Thinking of moving to study? Try city life without the chaos

Being located centrally in Geelong, we offer the perfect balance: a welcoming regional city with plenty of opportunities, a supportive community feel, the kind of lifestyle that makes the transition away from home feel manageable.

With the best of both city and coastal living, Geelong offers students the freedom of an urban lifestyle without losing the comfort of home. It’s a place where you can build independence, focus on what’s next, and still feel supported along the way. City living, without the overwhelm.

At The Gordon, students benefit from over 138 years of hands‑on, practical training that prepares them to be genuinely job‑ready when they complete their certificate, diploma or advanced diploma. Families can feel confident that a move to Geelong isn’t just a lifestyle decision - it’s an investment in real skills and strong career outcomes.

To help share these opportunities, our Student Recruitment Officer, Grace Brodie, travelled across the Western District with the Tertiary Information Service (TIS), visiting Hamilton, Portland, Warrnambool, Camperdown and Colac. Over four days and more than 700 kilometres, Grace met over a thousand Year 11 and 12 students to talk about what could come next after school.

For many regional students, visiting campuses isn’t easy due to distance. That’s why TIS brings information directly to them. Meeting students face‑to‑face in their own communities opens up conversations about options they might not have considered - whether that’s TAFE, university, apprenticeships or pathways that combine them.

Grace sees this every year.

One of the biggest benefits for Western District families is the flexibility of study pathways. The Gordon has strong partnerships with Deakin University, allowing students to begin with practical, supportive TAFE study before continuing to a university degree. This pathway is a great option for students who want a similar education path to what they are used to and not leaping straight into university seminars that may have 300 people in them.

Students who prefer to stay living in the Western District can also take advantage of block training for apprenticeships, staying at our Student Residence at East Geelong Campus during their study blocks. Our residence is available for short stays during training or long‑term accommodation for students who choose to base themselves in Geelong.

For families, it’s reassuring to know that The Gordon supports a wide range of study needs, whether your young person wants to move away, stay closer to home or gradually ease into independence.

A move to Geelong means students get the best of both worlds: city opportunities, a coastal lifestyle and a community that still feels like home.