The Gordon

What The Gordon does

The Gordon, legally the Gordon Institute of TAFE, is a government-owned vocational education and training institution headquartered in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, operating across four campus locations in the Geelong and Werribee regions. The institution delivers accredited vocational programs spanning Certificates III through Advanced Diplomas across more than ten study areas, including building trades, automotive and engineering, animal studies, health and science, business and IT, early childhood education, cookery and hospitality, hair and beauty, horticulture, visual arts, and community services. It also offers VCE senior secondary programs, apprenticeships and traineeships, Free TAFE subsidized courses, and non-accredited short courses such as welding certification and wildlife care.

The Gordon's revenue model is anchored in government-funded training under Victoria's Skills First Program, supplemented by VET Student Loans, full-fee domestic tuition, international student tuition under CRICOS Provider No. 00011G, and short-course fees. Pricing is structured as hourly unit rates, with concession and Free TAFE options available for eligible Victorian students. The institution is registered as a training organisation under TOID 3044 and holds CRICOS accreditation for international student delivery. Its go-to-market combines direct enrollment via website, phone, and in-person channels, five annual Info Nights across campuses, VET in Schools partnerships with secondary schools, apprenticeship coordination through employer networks, and international student recruitment via Education Agents.

The institution maintains affiliate partnerships with the Geelong Tech School, The Culinary Collective, the Skills and Jobs Centre, and the Skilling the Bay regional workforce initiative, forming an integrated regional training and employment ecosystem. Recent strategic activity includes the 2025 launch of a Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion and a nationally accredited EV Diagnostics course, and the May 2026 appointment of Darryl Mohr as Board Chair.

Name

The Gordon

Legal name

Gordon Institute of TAFE

Website

https://thegordon.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Gordon (Gordon Institute of TAFE) is a government-owned vocational education institution in Geelong, Victoria, delivering accredited Certificates, Diplomas, apprenticeships, and short courses across trades, health, IT, and creative industries to domestic, international, and secondary school students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Short-Term Certificate & Micro-Credential Programs (International) (EDAIAIAI), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• TAFE courses
• Apprenticeships traineeships
• Technical trade training
• VET programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Geelong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Training (Skills First Program): The primary revenue stream comes from Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding through the Skills First Program, which subsidizes tuition for eligible students. The government contributes funds toward the cost of training, with most students eligible for this subsidised funding.
2. VET Student Loans (VSL): Australian Government loan scheme allowing eligible students to defer tuition costs for Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Students may be eligible if they are Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders, or qualifying New Zealand citizens, and meet academic requirements.
3. Full Fee Tuition: International students and those not eligible for government funding pay full fee tuition. For example, Certificate III in Floristry full fee is AUD $17.99 per hour totaling approximately AUD $16,641 for the full course.
4. International Student Tuition: The institution has an International division offering courses to overseas students, who pay full fee rates. CRICOS Provider No. 00011G.
5. Short Courses: Non-accredited and accredited short courses generate revenue from participants. Examples include Wildlife Care courses (AUD $195-380), Welding Certification Training (AUD $1,200), and Electrical training courses (AUD $1,250).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Gordon is a Victorian government-owned TAFE institution delivering government-subsidised vocational education and training (VET) programs across multiple campuses in Geelong and Werribee. Its offering includes accredited certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, apprenticeships, traineeships, VCE senior secondary programs, Free TAFE courses, and short courses covering trades, health, animal studies, business, IT, creative arts, hospitality, and community services. Programs are delivered via face-to-face, online, workplace, and blended modes, with revenue primarily from Skills First government funding and tuition fees.

Product overview

The Gordon is a TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of vocational education and training programs. The offering consists of full-time and part-time TAFE courses across diverse study areas, including apprenticeships and traineeships in trade areas (building trades, electrical, plumbing, automotive, engineering), health and animal sciences (veterinary nursing, animal care, allied health), creative arts (floristry, graphic design, game design), business and IT (including ICT with CISCO and AWS Academy partnerships), early childhood education, and general education. Programs are delivered through face-to-face campus-based learning, online delivery, workplace training, and blended modes. The institution also provides VCE senior secondary programs, Free TAFE subsidized courses for eligible students, industry short courses, and wildlife care programs. Key offerings include the Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion and EV Diagnostics as newer program launches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-time and Part-time TAFE Courses Vocational education and training programs delivered across study areas including trades, health, business, IT, arts, and hospitality, offered as full-time, part-time, traineeship, or apprenticeship modes for Australian residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 240 hours minimum work placement for Veterinary Nursing students
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Geelong Tech SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partnership with The Geelong Tech School, a collaborative initiative providing technology-focused education and training in the Geelong region. Located at the Werribee campus location.
• The Culinary CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partnership providing culinary and hospitality training through The Culinary Collective, a specialist cooking school located in Geelong.
• Skills and Jobs CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partnership providing career services, job readiness training, and employment support to Gordon students and the wider community.
• Skilling the BayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional workforce development initiative in the Geelong and surrounding Bay region, supporting skills training and employment pathways.
• Education Agents (International)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational student recruitment through a network of approved Education Agents. Agent Agreements are available for partners.
• Secondary Schools (VET in Schools)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Victorian secondary schools to deliver VET courses to high school students. Schools refer students and coordinate delivery as part of VCE/VCE VM programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TAFE Queensland: Large state-owned TAFE institution delivering vocational education, apprenticeships, and traineeships with a similar government funding model. Comparable portfolio across trades, health, hospitality, and creative industries.
• Chisholm Institute: Victorian TAFE operating across multiple campuses in Melbourne's south-east. Delivers comparable apprenticeships, certificates, and diplomas in trades, health, business, and community services, with similar Skills First funding reliance.
• Holmesglen Institute: Victorian TAFE offering a near-identical portfolio of vocational courses, apprenticeships, short courses, and international student programs. Closely comparable as a Melbourne-region government-funded VET provider.
• Box Hill Institute: Victorian TAFE delivering vocational certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships, and international student programs with comparable funding model and student segments to The Gordon.
• TAFE NSW: Australia's largest state-owned TAFE, offering a comparable mix of vocational certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships, and short courses across trades, health, business and IT. Directly comparable as a public-sector VET provider funded through government programs.
• Kangan Institute: Victorian TAFE offering automotive, trades, health and business vocational courses. Comparable as a public VET provider with apprenticeships and a similar metropolitan/multiple-campus footprint.

Emerging players

• Open Colleges: Large private RTO offering online vocational certificates and diplomas. Comparable as a competitor for domestic and flexible-learner enrolments, though with a different delivery model (online vs campus-based).

Broad incumbents

• Federation University Australia: Regional Victorian university with TAFE operations and vocational pathways. Comparable in serving regional students with applied/vocational programs alongside higher education.
• Swinburne University of Technology: Melbourne-based university offering vocational certificates, diplomas, and pathways in trades, design, and IT. Overlaps with The Gordon on technical/vocational delivery and industry partnerships.
• RMIT University: Major Melbourne-based dual-sector university with a substantial TAFE-style vocational education portfolio, including trades, design, and business. Overlaps with The Gordon on vocational certificates and apprenticeships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gordontafe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/thegordongeelong
• Facebookfacebook.com/thegordongeelong
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-gordon-tafe
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_gordon

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Gordon