Senator the Hon Scott Ryan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, today opened the HV McKay Building at Harvester Technical College in Sunshine North.
The HV McKay Building is one of five sites that make up the Melbourne West Trade Training Centre.
The Melbourne West Trade Training Centre – the second largest of its kind in Victoria – is being built thanks to a $12.9 million grant from the Australian Government. The HV McKay Building received approximately $3.1 million of the total funding.
The HV McKay Building at Harvester Technical College, part of Sunshine College, will offer skills training in construction, engineering and hairdressing.
“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring vocational training meets the needs of industry and employers and to ensuring students are trained in areas where there are existing skills shortages,” Senator Ryan said.
“The new facilities, provided as part of the Melbourne West Trade Training Centre, will give students the best chance to learn workplace skills.”
“Skills training at secondary school provides a basis for students to pursue further training after school or to enter the workplace.”
“For many students, learning a trade will be the key to a job in a wide range of industries, from hairdressing to construction.
“I congratulate the entire school community for its foresight and cooperation to get this centre up and running.”
Once complete, the Melbourne West Trade Training Centre will include an electro-technology workshop, an aeroskills workshop, a horticultural training workshop, a commercial kitchen and café, a brick and blocklaying workshop, an engineering workshop, a hairdressing salon, a carpentry workshop, a telecommunications workshop, a refrigeration and airconditioning workshop and a painting and decorating workshop. The facilities will be utilised by students from 10 schools across Melbourne’s West.
Two campuses of the Melbourne West Trade Training Centre – at Caroline Chisholm Catholic College and Footscray City College – are already operational. Two more – at St Albans Secondary College and Victoria University Secondary College – are expected to be completed soon.
The schools that will benefit from the new Melbourne West Trade Training Centre facilities are:
- Caroline Chisholm Catholic College
- Braybrook College
- Footscray City College
- Gilmore College for Girls
- Jackson School
- Maribyrnong Secondary College
- Rosamond Special School
- St Albans Secondary College
- Sunshine College
- Victoria University Secondary College (Deer Park Campus)
For further information on Trades Skills Centres and Trade Training Centres visit:
www.education.gov.au/trade-training-centres-schools-program.