A NEW TAFE has been earmarked for Armadale if Labor wins the federal election.
On April 30 Premier Mark McGowan announced the State Government would match a $10 million funding contribution from federal Labor if they were elected on May 18.
Mr McGowan said the purpose built facility would give people in suburbs such as Jandakot, Southern River, Seville Grove, Mount Nasura, Roleystone and Byford access to tertiary education closer to home.
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READ NOW“I look forward to partnering with federal Labor if they are elected, and building a new contemporary TAFE campus to provide a modern environment for students across this region,” he said.
“As part of our METRONET plan, students from across the region will be able to easily connect to Armadale when the Thornlie-Cockburn Link and Byford Rail Extension projects are completed.”
The construction of a TAFE or university was part of the City of Armadale’s federal election wishlist, with mayor Henry Zelones saying it was a much needed addition to the area.
“In the early 2000s it was recognised that Armadale as a district had a lower than metropolitan average cohort achieving Year 12 in high school, a similar result for access to tertiary education, and higher than average youth unemployment,” he said.
“Given there are currently 25 primary and 10 high schools in the City, with more to come, the City clearly needs a pathway and improved access to higher education services for its younger citizens.
“The 18 to 24 year old cohort accounts for nine per cent of our current population in 2016, and will grow by an additional 6,627 by 2036.
“This rapidly growing demographic requires access to higher education facilities to reach its full potential and contribute back to a more sustainable community.”