General News
24 June, 2026
Students visit Lactalis
STUDENTS from Cobden Technical School’s Year 11 Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Vocational Major (VM) program recently stepped out of the classroom and into one of the region’s major employers, visiting Lactalis Mainland Dairy in Cobden for a hands-on look at life in the dairy manufacturing industry.
The excursion gave students a first-hand look at the wide variety of career pathways the facility offers, with staff speaking to the group about roles ranging from factory work and fitting and turning through to engineering and beyond.
VCE VM teacher Stacey Podger said the visit was a real eye-opener for students.
“What was great about this excursion was how much it broadened students’ horizons about the variety of career options available to them,” she said.
“A lot of young people don’t realise just how many different pathways exist within one workplace, and Lactalis Mainland Dairy really showcased that.”
The highlight for many students was the site tour, which took the group through a number of impressive spaces including the butter room, a packing facility where robotics are used to load pallets, large freezer storage areas and one of the on-site workshops.
“It was a fantastic excursion for getting students into the real world,” Mrs Podger said.
“They had the chance to ask plenty of questions, and you could see them genuinely engaging with what they were seeing.”
Students took full advantage of the opportunity to quiz staff, with questions flowing throughout the visit.
Cobden Technical School’s VCE VM program is designed to connect students with practical, real-world learning experiences as they explore their post-school pathways.
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