Lessons begin at Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence

An event was attended on Thursday inaugurating Melbourne Polytechnic’s Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence, which is being built with $50 million of federal and state government support.

The site at Heidelberg aims to address Australia’s housing challenges through training that keeps pace with the adoption of new technologies which draw from manufacturing, such as the use of robotics and additive manufacturing of structures.

The centre recently launched its first pilot course, “Rethinking Construction – Introduction to Modern Methods of Construction”.

“The activation of the Centre is an exciting milestone, and is the culmination of an enormous effort by the Melbourne Polytechnic team in collaboration with industry partners,” said CEO of Melbourne Polytechnic, Frances Coppolillo, in a statement on Thursday.  

Damien Crough, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of prefabAUS, said the centre is “an important integrator and aggregator that brings industry together with the vocational education and training sector. 

“It will support industry as we transition towards more advanced manufacturing and industrialised construction, providing the skills we need to do so.” 

The Centre will host a new innovation centre and national hub, with construction expected to begin in late-2026 and completion in 2029. 

Memoranda of Understanding were signed in June between the Polytechnic and construction leaders, peak bodies and TAFEs on the co-design of a new innovation centre and national hub for training.

Picture: supplied

Further reading

Melbourne Polytechnic to get new Modern Methods of Construction hub in 2029

New Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence opens at Heidelberg

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