News

WISE Training shutdown leaves students stranded

By Lua Ikenasio

Jun 26, 2026

WISE Training Services, a branch of WISE Employment Echuca, has shut down. Photo by Benjamas Deekam

Local students enrolled in courses through WISE Training Services have been left scrambling after the provider ceased funded training activities earlier this month.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

As the training arm of WISE Employment, WTS provides government-funded vocational education and training courses.

Echuca resident Felicity Evans, who was just four units away from completing her Certificate IV in Community Services, was among the students affected by the decision.

The mother of two had already completed 18 months of study and was due to finish her qualification in September.

“To find that it was just stopped with no notice, I was devastated,” she said.

“I felt really helpless. I was so close.”

According to WTS, it has been advised on Tuesday, June 9 that it would not be offered a 2026 funding contract before existing students were notified on Friday, June 12.

In the lead-up to the shutdown, the organisation had been working through “a number of issues”, including changes in management and trainer personnel, course disruptions and matters identified through internal and external audits.

A WTS spokesperson said all impacted students had been contacted by phone or email and follow-up support was continuing.

“We know this has been distressing and disruptive for students who had put time and effort into their studies and were working towards completing their qualifications,” they said.

“We’re also working with students directly to help them understand what has been completed, what remains outstanding, and what options may be available to them.”

However, Ms Evans said students were initially provided with little information about their next steps, before later being directed to the Victorian Skills Gateway website to search for alternative training providers.

Ms Evans described the advice as generic and said there had been little personalised support for students trying to complete their qualifications elsewhere.

“They’ve told students to look at other providers, but there’s been no personalised plan saying these are the providers in your area or these are the organisations that offer online training,” she said.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority confirmed WISE Training Services remained registered as a registered training organisation but said it could not comment on any regulatory activity.

Having already completed 18 months of study, Ms Evans now joins other local students searching for another way to complete their courses.