Building skills for sustainability in the Tuggeranong Valley

ACT Minister for Education, Dr. Chris Bourke MLA and Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann today welcomed the announcement that seven schools in the Tuggeranong Valley have been successful in their bid for funding under the Gillard Government Trade Training Centres in Schools Program.

Successful schools Erindale College, Lake Tuggeranong College, Calwell High School, Chisholm School, Lanyon High School, Wanniassa Senior School, and Namadgi School will receive up to $8.163 million as part of the program.

The money will be used to establish the Tuggeranong Sustainable Living Trade Training Centre, which will involve the refurbishment of six existing facilities to include construction workshops, automotive workshops, commercial kitchens and horticulture workshops.

"The Tuggeranong Sustainable Living Trade Training Centre will provide training and employment pathways for students in the Tuggeranong Valley in areas of national skills shortages," said Dr Bourke.

"Itwill deliver Certificate I and II qualifications and units of competency at Certificate III in automotive, construction, horticulture and hospitality, preparing students to enter the trades of carpenter and joiner, cook, landscape gardener and motor mechanic.

"The funding will also be used for equipment on each site, enabling students to learn in industry standard settings, on industry standard equipment," said Dr Bourke.

"The centre will provide new career opportunities for students in industries that are moving towards becoming more sustainable. Building sustainable practices into these traditional trades will make them ready to respond to changing industry needs and contribute to the continuing economic growth of the ACT and Australia," said Ms Brodtmann.

"This trades training centre will not only ensure the future careers of students, but also address the great demand we have in the ACT and Australia for people with trades qualifications and skills.

"Education is the great transformer of lives and the announcement of funding to these seven schools will provide new career opportunities to the students of Tuggeranong," said Ms Brodtmann.