Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King today celebrated the opening of Ballarat Christian College’s new Trade Training Centre.
“I’m pleased to celebrate the opening of this brand new trade training centre which will give students here the opportunity to learn a trade whilst at school and support a pathway to higher education and a future career,” Ms King said.
“These purpose built trade classrooms include specialised machinery for woodwork and metalwork studies with the school to offer VET Certificate I, II and III qualifications in construction, engineering and manufacturing.
“This will help address critical skills shortages in the workforce in the trades of cabinetmaker, carpenter, joiner and metal machinist.
“Students from Years 7-10 will also study woodwork, building the foundations for learning a trade in their senior years.
“Supporting students to sharpen their trade skills in secondary school opens up opportunities and incentives to get an apprenticeship, go on to further study and build a career.
“Ballarat Christian College received $1.5 million from the former Labor Government’s Trade Training Centres program to build this first class facility that will encourage young people to stay in school and secure a good job in the future.
“Labor Governments support education and training, we support manufacturing, we support job-creating infrastructure investment and we support regional economies.
“This is in stark contrast to Federal and State Liberal Governments who have cut deeply into Trade Training Centres, Higher Education and TAFE.
“Tony Abbott’s $950 million cut to the Trade Training Centres program means 650 schools across the country will miss out on these facilities.
“The Liberal’s flawed ideology demonstrates absolutely no vision whatsoever to empower our young people to create the next era of prosperity.
“Education investment not only pays huge dividends for our economy – it provides our young people with the skills they need for life.”