education and training systems

Employability skills

All Training Packages have been reviewed to ensure that Employability Skills feature in their units of competency and all new Training Packages must now include Employability Skills.

Employability Skills are skills that apply across a variety of jobs and life contexts. They are sometimes referred to as key skills, core skills, life skills, essential skills, key competencies, necessary skills, and transferable skills. Industry's preferred.

To view the employability skills summaries for qualifications you are interested in visit http://employabilityskills.training.com.au.