State government funded computer training programs are being offered to retirement village residents with the lure of free training, with a laptop thrown in.

A company named as the National Training Centre of Australia is alleged to have signed up 60 residents of The Lakes village in Victoria to a free computer training course. It was to be made up of 14 x two hour classes.

Investigations by suspicious residents discovered the National Training Centre of Australia was allegedly claiming from the State government for the 60 students to gain a Certificate 111 qualification, valued at an alleged $160,000.

This course requires 590 hours of student study to equip them for a career as IT support and help desk executives.
The participating residents also do not receive their laptop until they completed 12 hours of theoretical training.

After four hours most residents pulled out. Since then, The Lakes has been approached by another training college making the same offer.