Gray to lobby for training centre funds

Mr Gray is lobbying the national Education Minister to fund the Peron Trade Training Centre.

Despite the project being led by Gilmore College, and the City of Kwinana having land set aside behind the new Darius Wells Library and Resource Centre for such a development, Kwinana is not the preferred location.

Mr Gray said the TTC would give secondary students from Gilmore, Comet Bay College, Kolbe Catholic College, Rockingham Senior High School, Rockingham Senior High School Education Support Centre, Safety Senior High School, Warnbro Community High School and Warnbro Community High School Education Support Centre access to industry-standard facilities and equipment and provide them with the skills needed to get a good job.

The project would include a testing laboratory, an allied health training facility and the provision of equipment across two sites within the cluster.

‘I have spoken to staff and students at local schools, who have said that the establishment of a Trade Training Centre in Rockingham would give secondary students the opportunity to gain valuable trade skills, which will give them a head start when entering the workforce.

Federal funding paid for a significant amount of Challenger Institute’s $28 million Building Technology Centre at Rockingham, which is due to open next year.

‘It will deliver qualifications in allied health and manufacturing to address skills shortages in the occupations in local demand of domestic assistant, food safety supervisor, hospital assistant, laboratory technician, maintenance supervisor, nursing support worker, occupational therapy assistant, and patient care assistant,’ Mr Gray said.

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said despite the City’s own campaign for a TTC, they would ‘welcome and support’ a regional facility in Rockingham provided it was accessible to Kwinana residents.

‘We trust that any regional facility will take into consideration the specific needs of Kwinana residents in achieving their own education and employment goals,’ she said.

‘As Kwinana’s population continues to expand, we would hope to see an additional centre funded specifically for our City.’