CUC - Southern Riverina chair Leanne Small said to prepare the submission, feedback was received from 25 local businesses and organisations highlighting skills and education gaps in the community.
The committee also had pledges of $340,000 in financial and in-kind contributions from local businesses and individuals.
The application seeks government support to set up CUCs in both Deniliquin and Finley.
These facilities would not only support school leavers to continue their studies locally, but also older community members wishing to upskill or change careers.
While locations for the CUCs are yet to be determined, it has been proposed they be co-located with each town’s TAFE campus.
“We managed to get the application in before the October 18 deadline, and we received some amazing support,” Mrs Small said.
“We had more than 25 responses to our community survey, with a good cross-section providing us with vital information on the training needs and skills gaps of our community.
“Amazingly, we got more than $340,000 in financial and in-kind pledges, which will strongly support our application.
“We had community members make some small donations, and we had some larger corporate contributions.
“We think it is a very strong application because of the input we received, and the strong industry and community engagement.”
Financial and in-kind pledges have come from Finley Murray Hut CWA, Finley Rotary Club, Edward River Council, Berrigan Shire Council, Deniliquin Pastoral Times, Edge FM, Pottinger Energy Park, Murray Irrigation Limited, Rob and Anne Brown, Anne Apedaile, Rivena Nominees (Small family), Tony and Francie Cullenward, Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, Kelly Grains and TAFE NSW.
Mrs Small said the steering committee has also met with and received support and endorsement from Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley, NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton and Senator Deborah O’Neill.
She thanked steering committee members Nathan Holahan, David Crew, Felicity Michael, Julia Druitt, Hayley Pubrick, Jeff Ward, Rob Brown, Duncan Taylor and Karina Ewer for their efforts to date, and grant writer Katrina Tehan from Tender Right.
Mrs Small said a decision on the application would not be known until early next year.
If successful, the expectation is the CUC - Southern Riverina committee will have both CUCs up and running by the second half of 2025.
The set-up costs would be partially funded by government, and partially by industry.
CUC - Southern Riverina is investigating grants to add to the pool of funds, and anticipates a model will be developed to encourage community funding support for ongoing costs of running the facility.
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