The $35m Victoria University Sunshine Skills Hub is a three-storey, state of the art simulated learning facility offering TAFE courses targeting skills shortages in health, community services and trades in Melbourne’s bourgeoning west.

The building’s design centres on the practical side of learning that will complement the University’s trade training centre with courses designed to develop work-ready graduates in construction technologies, advanced manufacturing and health technologies, and health and community services.

Purposefully designed to give students learning opportunities in simulation environments, the facility will be fully equipped with an impressive range of specialised teaching equipment including virtual reality goggles, robots, and computerised mannequins to replicate real-life scenarios. Nursing and community health labs, learning studios, and simulation hospital wards are provided for students studying paramedics, early childhood care, and counselling.

The building design features highly articulated architectural expression and extensive use of timber to enhance student and staff experience, reticulated medical gas for teaching and learning, performance-based fire engineering to improve connectivity throughout the building and extensive wireless access coverage both inside and external to the building. The building is benchmarked on 5-Star GreenStar and features a range of initiatives to reduce operational costs and demonstrate leadership in sustainability.

The three-storey Hub will also provide a campus café with a kitchenette for students, campus student services, staff accommodation for 20 employees, learning commons to house the book collection, IT and research support services, fixed computers and myriad informal learning spaces.

AECOM provided excellence in engineering consulting and project management to ensure the project delivered on its vision. The project has demonstrated our strength in providing complementary design and project management services while working alongside Woods Bagot Architects