News and events

Alliance Announced with E.W.Tipping

i-GAIN are delighted to advise you that we have announced the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the E.W.Tipping Foundation (EWTF) that will lead to a formal alliance of our two organisations.

For further information click on the links below:

Alliance News - 5th Edition / Media Release

Gippsland is getting around Australia

The craze is catching. Gippsland numberplates have been seen in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Don't miss this great opportunity to promote our beautiful region every time you drive.

Send us a photo of your car and number-plate next time you are interstate and we will display it on our website.

To purchase a numberplate or to find out more contact i-GAIN reception: (03) 5135 4300 or enquiries@igain.vic.edu.au

Click here to learn more about this exciting project and for information on how to order your own Gippsland number plates.

Course changing career

Choosing a career path is no longer as straightforward as deciding what you want to do and then working in the same field for the next 40 to 50 years.

In fact, research shows that most people will change jobs or careers five to 10 times during their working life, and many of those changes involved further education. Just ask i-GAIN's nail and beauty technician instructor, Tracey Cook!

After leaving school at 15, Tracey worked in retail, as a housemaid and even ventured into management while raising a family over the next 19 years. But she wasn't satisfied.

"My daughter was a hairdresser, and although that was what I had always wanted to be, I didn't think it fair to compete with her dream," Tracey said. Her work hours were cut back unexpectedly and with her husband only able to secure casual work, times were tough for the Cook family.

With the encouragement and support of her family, Tracey made the brave decision to do a nail technician's course and she has never looked back. She established a small home-based business and then overcame her low self-esteem to apply for a nail technician position at a Traralgon salon.

Tracey had found her niche and was soon working six days and two evenings per week and still had a long waiting list of clients. Her next step was to go into business with her daughter and sister in a larger salon, which grew to support a staff of six. Tracey and her sister then opened a second business running nail technician courses.

Not only was Tracey sharing her passion by serving her clients, she was now sharing her passion with a new generation of technicians who came to her as students. And when she decided to close the training side of the business, she was snapped up by i-GAIN Quality Learning Inc to teach the new Certificate III in Beauty Services and Certificate II in Nail Technology.

"i-GAIN has many courses which can help people who are at that crossroads and who want to change their career," Tracey said, "And because so many of the i-GAIN team have already done it themselves, we understand how people may be feeling." Among the career changes made by existing i-GAIN team members are a former boilermaker now working in disability services, and kindergarten assistants, media workers and local government employees who have become tutors and managers.

i-GAIN is a valuable source of continuous learning which opens pathways to different career opportunities. The nail and beauty courses have attracted students aged from 16 to 62 years old, from throughout the Latrobe Valley and as far east as Sale.

Community Models Needed!

Come along to i-GAIN's Beauty Department and enjoy a low cost pampering.

Students of i-GAIN's Beauty Department are keen to practise their newly acquired skills and invite members of the community to treat themselves to a beauty treatment.

A range of nail and waxing treatments are available from costs starting as low as $5.00. 

Call 5135 4300 for an appointment now.