The course and Certificates in English as a Second Language (ESL) are designed for adults from non-English speaking backgrounds. Students learn English as a second language to prepare them for living in Australia. Students will have improved educational and vocational pathways through learning and using new English skills. The courses provide students with opportunities to improve English language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Numeracy is also covered in the Course in ESL. The courses cover employment and living skills, knowledge of Australian Society and strategies for successful transition into work or further study in Australia. The certificate courses are offered in access, employment, professional and further study and each includes a range of units. Every Certificate level requires a level of English corresponding with the descriptors provided by the International Second Language Proficiency Rating (ISLPR). Courses in Employment and Further Studies may also be available. Please contact the ESL department on 5225 0870 for more information.
The Gordon Institute of TAFE grew out of the need for technical training in the brave new world of the 1800s industrial age. From its origins as a mechanics institute and a night school for tradespeople, the Gordon has become the embodiment of quality vocational education and training in Geelong and beyond.
During the late 1800s, Geelong's increasing importance as an industrial centre, along with a worrying overseas trend showing Britain was losing its traditional markets to the United States and Europe, spurred leading Geelong citizens to campaign for greater technical training. However, it was another overseas event that hastened the Gordon's development.
The heroic exploits of British general Charles Gordon had captured Geelong's imagination. His death during the siege of Khartoum in Africa prompted calls for a memorial. One proposal, backed by a military battalion brass band, suggested a statue but others wanted something more meaningful. What better memorial could there be, it was said, for a man whose life was devoted to civic duty and, especially, to the education of the disadvantaged, than a vocational institute?
Since opening in 1887, in a single-storied hall and operating mainly night classes for tradespeople, the Gordon has developed into an institution operating across five campuses. The Gordon offers 220 nationally recognised courses in seven teaching schools, as well as 240 specialist courses exploring a wide range of career options. There is an annual enrolment of 26,000 students.