The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion
The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion
Client:
The Gordon Institute of TAFE
Location:
Geelong, Victoria
Status:
Under construction (2026)
Contact Person:
Ruth Wilson
The Gordon’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion is designed to transform vocational education and training in Victoria, making it more accessible, inclusive and enriching for everyone.
The first of its kind in the state, the $36 million centre will focus on improvement, innovation and system-wide change across the TAFE sector.
A genuine co-creation process
From the outset, our design team embraced the project’s genuinely collaborative process, working closely with The Gordon and their Co-Creation Team to bring a shared vision for inclusive learning to life.
The nine-member Co-Creation group includes diverse learners with disability who’ve either studied at or graduated from The Gordon.
Overall, more than 180 stakeholders contributed to the process, from students, families, and educators to employers, disability advocates and government partners.
“By centering the lived experience of people with disability at every stage of design and delivery, we are setting a new benchmark for how TAFE can support learners with disability to learn, belong and succeed.”
Joe Ormeno
CEO of The Gordon
A lasting, meaningful impact
The Gordon is working closely with people with disability, educators, government agencies and industry to ensure the Centre delivers lasting impact across the TAFE system in Victoria, where:
-17% of Victorians live with a disability
-TAFE graduates with disability are less likely to be employed after training (62%) than those without disability (81%), and
-12.2% is the unemployment rate for Victorians with disability, compared to 4.5% for other Victorians.*
People participating in the project have described the work as “trailblazing”, highlighting its potential to influence policy, design, and practice throughout the state.
Located at The Gordon’s City Campus in Geelong, the Centre is expected to open in 2027.
*All data: The Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion
Client:
The Gordon Institute of TAFE
Location:
Geelong, Victoria
Status:
Under construction (2026)
Contact Person:
Ruth Wilson
