At the last state election Labor promised to reopen Greensborough TAFE, and we have.

Four years after it closed because of funding cuts by the Liberals, the TAFE campus has reopened for 2017, returning skills and training to the people of Greensborough and north-east Melbourne.

The official reopening took place at a breakfast with Melbourne Polytechnic staff and stakeholders who have played a vital role in making the reopening a reality.

Melbourne Polytechnic (formerly Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE) was hit hard by the Liberals’ funding cuts and received $19.5 million from the TAFE Rescue Fund – including $10 million to re-open Greensborough. This was added to last year with an additional $20 million to ensure Melbourne Polytechnic was ready to hit the ground running when the Greensborough campus reopened.

Among the courses being offered at the campus this year are certificates in community services and mental health, business and accounting, floristry, bookkeeping and property services.

It means local people will have access to real training close to home so they can get a real job.

The Greensborough TAFE campus will also be home to the new Banyule Tech School which is expected to open in 2018.

A big thank you to all the organisations who helped make this a reality, and especially to the tradies who worked hard over Christmas to ensure everything was ready to go.

Pictured: Colin Brooks with Vicki Ward MP (Member for Eltham) and pathology students at the reopening of the Greenbsorough TAFE campus.