The STEAM education centre is in its preliminary stage with construction set to start in 2019. The college planned for students to occupy the new building by 2020. 

The project is estimated to cost about $8 million. The college received $1.7 million through a capital grants program in December. The remaining funds will be sourced from the college’s own resources.

St Brigid’s College business manager Tony Nield said the college released conceptual drawings to show a three-dimensional perspective of the future building.

Mr Nield said it was an exciting building venture that was years in the making. He said the centre will become a key feature at the school. 

“The uniquely designed science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics centre will be a hub of modern learning that integrates digital and design technologies, creative and performing arts, maker spaces, 3D printing, sciences and mathematics into a modern learning facility,” he said. 

The STEAM education centre will offer learning areas for various subjects including science, visual communications, woodwork, information technology and a new resource centre. 

“These key learning areas will have defined spaces. But, there’s a central makers space where creativity and problem solving is allowed to be expressed,” he said. 

“The spaces will be traditional learning spaces that allow, as required, interaction between them.” 

He said the college was excited to become the first secondary school in regional Victoria to build a STEAM education centre.

“STEAM has been around for awhile in other states, but not so much in country Victoria. We were aware of the studies and have been planning towards this for several years,” he said. 

“We are really excited about launching this building and the student’s learning that will go with it. It can provide the best possible future for our students and equip them with jobs that may not exist today, but are being created as we speak.”