A country-leading technological hub at Wodonga to advance driver training, autonomous vehicle innovation and more is a step closer to reality with funding for a business case.
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Wodonga TAFE will use $450,000 in Victorian government funding to plan for the $100 million Heavy Vehicle Training Program and associated infrastructure.
Chief executive Phil Paterson said there was "huge demand for future skill sets" that would be enabled by the expansion of their site within the Logic Wodonga precinct.
"This (demand) ... is both in terms of the need from our heavy vehicle industry, but also emergency services and Defence," he said.
"We need to make sure we get the business case done so that we can feed into both the state budget and also any opportunities with the Commonwealth."
Regional Development Minister Mary-Anne Thomas toured TAFE's facility and met with partners including O'Brien and Ron Finemore transport companies.
"We look to the future, diesel potentially being replaced by hydrogen, and automated vehicles - what does that mean for the skills that will be required?" she said.
"We currently are experiencing a shortage of heavy vehicle drivers.
"This is an essential industry for our nation ... Albury-Wodonga is so strategically important for so many reasons."
Ms Thomas said it was important a business case was done "ahead of making major financial commitments".
"But we do those business cases with a view that the case will be built and will be well-placed to attract that funding," she said.
Wodonga TAFE board chair Allison Jenvey said it would be "future-focused".
"The heavy vehicle training program will create hundreds of jobs and deliver a highly skilled workforce, making Australia's heavy vehicle autonomous convoys and robotic operations more advanced," she said.
"(It will be) improving heavy vehicle operations by planning and building a facility for the future, catering for autonomous driving, hydrogen-powered trucks, drone capabilities, robotics and mechatronics and with a diverse proving and testing facility for all industries."
Mr Paterson said discussions with council remained ongoing.
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"Until we have a bit more certainty around both the business case but also grant funding, it's probably a bit premature to be too deep into any discussions around procurement of the land," he said.
The Victorian government also announced a $120,000 grant for the Lake Hume Masterplan.
