New trade training centre paints a bright future for Morley students

Plans have been unveiled for the new trade training centre to be built at John Forrest Senior High School.

Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan today visited the school to view the plans and inspect the site where the centre will be built.

Expected to cost up to $2.55million, the centre is one of six to be built at Western Australian schools under the first phase of the Australian Government's $2.5billion Trade Training Centres in Schools Program.

Mr McGowan said the centre would be purpose-built with two 250sq.m workshops for plumbing and gas fitting, and painting and decorating, as well as seminar rooms and storage space.

"The centre will be fitted out with industry relevant equipment for these trades," he said.

"To be known as the John Forrest Trade Training Centre, it will be a key venue for students to learn basic trade skills.

"Students will have the opportunity to commence qualifications at the Certificate III level in plumbing, and painting and decorating."

The Minister said MPA Skills was a key part of the project and would be the registered training organisation for the centre.

Students from Mount Lawley Senior High School will also benefit from the training facilities at John Forrest Senior High School, as they will have priority access to the centre.

Mr McGowan said the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program complemented the major training sector reforms being undertaken by the State Government.

"We are transforming WA's training system to make it more flexible, responsive and efficient so we can better address the State's skill shortages," he said.

Major initiatives already introduced include:

·          sweeping changes to the 'Vocational Education and Training Act 1996' to create a single, modern system for apprenticeships and traineeships;

·          consolidating the number of industry advisory bodies from 14 to 10 to improve training advisory arrangements in WA; and

·          allocating an additional $66million in the State Budget 2008-09 to further increase the number of apprentices and trainees in WA, to a record total of 39,000.

The Minister said the State Government was serious about addressing the skill shortages and had committed a record $284million extra to the area, since February 2005.