Getting Started

GOTAFE Student Handbook >Getting Started

Acknowledgement

It is with deepest respect that we Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Lands on which we operate throughout, the Yorta Yorta, Bangerang, Taungurung and Wurundjeri peoples, whose social, spiritual, economic, and cultural connections continue to flourish.

We pay respect to all Elders past, present and emerging, and ask for guidance as we work towards creating our vision here at GOTAFE in “Empowering Aboriginal students and community on their journey, through Education and Training, to a Culturally Safe Pathway to Success”. We also extend respect to all Indigenous peoples studying and working with us here at GOTAFE.

We ask all to recognise the uniqueness and diversity of Aboriginal culture, society and history and promote reconciliation that gives proper recognition and respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Welcome to GOTAFE

Welcome to the GOTAFE community! An exciting experience awaits you and we’re delighted that you have chosen to learn, dream, and succeed with us.

Whether you are fresh out of school, returning to study after a break, or want a formal qualification to support your career aspirations, GOTAFE is here to help you achieve your goals.

GOTAFE is a leader in practical education and training; our learning environment is aimed at supporting you on your pathway to success.

GOTAFE strives to be more than an education facility, we want to be a place where people from all backgrounds feel safe and included. We are proud to have been named Inclusive Training Provider of the Year 2020 and remain committed to providing outstanding outcomes and creating opportunities for collaboration and growth as a community.

Take the time to look through this handbook and if you need help, wish to access our range of support or study services or just want to ask a question, please reach out to our friendly customer services team, or speak to your trainer. We are here to support you to reach your full potential.

You’re now part of the GOTAFE family. Thank you for trusting GOTAFE with delivering your education and training. We look forward to seeing you graduate and achieving great things in whatever field you choose.

Good luck!

Our values

At GOTAFE we live and practice and are committed to ensuring all are respected through our Values. We hold ourselves accountable to these values and we expect all students to abide by these same set of values.

Integrity: Be honest, reliable and trustworthy

Collaboration: Partner with others to achieve goals

Accountability: Take responsibility for your actions

Respect: Appreciate and accept each other’s differences

Excellence: Aim high

First steps

You’re about to start a whole new chapter in your life! Being a new student can be daunting, but we are here to help you. We’ve listed a few important things to get familiar with before you start your course to give you a kick-start on your journey.

Unique Student Identifier (USI)

Every student is required to have a USI. It is a list of numbers and letters that is unique to you. Your USI will give you access to your training records and results and you will need one to be able to receive a certificate of attainment on completion of your course. It is also required on Enrolment forms for most courses.

Apply for your USI online or contact reception.

Please provide GOTAFE with your USI once you have received it, via email or through reception. For more information, contact us, or speak to one of our friendly Customer Service Officers.

Student account access

When you first enrol with GOTAFE, you will be provided with a student number and email address. You will need this information to access your GOTAFE student account.

Find more information on your student account

You will need your student number and student email address to access services and online learning support at GOTAFE, so remember to keep this handy. You should not disclose your student login details to anyone.

Email and Office 365

GOTAFE students have access to a free Outlook email and Office 365 account.

To set up your account, we have instructions to help you.

Office 365 is Microsoft’s Cloud version of the Office Suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You can save documents online, meaning that you can access them from any device, share them with your trainer, or collaborate on joint work projects with other students.

Orientation

We know how exciting and challenging it can be to commence your training journey. To set you up for success, we provide orientation sessions at all GOTAFE campuses. Information about the time and location of your orientation will be provided when you enrol and will also be available via the Student Lounge and the GOTAFE website.

Opening hours for all campuses

GOTAFE campus offices are open from Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm. Campus facilities and classrooms will be open for any training that has been scheduled. Please check your training schedule for your classes as some classes may run after hours.

Contact us

If you have any questions about your course or if you just need further help or information about GOTAFE, get in touch with us today.

You can call us directly, or send a message via our online portal, and we’ll get back to you with more information. You can also drop into one of our campuses and chat to our customer service team.

Call us on 1300 468 233 or (03) 5833 2555 (during opening hours), or contact us online

Your first week at GOTAFE

Your first few days at GOTAFE may seem a bit overwhelming – you’ll be navigating a new place, meeting new people and learning new things. Here are some tips to help you hit the ground running.

Student Identification Cards

You will be provided with a Student Identification Card in your first week at GOTAFE. These are available from the campus reception. Your Student ID Card will have your name, student number and photo printed on it. You will need your student ID card for printing and photocopying, to gain access to the library as well as travel concessions and student discounts. You will need to be enrolled first before a student identification card can be issued.

Keeping your details up to date

You are responsible for keeping your enrolment record up to date. Please provide us with any change to address, phone number or name through the student portal or by emailing us at enquiry@gotafe.vic.edu.au.

Wi-Fi

All students can connect to the GOTAFE Wi-Fi on all GOTAFE campuses. To access, simply follow the instructions on how to setup Wi-Fi.

Mobile Phones

Please turn off your mobile phone during class. If you need to be contacted urgently, alternative arrangements can be made with your trainer. There are times when your trainer may have you use your mobile phone in class as part of the learning for the day. Your trainer will let you know when that will be. GOTAFE will not ask you to use personal data or airtime to participate in learning using your own mobile phone.

Parking and private property

Students bringing any private property onto GOTAFE campuses do so at their own risk. Some campuses have parking available for students; however, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage to vehicles or private property.

Photocopying and printing

Photocopiers are conveniently accessible across all our campuses and can be utilised with your student card. You have the freedom to utilise any photocopier situated in areas accessible by students for both photocopying and printing purposes. We are pleased to announce that students no longer need to load funds onto their cards to access these services. It is important to note that student printing and photocopying will be monitored on a monthly basis to ensure the system is not being exploited. However, it is essential to highlight that all photocopying and printing activities must still adhere to copyright legislation, as outlined in the GOTAFE Copyright Procedure.

Lost and Found Items

Please contact front reception at your campus for all lost and found items.

Staying connected

GoLearn

At GOTAFE, we use goLearn, to access all learning materials in the online learning portal. GoLearn is used not only as an important learning experience and online support access tool, but also to interact in the Student Lounge.

Download the Moodle app and you can learn wherever you are, whenever you want, with these app features:

Easily access course content - browse the content of your courses and units, even when offline.
Connect with other students studying with you - quickly find and contact other people in your courses or units.
Keep up to date - receive instant notifications of messages and other events, such as assignment submissions, student activities, campus news, and so much more.
Submit assignments - upload images and audio and other files from your mobile device.
Track your progress - view your grades, check completion progress in courses and browse your learning plans.
Complete activities anywhere, anytime - attempt quizzes, post in forums... and more!

To stay connected, simply download the Moodle App from the Apple App Store or from Google Play.

Once you have downloaded the Moodle App, simply follow the login to gain access to your courses and units.

To access goLearn from your desktop, simply go to goLearn and log in to the goLearn – GOTAFE Online Campus using your username and password. You will have received your username and temporary password from GOTAFE. You will be required to create a password once you log in for the first time. We strongly recommend you adding the goLearn page to your favourites for easy access.

Student lounge

Now is a good time to let you know that all students will automatically have access to the Student Lounge.

The Student Lounge is an online platform where students can access online support resources, find out more about the services GOTAFE offers to support you through your learning journey and to receive important updates that get posted in the Student Lounge.

It is also an important place to link to the GOTAFE Library where you can access all the online journals related to your study, thousands of relevant articles and online resources, and log in to the Library website to see what books and items are available on loan.

Student forms and policies

All the resources required to get organised for your studies are in one handy location - forms, guidelines and policies. Whether you’re looking for an enrolment form, or you are seeking more information and policies.

For a glossary and easily searchable index of policies and procedures relevant to you as a student, log in to the Student Lounge in goLearn.

Online Service Standards

GOTAFE is committed to providing a quality learning experience for students studying online. These online service standards explain our commitment to students in key areas.